Summary

• Ascended's The Center DLC adds a challenging map with new creatures and biomes for players to explore.
• The Pyromane, a new standalone paid creature, offers powerful abilities but sparked backlash for its impact on gameplay balance.
• Introducing microtransaction creatures in Ark 2 could affect PvP server balance, create pay-to-win scenarios, and separate the player base.

The latest Ark: Survival Ascended DLC, The Center, has been released with one worrying trend that could be a bad sign for Ark 2. The highly anticipated sequel is expected in late 2024, but little news has been shared on its progress. Ascended was released as an upgraded version of the original game to hold the community over. However, Ascended has a high specification requirement and has often been criticized for the lack of availability to potential players.

Ascended's The Center DLC is the next challenging new map for players to explore. This map is made up of every biome in Ark while having a series of caves and deep ocean systems to explore. The DLC also added a few new powerful dinosaurs to tame. Two amazing aquatic options are the aggressive scrapper Xiphactinus and the prehistoric submarine Shastasaurus. Overall, The Center is a great content update but has begun a potential practice that could be a bad sign for Ark's future.

New Paid Ark: Survival Ascended Creature Causes Worry About The Future

A Fiery New Addition

The new Pyromane has caused backlash due to it being the first solo paid creature and the possibility that this practice will continue into Ark 2​​​​​​. It is part of the new Fantastic Tames DLC that seems to add a series of fictional creatures, each needing to be purchased individually. The Pyromane costs $5 and cannot be accessed or tamed without purchase.

The Pyromane is a fascinating new addition to the franchise, capable of being extremely powerful. Firstly, it can shift into a small cat form and ride around on the player's shoulder. In this form, it can be utilized as a mini flamethrower. In its base form, the Pyromane can traverse lava without taking damage and setting enemies on fire with melee or dash attacks. Lastly, it can absorb flames to reach a threshold and evolve into its final form.

Pyromane also has a handful of non-combat abilities that make it a useful tame. It can cook meat by placing it in its inventory, and keep jerky fresh for a longer period. Pyromanes can also be used as an alternative power source for a forge. All of these abilities combine to make this fiery feline a versatile powerhouse, which makes its price tag a complication.

The Good & Bad Of Standalone Paid Creatures

A Controversial ing System

With the release of the Pyromane, two stances have been taken regarding the practice of releasing standalone paid creatures. The good side of it is the minimal cost of them, and that the purchase goes toward ing the developers. This is important since Ascended is a one-time purchase and the DLC, unlike in Evolved, is all free. Thus, these small microtransactions give the team some form of added funding while the majority of their resources go to Ark 2.

However, the bad side of this is worrying about the impact it can have on gameplay. While in PvE, not having access to Pyromanes is negligible, but they could prove to be a huge advantage in PvP. The ability to easily traverse lava and control larger areas with fire could easily prove to be unfair for those without Pyromanes. It should be said that this can be accomplished with other mounts, though to varying levels, but anytime there is an unfair difference in power between players it gets to be a tricky line to balance.

Another popular argument against this practice is that microtransactions should be reserved for cosmetics and worthwhile huge crossovers. This is the method many other games prefer, and though the price ranges can be tricky, it has largely worked. This way, the developers can receive extra funding and the community does not have to worry about potential pay-to-win products like the Pyromane.

Why Microtransaction Creatures In Ark 2 Is A Horrible Idea

Breaking An Already Uneasy Balance

In a game like Ark, where PvP servers are a large part of the appeal, adding microtransactions that are pay-to-win is a fast way to kill the game. Even if the price is on the cheaper end, some will not have the ability or want to purchase more than what they already have. The question will also arise about why these new creatures could not have been wrapped up into a bigger DLC that players are willing to spend on.

The other large argument against creature microtransactions is the balance of the game. A case can be made that the Pyromane is not strong enough to warrant any outcry, but that doesn't mean all future additions will be like that. These creatures need to be appealing and powerful, so players want to buy them. This creates an unequal balance where some could feel like the game is pointless to play if they constantly run into others with stronger dinosaurs they do not have access to.

A smaller point, but one still worth mentioning, is what this could do for servers in Ark 2. Those not being hosted officially could start to disable these creatures, if possible, or outright ban them. This then begins a problem of dividing the player base and possibly limiting who can play with whom. Overall, while these creatures are unlikely to affect PvE servers, the effect they will have on PvP is massive.

New creatures in Ark, whether real or fictional, are never a bad thing, but the way they are implemented needs to be good. This method, though not overly outrageous cost-wise, is just inviting scrutiny and unneeded controversy. It is unknown if this outcry will cause any change, but perhaps the one concession Ark could make is disabling these new additions on PvP servers. As of now, only time will tell if this Ark: Survival Ascended practice continues and how it affects the game, but it is a worrying trend for the future of Ark 2.