When you first start a game of Ark: Survival Evolved, it can be difficult to know where to start. There are twelve maps in the title, and nothing tells new players which maps need to be completed and in what order.
The eleven cards are generally divided into two groups: six cards are canon and six are not. Beyond that, maps must be completed in a specific order to experience the true campaign Ark: Survival Evolved has to offer. Not completing them in order means that the story, no matter how difficult, simply won’t make sense.
Related: Ark: Survival Evolved Beginner’s Guide
Canonical Ark: Survival Evolved Maps
Gamepur screenshot
The following canon cards must be completed in order, in order to understand the story of the Ark:
- the island
- burnt soil
- Aberration
- Extinction
- Genesis: Part 1
- Genesis: part 2
Just for these six maps, players can expect to immerse themselves for hundreds of hours to become stronger and conquer dungeons.
Non-canonical maps of Ark: Survival Evolved
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The other six maps are just as fun as canon six, but don’t necessarily have a story tied to the main campaign. The six non-canon maps in ARK: Survival Evolved are:
- center
- Ragnarok
- I will
- crystal islands
- lost island
- fiordur
It’s not uncommon to spend over a thousand hours in ARK without completing all the maps. However, with ARK 2 announced, understanding the story as it stands so far will likely give players a head start on the next iteration of the title. Progression through individual maps depends on the map being played, but the general idea remains the same:
- Complete dungeons for trophies.
- Convert these trophies to summon bosses.
- Transcend the Ark.
Story progression is achieved by completing bosses and finding collectibles across ARK’s six canon maps.
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