ARK: Survival Ascended's September 30 packs UE 5.8, Cerberax, and Gargantar

Survivors, mark September 30: that's when ARK: Survival Ascended's Unreal Engine 5.8 upgrade, Therizinosaurus TLC, Cerberax, and Gargantar arrive in one packed release.

The move to Unreal Engine 5.8 is one of ASA's biggest technical milestones yet, with work focused on tangible performance improvements, platform-specific fixes, and stronger technical foundations for what's ahead.

The Therizinosaurus TLC, picked through the Extra Life vote, refreshes the beloved "Tickle Chicken" with new life and personality while keeping it the harvesting powerhouse players know. Meanwhile, Gargantar — a new dragon from ARK Dragontopia — takes to the skies, with Expansion Pass owners getting early access to the hungry behemoth that treats the ARKs as an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Cerberax arrives as the second creature in ARK Fantastic Tames Season 1, following the Burrowbuck. The three-headed beast can carry a lone Survivor into battle, but its true strength shows with tribemates: each head has its own temperament, and when worked in tandem, what one head starts another can finish.

Before September, Astraeos gets its final update on August 26, bringing in the Boaratos — the hot-headed hog introduced last week. It promises heat for battles, harvests, and even breakfast tables.

Starting September 4, players can move items, creatures, and characters onto Genesis Ascended Part 1 Official servers without restriction. The timing lines up with the Genesis Part 1 Expires servers, which close on September 18.

Official Conquest servers are open for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. Conquest Season 8 runs 18 maps, all Genesis Part 1. Cluster A has 12 servers with transfers tied to Classic before those shut down; Cluster B's six servers had transfers only between themselves for two weeks, with cluster-to-cluster transfers opening July 17 at 10 AM PT. Rates are 5x. Tek is enabled except for Tek Grenade, Tapejara, Megalodon, Rock Drake, and Mosasaur Tek Saddles, and the Tek Railgun.

ARKpocalypse servers have been wiped; the monthly-wipe network's next reset is September 18, 2026, and players can find it by searching "ARKpocalypse" in the server browser. Official Network bonus rates run until Monday, August 24: PVP/PVE get 2x Harvesting, Taming, Experience, and Breeding; Small Tribes get 4.5x Harvesting, Taming, and Experience plus 4x Breeding; ARKpocalypse gets 5x across all four.

The independently run ASA Mod Jam 2026: Build the Future winners:

• Rustfall by Yutay — a graveyard of steel reclaimed by nature, over the ruins of a forgotten TEK world.
• Whimsical Farming by Lordan_LaFleur & Cliffan — survival as a farming adventure where seeds, seasons, and harvests matter.
• Engram Fragmentation by Shefski — extract fragments from tames to create upgrades, mutations, and cosmetics.
• Extraction Protocol by Bruno — Community Favorite; defend procedurally generated resource nodes against waves.
• The Obolus Project by Nokosa — personal island escapes themed around iconic ARK biomes.
• Hyperion by Crane — an industrial stronghold packed with elite enemies, valuable loot, and a rideable TEK train.
• Corruption Unbound by Dooms_Dahling & Scorching_Kami — spreading corruption that transforms wildlife into new monstrosities.