Image Source: Survive the Ark
Studio Wildcard has continued to bolster Ark: Survival Evolved with paid DLC packs as well as free expansion maps.
The Center, Ragnarok, Valguero, and Primitive+ have all delivered a new environment and some new features for players to explore and conquer without paying any extra.
Now, the development team has announced that yet another free DLC expansion map is on the horizon.
Hot on the heels of the launch of the paid expansion pack Ark: Genesis Part I, players will be able to download Crystal Isles for free this summer.
From mod map to official Ark experience
In a post on Survive the Ark, the development team revealed that “the one-of-a-kind experience” that is ISO: Crystal Isles map is coming to Ark: Survival Evolved players on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.
Hyping up the summer launch, the free DLC expansion map is described as stunning, other-worldly, filled with stunning biomes, and teeming with life.
Coming through the Sponsored Mod Program, ISO: Crystal Isles has been available for players to enjoy for around four years.
Created by iSPEZZ, Isolde Gaming, and Lillian, the world has developed a great deal over those years. The video below from Evolution Games gives a great aerial tour of the map from a few years ago.
When the Crystal Isles expansion map comes to PC and console gamers in the summer, it will be fully supported and will launch with a brand new real-world dinosaur to tame in the fresh world.
The unique creatures of the Crystal Isles
While we don’t know what the new real-world dinosaur coming with Crystal Isles will be yet, we do know that the map already features some unique versions of existing creatures.
The Crystal Isles feature two new Alpha variants, with the Alpha Crystal Wyvern and Liquefied Alpha Wyvern set to pose players quite the challenge.
Players can also encounter other unique creatures like the Blood Crystal Wyvern, Grand Embertross, Crystal Griffin, Giant Worker Bee, Spectral Squid, Tropical Crystal Wyvern, and the Ember Crystal Wyvern.
As you can see, there are some creatures that are linked to the giant crystal formations on the aptly-named Crystal Isles map. These new lands also feature new Liquefied and Zombie creatures.
The Liquefied creatures (Alpha Wyvern, Raptor, Bronto, Rex, Gigantosaurus, Stego, Jerboa, Trike, Quetzal, and Wyvern), are similar in appearance to their Skeletal forms, but also don a translucent body and ethereal blue glow.
You can also find three forms of Zombie creatures, with the Zombie Fire Wyvern, Zombie Lightning Wyvern, and Zombie Poison Wyvern casting their shadows across the Crystal Isles.
While Ark players are enjoying the new world of Genesis now, they’ll be able to jump into the Crystal Isles for free in the summer, and then on to Genesis Part II, which is set to launch this winter.
