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Studio Wildcard Today Launches ARK: Survival Evolved $60,000 Worldwide Modding Contest

Studio Wildcard Today Launches ARK: Survival Evolved $60,000 Worldwide Modding Contest

Two New Dinos Now Added to the ARK Living Arsenal: Dung Beetle and Dimetrodon

SEATTLE, WA – Thursday, January 14 –Today Studio Wildcard is challenging the ARK: Survival Evolved and modding communities to put their creativity to the test in the ultimate ARK: Survival Evolved modding competition! Whether it’s building an entirely new ARK Island or designing a new competitive gameplay mode, Studio Wildcard is looking for fans to submit their entries in one of three categories: ‘Mods’, ‘Maps’ and ‘Total Conversions.’ With a total of over $60,000 (USD) in cash up for grabs, it’s time to either cash in on the mods you’ve been perfecting or motivate your team to create something completely unique! More details HERE.

Also newly added to the world of ARK this week are the first two prehistoric creatures of 2016! PC players can now add the excrement-eating Dung Beetle and the protective Dimetrodon to their cache of dino defenses.

To start developing your ARK mod, use the ARK Dev Kit, a streamlined version of the UE4 Editor, to simplify the creation and sharing process of ARK: Survival Evolved which is available to download now for free via the Epic Games Launcher at www.unrealengine.com. All entries must be submitted before March 15, 2016, and the winners in each category will be announced on April 15, 2016. The contest objective is to use the Unreal Engine 4 ARK Dev Kit to create a new “Mod”, “Map”, or “Total Conversion” which best exemplifies the judging criteria. To enter the contest and find details on rules and regulations, go HERE.

Mod Contest Prizing – Fifteen (15) prizes will be awarded. 1st through 5th places for each category (Best Mod, Best Map and Best Total Conversion):

  • 1st Place: $10,000 in each category
  • 2nd Place: $5,000 in each category
  • 3rd Place: $3,000 in each category
  • 4th Place: $2,000 in each category
  • 5th Place: $1,000 in each category

New ARK: Survival Evolved Dinos:

Known as everyone’s favorite adaptable carnivore, the Dimetrodon offers players shade during excessive heat and shelter from extreme cold by way of the massive insulating sail running down its back. He is reasonably friendly to survivors and its favorite place to roam is the swamplands that are plentiful with small prey.

Studio Wildcard Today Launches ARK: Survival Evolved $60,000 Worldwide Modding Contest

The Dung Beetle is a wondrous organic biofactory that eats excrement and other useless waste then metabolizes it to produce burnable oil that can power generators and fertilize crops. He is the perfect pet for cleaning up around the tribe’s dirty living quarters! ARK version 232 also adds craftable Beer Kegs for making tasty brew, with various status enhancing effects. But watch out for the subsequent ‘hangover’!

Studio Wildcard Today Launches ARK: Survival Evolved $60,000 Worldwide Modding Contest

ARK: Survival Evolved will launch in Summer 2016 on Xbox One via the ID@Xbox program, PlayStation 4 with Project Morpheus support, and full release on Steam PC. The game is currently playable in Microsoft’s Game Preview on Xbox One and Steam’s Early Access program, which includes Oculus Rift VR support and an integration of Steam community features such as Steam Economy and Steam Workshop for custom maps and mods. Players can host private/LAN servers and have access to a custom-built version of the Unreal Engine 4 Editor for creating mods. The world of ARK is designed to be modder-friendly and ever-expanding!

Here is the Dimetrodon and Dung Beetle spotlight video:

To join the growing band of survivors, journey over to Steam to download the game. For the latest updates you can follow on Twitter, like on Facebook, subscribe on YouTube, visit the Website at www.playark.com and watch the developer tame and train leviathan dinosaurs on Twitch.TV.

Related: Raptor Claus Makes it Snow in ARK: Survival Evolved Winter Wonderland Update

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I have always enjoyed playing video games and am a programming team lead for a video game company. I co-founded Gaming Cypher because I enjoy the gaming community and would like to provide the best news service around. Feel free to ask me any questions and I will make sure to get back to you quickly.