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ARK Park

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ARK Park
Information
VR/AR VR
Developer Snail Games
Publisher Snail Games
Platform SteamVR, Oculus PC, PlayStation 4
Device HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Windows Mixed Reality, PlayStation VR
Operating System Windows, PlayStation 4
Type Game, Full Game
Genre Adventure, Simulation, Dinosaurs, VR, Action, Open World, Survival
Input Device Tracked Motion Controllers, PlayStation Move, DualShock 4
Play Area Seated, Standing, Room-Scale
Game Mode Single Player, Multiplayer, Co-op
Language English, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese
Release Date 22 March 2018
Price US$39.99 (Steam)
App Store Steam, Oculus Store, PlayStation Store
Website http://arkparkvr.com/
Infobox Updated 10/09/2026

ARK Park is a virtual reality dinosaur adventure game developed and published by Snail Games as a spin-off of ARK: Survival Evolved. Set in a futuristic dinosaur theme park, it combines exploration of themed habitats with resource gathering, crafting, raising dinosaurs from eggs and a cooperative mode in which players defend bases from attacking creatures.[1][2] The game is VR-only and was released on 22 March 2018 for PlayStation VR and for PC headsets including the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, after a planned December 2017 PlayStation VR launch was postponed.[3]

Snail Games described the game as "designed from the ground up" for VR, with no set plot line; players can visit the park alone or in online groups of up to four.[1][4] Critical reception was negative: the PlayStation 4 version holds a Metacritic score of 46, and reviewers criticized its repetitive combat and grinding for crafting materials while UploadVR praised its visuals.[5][6]

Reviewed 9 October 2026. Release dates, platforms, Steam and PlayStation Store prices and requirements, Japanese pricing, development quotes, patch and DLC notes, and review scores and quotes checked against Steam, PlayStation Store, Famitsu, PlayStation.Blog, Road to VR, UploadVR, PC Gamer, GamesBeat, TheSixthAxis, Metacritic and OpenCritic. About review dates.

Description

ARK Park places players in a virtual dinosaur theme park populated, according to the developer, by over a hundred prehistoric creatures. Players can explore the park freely, without a set plot line or schedule, and can join other players on multiplayer park tours.[1] Unlike the survival-focused ARK: Survival Evolved, the game was pitched at announcement as a more educational experience centred on observing dinosaurs up close.[7]

Gameplay

The game has a hub with holographic projections of dinosaurs and information about them.[2] From the hub players set out on "Excursions" into separate habitats; the GDC 2017 demo included a prehistoric swamp and a forest.[3][8] Areas are chosen from a menu rather than forming one continuous open world.[9] During excursions players travel on foot, on dinosaur back or in vehicles.[10] Set pieces noted by reviewers include riding a triceratops through a jungle and watching pterosaurs at sunset.[9]

Players collect dinosaur DNA with a gene-scanning gun and gather materials from creatures in each habitat. DNA and materials are traded for Engrams at a base camp, and the Engrams are used to craft items.[1][11] In the December 2016 announcement, Snail Games called the collectibles "Gene Cubes" and said that uploading a captured creature to the hub would show facts and statistics about it and explain how the ARK species differ from real-world animals.[10] Players can also find rare eggs, incubate them, feed the hatchlings and raise them to adulthood; some grown dinosaurs can be ridden.[1][12]

The combat side of the game is a cooperative wave-shooter mode in which up to four players defend checkpoints and research outposts from waves of dinosaurs, using melee weapons, ranged weapons and combat items they have crafted.[2][1][12] TheSixthAxis compared the structure of these missions to a tower defense game.[9] The game launched with 10 maps;[3][12] UploadVR's launch review counted two combat maps spread across six levels of increasing difficulty.[6]

Locomotion and controls

At launch, movement in ARK Park used teleportation only. UploadVR's review noted that there was no free locomotion and that teleporting sometimes failed.[6] Snail Games said after launch that locomotion was one of the biggest issues players had raised, and the 19 April 2018 update added a free-locomotion option alongside teleportation, together with tutorials that first-time players are prompted to play.[13]

In the GDC 2017 demo, which Road to VR played on an HTC Vive, players changed location by picking up an orb and holding it to their face, were accompanied by a robot guide and could feed creatures by hand.[8] Steam lists the PC version as VR-only, with tracked motion controller support.[1] On PlayStation 4 it requires PlayStation VR and the PlayStation Camera, and it can be played with the DualShock 4 controller or with PlayStation Move controllers.[4][3] TheSixthAxis reported that many objects are picked up by looking at them and pressing a button rather than reaching for them, and found menu navigation uncomfortable because options are selected by moving the head.[9]

Development

ARK Park was developed by Snail Games, based in Suzhou, China, as a standalone product separate from Studio Wildcard's original game.[7][8] Snail Games CEO Shi Hai said the studio "wanted to achieve a level of visual authenticity and player interactivity that will set a benchmark in the VR industry"; the game was built with Unreal Engine.[14] According to executive producer Sky Wu, the work was done at Snail Games' Peacock Studio with creative input from Studio Wildcard.[10]

Wu told PC Gamer that a fast-paced survival game like ARK: Survival Evolved "is too fast paced for VR and might result in discomfort", so the team made ARK Park a casual game with optional dinosaur hunting and some more challenging hidden elements for core players.[15] The game was announced in November 2016, and the first trailer was released on 15 December 2016 with a 2017 release planned for the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR.[14][7] Road to VR played a demo at GDC 2017.[8]

In December 2016, Snail Games said players of ARK: Survival Evolved and its Scorched Earth expansion would be able to upload their own creatures into the park's Petting Zoo.[10] The "Dino Export" feature was made public for the first time by Studio Wildcard co-founders Jeremy Stieglitz and Jesse Rapczak at a launch event in San Francisco on 22 March 2018. Snail Games said the export kept each dinosaur's appearance, color and age, supported more than 10 dinosaur types on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, and would come to PlayStation VR later.[16]

Release

A December 2017 PlayStation VR release was planned, but that month passed without a launch. In February 2018 Snail Games set 22 March 2018 as the release date on all three platforms.[3][2] Snail Games' launch announcement named SteamVR, PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, Viveport and Windows Mixed Reality headsets as launch platforms.[16] Steam lists the release date as 21 March 2018.[1]

Platform Release date Notes
PC (SteamVR) 22 March 2018 Steam lists 21 March 2018; VR-only, tracked motion controller support[1]
PC (Oculus Rift) 22 March 2018 Sold on the Meta Horizon Store for Rift[3][17]
PlayStation 4 (PlayStation VR) 22 March 2018 PlayStation Camera required; 2-4 online players with PlayStation Plus[4]

On Steam the base game costs US$39.99, and a Tek Edition with two cosmetic outfits and one dinosaur skin costs US$47.99.[1] The UK PlayStation Store lists the PlayStation 4 version at £44.99 and a Hunter's Package add-on at £6.49.[4] In Japan, Snail Games Japan published the PlayStation VR version on 22 March 2018 in a standard edition (¥5,200 plus tax at retail, ¥5,616 as a download) and a retail-only Deluxe Edition (¥6,200 plus tax) that adds a skeleton T. rex egg and a hunter avatar set.[18] The game supports English, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese on Steam.[1]

Updates and downloadable content

Date Update Changes
24 March 2018 Launch fixes Fixed crashes for some players, inconsistent rendering between the left and right eyes, and depth conflicts between UI and transparent objects[19]
19 April 2018 Update patch Added a free-locomotion option and tutorials for first-time players[13]
28 June 2018 "Pterosaur Hill" (free DLC) Three exploration maps (Mountain Lake, Crystal Sky Lift, Aviary), the Death Valley battle map with air combat on pterosaur back, new weapons and items including a Tachi sword and a shotgun, 14 new creatures and 8 subspecies[11][20]
11 July 2018 Patch Creature behavior and animation adjustments in the new maps, smoother train ride in Welcome Island, and fixes for a Steam achievement and teleport issues[21]
4 December 2025 12.04 Update Fixed a 3D audio error at startup[22]

Snail Games announced Pterosaur Hill as the game's first DLC, free on all supported platforms.[11] As of October 2026 the game remains on sale on Steam, the Meta Horizon Store and the PlayStation Store.[1][17][4]

Reception

Aggregator Score
Metacritic (PlayStation 4) 46/100 based on 11 critic reviews ("generally unfavorable")[5]
OpenCritic Top Critic Average of 46[23]

Before release, Road to VR wrote after its GDC 2017 demo that the game "tickled my dormant childhood curiosity with the long-dead beasts", but noted that it "liberally mixes fact with fiction" about prehistoric animals.[8] In its launch review, UploadVR called the game "easily one of VR's best-looking experiences" but criticized the crafting system for forcing players to replay areas to gather resources and called the action content bare-bones. It concluded that the wave-shooting component was "half-baked, ill-advised".[6]

TheSixthAxis gave the PlayStation VR version 5/10. It praised some of the VR set pieces but described the combat missions as repetitive and the game as "a taster" of ARK: Survival Evolved rather than a full adaptation.[9] PlayStation Universe also scored it 5/10 and called it "too flawed and poorly constructed to be recommended", except to young dinosaur fans.[5][23] IGN Spain gave it 4.8/10, and Cubed3 gave it 3/10.[23]

As of October 2026, Steam user reviews for the game are rated "Mixed", with 44% of 418 reviews positive.[1]

Features

  • Single-player and online Multi-player, including online co-op[1]
  • Up to four players online on PlayStation 4 (PlayStation Plus required)[4]
  • Tracked motion controller support; VR-only[1]

System Requirements

Component Minimum Recommended
OS Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1 or later, Windows 10 Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1 or later, Windows 10
Processor Intel Core i5-4690K Intel i7-5960X
Memory 16 GB RAM 16 GB RAM
Graphics GeForce GTX 970 / AMD equivalent or greater GeForce GTX 1080 / AMD equivalent or greater
Network Broadband Internet connection Broadband Internet connection
Storage 25 GB available space 30 GB available space
VR support SteamVR or Oculus PC

Requirements as listed on the Steam store page.[1] Steam notes that since 1 January 2024 its client supports only Windows 10 and later.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 "ARK Park on Steam". Steam. Valve. https://store.steampowered.com/app/529910/ARK_Park/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Jamie Feltham (2018-02-07). "Ark Park Finally Gets March Release Date". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/ark-park-finally-gets-march-release-date. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Scott Hayden (2018-02-08). "'ARK Park' to Launch March 22nd on PSVR, Vive & Rift". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/ark-park-launches-playstation-vr-december-2017/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "ARK Park". PlayStation Store. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/concept/229885. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "ARK Park". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/ark-park/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Jamie Feltham (2018-03-22). "Ark Park Review: Disappointasaurus". UploadVR. https://uploadvr.com/ark-park-review-disappointasaurus/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Jamie Feltham (2016-12-15). "Check Out The First Trailer For 'ARK' VR Spin-Off 'ARK Park'". UploadVR. https://uploadvr.com/check-first-trailer-ark-vr-spin-off-ark-park/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Scott Hayden (2017-03-02). "Hands-on: 'ARK Park' is Like Jurassic Park Before Things Went Wrong". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/ark-park-like-jurassic-park-things-went-wrong. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Jim Hargreaves (2018-03-30). "ARK Park Review". TheSixthAxis. https://www.thesixthaxis.com/?p=312682. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Sky Wu (2016-12-15). "ARK Park Coming to PlayStation VR in 2017, Interacts with ARK: Survival Evolved". PlayStation.Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2016/12/15/ark-park-coming-to-playstation-vr-in-2017-interacts-with-ark-survival-evolved/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "ARK Park Announces Free DLC "Pterosaur Hill" Arriving End of June". Steam. Snail Games. 2018-05-24. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/529910/view/2394106188076935465. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Eric Rodgers (2018-03-13). "Breed and ride dinos in Ark: Survival Evolved PS VR tie-in Ark Park, out this month". PlayStation.Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2018/03/13/breed-and-ride-dinos-in-ark-survival-evolved-ps-vr-tie-in-ark-park-out-this-month. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "ARK Park Update Patch - 4/19". Steam. Snail Games. 2018-04-19. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/529910/view/2758894130311541944. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Jason Wilson (2016-11-29). "Ark Park takes Ark: Survival Evolved and turns it into a VR dino school". GamesBeat. https://gamesbeat.com/ark-park-takes-ark-survival-evolved-and-turns-it-into-a-vr-dino-school/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  15. ↑ Steven Messner (2017-02-22). "Check out the first gameplay footage of Ark: Survival Evolved's VR offshoot". PC Gamer. https://www.pcgamer.com/ark-park-vr-gameplay/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Snail Games Reveals the Future of the ARK Franchise at GDC". Steam. Snail Games. 2018-03-27. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/529910/view/2758894130312453738. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "ARK Park". Meta Horizon Store. Meta Platforms. https://www.meta.com/experiences/pcvr/ark-park/1130704570365536/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  18. ↑ "恐竜ADV『ARK Park』PS VR版が本日発売 育成・戦闘・探索などが楽しめるテーマパーク". Famitsu. 2018-03-22. https://www.famitsu.com/news/201803/22154145.html. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  19. ↑ "Updated Instructions". Steam. Snail Games. 2018-03-24. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/529910/view/2758894130311548311. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  20. ↑ "Free DLC Pterosaur Hill available on Steam now!". Steam. Snail Games. 2018-06-28. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/529910/view/2499943313654296355. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  21. ↑ "ARK Park Patch 7/11". Steam. Snail Games. 2018-07-12. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/529910/view/2838841185432039025. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  22. ↑ "12.04 Update". Steam. Snail Games. 2025-12-04. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/529910/view/1818118366171751. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 "ARK Park Reviews". OpenCritic. https://opencritic.com/game/5796/ark-park. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
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