Ark: Survival Evolved has only recently released one major official map, Lost Island, but already another is planned for a release in upcoming months. Fjordur, like Lost Island, is a fan-made map made by a dedicated team of Ark players which has gotten the official thumbs up from Ark Devs. Featuring a colder more Nordic-inspired map with tundra and large icy expanses it’s a shift away from most other maps in the game. With a June release date slated for the expansion, the map recently underwent community-based voting to see what new and exciting creatures would be featured.
Community Vote
A selection of different fan-made creations was put up against each other, featuring a variety of weird and wonderful designs. In a series of nine rounds, the favorites were pushed through and the laggers knocked out, leaving the top two as clear favorites.
Desmodus Draculae
A massive hulking bat that can be ridden, the Desmodus Draculae won the vote by a landslide with over 60k votes. The bat’s official art and Dossier have not yet been designed by the Ark Devs themselves, but the original artwork suggests an aggressive flock-based creature that is nocturnal, much like a Megalosaurus. The details further suggest this creature can pin their prey and drain both health and stamina, living on a diet of blood that grants them enhanced regeneration of health. They also appear to have a nocturnal buff when tamed, and a slower flight speed during the day alongside increased stamina drain. On top of this, they also have a bat’s echolocation both as radar and a defensive mechanism much like the Sinomacrops, but on a much larger more terrifying scale.
Carcharodontosaurus
Again without an official Dossier as of yet, the concept for this dino is subject to change, but based on the current information we know that the Carcharodonto, as it is to be called in-game, is a massive creature that rivals Rexes and Gigas in bite force and size. Whilst slightly smaller than the Giga the Carcharodonto is faster and based on the Dossier they seem to be able to do bleeding damage. Due to its smaller size, it lacks the HP pool of both the Giga and the Rex but it seems to be able to outrun both of these and poses a significant hunting threat to any Survivor or smaller Dino. While the Carcharodonto didn’t win the competition, the Devs have confirmed that it will be added to the roster as a free update later in the year.
Already Confirmed Creatures
Andrewsarchus
Appearing like a cross between a large pig and a dog, the Andrewsarchus is a large creature that can move at incredibly high speeds when needed. A territorial beast the Andrewsarchus is prone to charge similarly to Trikes and can swim quickly and effectively. The official Dossier also states that this creature is often subdued by honey when enraged. Once domesticated it seems that this large creature has many functions, from being able to harvest resources from the ocean floor due to its ability to sink to its saddle becoming a roaming minigun turret in PvP times.
Fjordhawk
A smaller based animal, the Fjordhawk is slated to be a shoulder pet that rides with its tamer. They will track their prey, both animal and Survivor alike until they see a moment in which to attack. The Fjordhawk, once domesticated, is a bird of utility, delighting in games of fetch. Able to track down injured prey and even collect items, the Fjordhawk functions effectively once trained. It also can salvage your inventory if your Survivor meets a deadly end; once you’ve respawned the Fjordhawk will return your items to you after tracking you down.
