Launch Plans for ARK: Survival Evolved – New PvP Servers, Ragnarok Maps, Etc.

From Studio Wildcard:
ARK: Survival Evolved is on the cusp of leaving its Early Access development and will hit full 1.0 release on August 8 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam! In anticipation of this milestone, developer Studio Wildcard is sharing some key news regarding servers and the upcoming Ragnarok content! First, Studio Wildcard reconfirmed its commitment to no server wipe - despite a recent rash of cheating and hacking within the game. In addition to continuing to operate the legacy servers, on launch date the studio will roll out a fresh cluster network of servers running new code and infrastructure explicitly designed to prevent such issues from occurring in the future.

Second, the third official mod for ARK, ‘Ragnarok’, will roll out to both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players on launch day. This massive map is free to download for all players, featuring a Griffon and a beautiful new environment. PC players can expect Ragnarok to receive a large update this week with new areas to explore and a whole bunch of bug fixes and QOL changes.

Lastly, on launch day Wildcard will have support for private rentable dedicated servers made available via hosting company Nitrado for both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 players! These servers will be available at a very low price, to make them available to as many ARK denizens as possible.

These rentable servers will feature:

• No need for a second console to host personal servers!
• Complete access to all of ARKs custom server config settings, which will let players change the rules on their custom ARKs
• The option to create cross ARK Clusters for the ultimate ARK Experience - allowing travel across four Maps
• Create a backup of server save files, allowing players to try something new without the fear of losing data
• The servers will result in higher performance due to better optimisation
• Player servers will now be able to support a larger pool of players, up to 100! 
• Ragnarok, a community created mod, contains:
• A 144 sq kilometer map designed to be explored by land, sea or air
• Tons of harvest-able or gatherable resources
• Caves of all shapes and sizes, each designed to be built in
• Distinct variations on former ARK creatures, as well a special brand-new creature unique to Ragnarok
• Build tree platforms on unique trees/rocks
• Expansive biomes that were built to reward hardy explorers
• Some of the most challenging dungeons in ARK will await players
• An active volcano that while erupting yields a high amount of resources in the form of lava crystal
• Beautiful vistas and base locations as far as the eye can see
• Hot springs that while dormant yield a relaxing buff, but when active, become dangerous
• Ruins to not only explore but that can also be incorporated into base builds
• A vast ocean with its own ecosystem
• Upcoming future desert biome to find and tame creatures
• Upcoming Explorer Notes that hold the key to Ragnarok's secrets and history 

• A handcrafted leather-bound Explorer's Notebook, featuring the Dossiers of every in-game creature
• An official ARK necklace
• A cloth map of the ARK island
• A poster of the Studio Wildcard development team
• The official ARK: Survival Evolved soundtrack, recorded live by the Philharmonia Orchestra