ARK: Survival Evolved

ASE launched in 2017 after a contentious Early Access in which a paid Scorched Earth expansion triggered review-bombing and an apology from Wildcard staff. Post-launch it received years of updates and multiple expansions through mid-2023. Official servers were sunset in September 2023 to make way for the paid UE5 remaster ARK: Survival Ascended, with confusing bundle pricing that Wildcard partially reversed after backlash. Today the original survives on unofficial and community-run servers; a publisher-backed Aquatica DLC in 2025 briefly restored limited temporary official servers, and Switch official servers were sunset August 31, 2026.

• Official servers shut September 2023 while the game is still sold, forcing a paid remaster migration — support ended by replacement, not by the game being unplayable.
• Wildcard reversed the confusing Ascended/ARK 2 bundle pricing after backlash ('our bad'), a real but partial responsiveness win; the server shutdown itself was never reversed.
• Communication has been repeatedly reactive: the Scorched Earth 'too cheap to pony up $20' staff outburst and the shifting Ascended pricing required apologies after the fact.
• The original survives on unofficial servers with higher concurrent players than the remaster, per community reports — player-led aftercare is outlasting official support.