Ark: Survival Evolved update v256 will go live on PC in a few hours, and Studio Wildcard has revealed the patch notes to prove it. Currently, everything is set to release early Friday morning on the East Coast. Get the scoop on the new Dinos and features below.

Upcoming Version: v256, ETA: March 30 [Thursday Night PDT possibly Early-A.M. Friday release]

  • New Mechanic: Aquatic & Amphibious Creature Breeding
  • New Dino: Equus - A herbivore horse-like Dino meant to be a trusty steed for player traversal
  • New Dino: Leedsichthys - A large fish that can’t be tamed. It can be repeatedly harvested for bits of prime fish without killing it.
  • New Dino: Ichthyornis - A fish-eating seagull that likes to ride on its owner’s shoulder. It can bring enhanced fishy snacks to its master.
  • New Dino: Iguanodon - A large herbivore known for its fruit-harvesting skills and versatile combat
  • New Structures & Mechanic: Tek Underwater Bases
  • New Structure: TEK Teleporter
  • New Structure: TEK Mosa Saddle
  • New Structure: Tek Power Generator
  • Total Inventory Menu redesign (other UI's coming soon) - [ See it here]
  • Flyer nerf
  • One new hairstyle and one new facial hairstyle (male and female variants)
  • 30+ new Explorer Notes

As is to be expected, update v256 continues to build on the established Tek Tier introduced in previous builds. Not only does base building with the existing tileset now extend to underwater environments, but new objects are being added too. With the teleporter, we imagine survivors will be able to warp to different spots on the map.

The nondescript flyer nerf might also be a sore spot for some, but community staff described the nature of the adjustments on Wednesday. Decreases will be made to speed, stamina, weight and health stats to make airbourne animals more competitive against land-based Dinos. This retool was described as a “first pass” at something that may take a few tries to get right.

Overall, what we’re seeing from v256 are several indicators that Ark: Survival Evolved is almost ready for its final release. As end-game content gets fleshed out and creatures get balanced, we’d expect the changes to be more measured from here on out.

Ark: Survival Evolved is available in early access on PC, Xbox One, PS4, OS X and Linux. Update v256 will likely launch on consoles sometime next month.
What do you think of the changes in these patch notes? Which feature release are you most excited for? Tell us in the comments section!

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