The highly celebrated dino-themed title “Ark Survival Evolved” is finally leaving Steam’s Early Access program. This only means one thing: it is about to launch as an official game. Studio Wildcard has at last decided to complete the game and make it official.
Apparently, the debut price of “Ark Survival Evolved” on Steam has doubled from $30 to $60. This is the same amount that PC players will have to play similarly with console users. Apparently, this came as a surprise considering it was not what the studio previously announced.
Why the doubled price
During this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Studio Wildcard revealed that the game would finally leave its Early Access status after being a darling in the program for two years. This is mainly because the game would soon get a global retail and digital launch comes August 8 on all platforms (i.e. Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Linux, and Mac). Also during that time, the developers revealed that the price of the game would only increase soon after it leaves the Early Access period.
However, according to Polygon, the current price of “Ark Survival Evolved” on Steam is sitting at $60. The sudden increase in price eventually caught the attention of fans, who previously believe otherwise.
The studio explained that the move was only necessary based on the fact that the game, deemed as a retail sales model, is dependent on pre-orders. “The retailers wouldn’t allow a price discrepancy between digital sellers and physical sellers,” the studio explained.
A necessity for launching
Studio Wildcard agreed to the retailers’ request who suggested that the price between the digital and physical copy should be consistent.
This is somehow understandable, considering that the game would be released on all platforms simultaneously. The video game company claimed that the price hike was only necessary to guarantee “Ark Survival Evolved’s” launch. “We wish there were a smoother process for how to do it,” the studio said.
Interestingly, this is not the first time that Studio Wildcard introduced a hefty decision to the community.
Previously, the company offered a paid bundled DLC called “Scorched Earth,” a decision critics and fans deemed controversial. Eventually, the move took its toll, something that the studio publicly admitted. The studio even has a throwaway line for the said content, and it is a “review bomb.” Players came forward and lashed out the studio. But despite the turmoil, the add-on sold considerably and even received awesome reviews on Steam.
