Snail Games’ Studio Sirens is celebrating ARK: Survival Evolved’s tenth anniversary with ARK: Aquatica, a brand-new, fully-realized underwater expansion launching July 15 on Steam. This ambitious DLC sends players beneath the waves, with 95 percent of gameplay unfolding in a flooded ARK, dotted with above-water islands and extreme survival challenges, according to a press release.

ARK: Aquatica introduces 21 new tameable aquatic creatures ranging from mystical Monodon and protective Mudpuppy species to mutated deep-sea variants of familiar dinos. You’ll need to master underwater survival tactics, relying on air pockets, propulsion vehicles, and new gear like Lead Boots to walk on the seabed and TEK Air Pockets for submerged bases.

A suite of 74 new Engrams—including seven Tek-tier recipes—adds depth to underwater engineering, letting players craft advanced gear and ten aquatic-themed cooking recipes. Traversing five distinct biomes aboard a derelict ARK ship and beyond, survivors will uncover a corruption-infused narrative tied to Pure Element rifts and artifice gone wrong.

The sprawling aquatic map, situated in the Atlantic, immerses players in a corrupt oceanic realm shaped by elemental anomalies. The update also restores access to early Island-era mechanics while layering in fresh environmental hazards and deep lore that expands upon ARK’s core survival gameplay.

Studio Sirens emphasizes that this marking of ARK’s decade-long legacy is a community-driven expansion built on emergent gameplay and cooperative challenge. While Ark: Aquatica plays outside canonical storylines, it reinforces Snail Games’ support for the original Survival Evolved even as attention grows on future releases.

Ahead of launch, Snail USA’s game director clarified that the released trailer’s visuals were marketing tools—not AI-generated, despite fan speculation—and that in-game environments remain unchanged by such methods.

ARK: Aquatica arrives July 15 on Steam, priced at $14.99, with an introductory discount bringing it down to $8.99 during launch week. The DLC includes official server support through the end of the year, and a dev kit for modders to expand the underwater world using ARK’s popular creation tools.