ARK: Survival Evolved has a huge amount of players on both PC early access and Xbox One game preview program. PS4 players, on the other hand, have been left out in the dark so far. In a recent interview with Gamespot, Creative Director Jesse Rapscak spoke about the game on PS4.
Due to the type of game ARK is, needing continuous updates while still in development, there is no way to release it on PS4 in its current state. Mr. Rapscak explained:
"There are a few exceptions that we’re not quite sure why they made an exception for one game or the other, but Ark is in the state where at present time unless it’s finished, it’s not coming out on PS4 until they have some other program that allows us to do that."
He knows that PS4 players want an early access program on PS4, but also understands they shouldn't be optimistic about it either.
“We’re pretty excited about PS4. We wish Sony had an early access program, and a lot of people have been asking us for it,” he continued.
The main issue with PS4 not having an early access program is the server stress once it's released in full. The Xbox One version just recently got a patch to help framerate and stability several months into launch. Until the game is fully released, there is no way for Studio Wildcard to know just how the servers will hold up on PS4. This causes the potential for the game to launch in full on PS4, not early access, with the same issues Xbox One had at first. This is expected with a game in progress, but full price purchasers will get upset more quickly if the game isn't functioning as intended at launch.
More Xbox One updates are on the way as well including private servers, windows based servers on Xbox One as well as third party server support.. ARK: Survival Evolved is out now on PC early access and Xbox One game preview program for $35, with a full release due this June
