<P> The team added features to the game that would appeal to all players, as opposed to specifically players of the survival genre, such as the ability to simply explore the island and compete against large bosses, as a reward for uncovering secrets of the island . They also added an end - game for players to strive towards, as they felt that most survival games lack a final goal . They wanted to "provide a depth and scope that allows for the world to not just be a means to an end (...) but also a place to explore", said creative director Jesse Rapczak . </P> <P> The game, powered by Unreal Engine 4, contains "tens of thousands" of artificial intelligence entities, according to Rapczak . It also features support for virtual reality (VR) gameplay; Rapczak, who has almost three years of experience with head - mounted displays, described the game as being designed with VR in mind from the beginning . </P> <P> The game was initially released through Steam Early Access for Microsoft Windows on June 2, 2015, shortly before the theatrical release of Jurassic World later that month . Rapczak said that the game's release was scheduled to take advantage of the "dino fever" that was present with the film's imminent release . The game subsequently received an Early Access release for Linux and OS X on July 1, 2015, and through the Xbox Game Preview Program for Xbox One on December 16, 2015; a PlayStation 4 version was released on December 6, 2016 . The final game launched in August 2017; it was originally intended for release in June 2016, but was delayed in April . The game launched with support for Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR, and the Xbox One version was released via the ID@Xbox program . Android and iOS versions were released on June 14, 2018, and a Nintendo Switch version is due in late 2018 . </P> <P> On March 16, 2016, the Survival of the Fittest game mode was released in early access as a free standalone game with no microtransactions; it was scheduled to fully launch in mid 2016, but was eventually merged back to the main game as the development team did not wish to monetize on its release, and wanted to ensure that modders can apply the development kit of Survival Evolved to create mods for Survival of the Fittest . There will be various eSports tournaments of the game mode, with a prize pool of US $50,000 . Players who played Survival of the Fittest before it was merged back into the main game can continue to play the game without paying an extra cost, while new players must pay before getting access to it . It will be available for every player who purchases the main game . </P>

When did ark come out in early access