STUDIO WILDCARD
Having teased its release earlier this year, War Drum Studios’ handheld port is now available to download.
There are no restrictions between iOS and Android, although there are some issues stopping people playing.
ARK Survival Evolved Mobile on Android has a list of issues that have stopped many from accessing the full experience today.
While everyone should be able to find it on the Play Store and download it, problems can arise very quickly.
Black screens and crashes directly to the homescreen have been spotted by War Drum, who say they are working on these issues.
These are the current ARK Survival Android problems confirmed by the development team:
- Compatible devices
- Black screen
- Touch control issues
- Purchase errors
The good news is that the studio is hoping to push out a new update by tomorrow to address some of these problems.
While the base game is pretty much a replica of the versions currently available on PS4, Xbox One and PC, there are some differences.
Controls are currently touchscreen, with voice chat another difference fans will notice.
There’s also the question of microtransactions, which are only available in the mobile version of the game.
ARK Survival is free-to-play and is supported by in App-purchases and ads, which means spending real money.
The good news is that you can obtain every purchasable structure, item and buff in the game without spending any money. Ancient Amber is a rare resource that can also be purchased (making it an in-game currency) and is tied to your account on an individual server or in single player. It can be obtained without purchasing it directly in a variety of ways:
- Harvested from large predators
- Found in Amber deposits scattered around The Island
- Random chance to obtain from Free Gifts
- From watching Ads
- Random chance to obtain from stones picked up off the ground
Here’s what Ancient Amber can be spent on:
- Structures - Primarily, paid structures include crafting stations that can be used to instantly craft items for yourself or your tribe, includig other structures, ammunition, kibble, and paint dyes. These structures become available for purchase as you level up. For example the Lumber Mill, which is used to build wooden structures, becomes available for purchase at Level 15.
- Buffs - Timed buffs are available to help you get through tough situations. Available buffs include increased weight capacity, resistance o weather elements, and reduced hunger.
- Items - Single-use consumable items such as the Soothing Balm, which increases your taming effectiveness when fed to a wild creature.
There is also an ARK primal pass that comes with its own benefits, here’s more from the studio team, who confirm: “We also offer a subscription service that applies across all servers and in Single Player with Primal Pass.
“Primal Pass is available on a subscription basis for $3.99 a month, or you can purchase the annual pass for $34.99.
“With Primal Pass you get a permanent double XP buff, the removal of all ads (including those on the aforementioned Free Gifts), reserved slots on all servers, early access to news & upcoming special events, and access to our Primal Pass-exclusive servers.
“The Primal Pass-exclusive servers are our solution for those who desire a premium experience with less potential paid imbalance.
“On these servers, all paid structures are disabled and only buffs and items may be purchased. Thus there is no direct way to purchase harvestable resources or structures that could give an advantage to a paying player.
“We believe these will be a popular choice for seasoned ARK players looking for the most familiar experience.”