ARK Survival Ascended: Everything new in the Ragnarok map compared to the original

ARK Survival Ragnarok Ascended brought a new adventure for new players, and hit the old ones with nostalgia. Originally released as a free DLC for ARK Survival Evolved, it was one of the fan favourite maps. The map rework introduced a lot of new content, including new boss fights, creatures, and islands.

This article will list all of the changes and new additions to the Ragnarok Ascended map that we know of so far.

Everything new in ARK Survival Ascended’s Ragnarok map

Bringing back an iconic map is a big responsibility, and the developers at Studio Wildcard have seemingly succeeded in impressing the fans. The DLC added several new locations and creatures, and also improved the existing ones.

New creatures

Bisons in the wild (Image via Studio Wildcard)

While there aren’t many new additions in this category, the ones added to Ragnarok Ascended are some of the beloved creatures in the ARK Survival community. Here's a list:

• Nunatak: The old boss fight with the Dragon and the Manticore has been replaced with Nunatak, a massive Ice Wyvern. If you lose to this boss, the entire map will get covered in ice.
• Bison: The latest addition with Ragnarok Ascended, a Bison will be your walking tank throughout the early game.
• Griffin: While not exactly new, Griffins are making an appearance for the first time in Ragnarok. They are also breedable if you have a male and a female Griffin tamed.
• Drakeling and Veilwyn: Similar to Griffins, Drakeling and Veilwyn are also not exactly new, but both of these were not present in the old Ragnarok.

Also read: How to tame Griffin in ARK Survival Ascended

New areas

Redwood expansion castle (Image via Studio Wildcard)

The developers did not just bring back the map as it was; there are also new areas that were not present in the Ragnarok DLC for ARK Survival Evolved. All new areas are quite large with plenty of resources to farm. All areas are connected to a new island by a bridge.

Here are all the island expansions:

• Scotland expansion
• Redwood expansion
• Scorched Earth expansion
• Wilderness expansion

Apart from the island expansions, there are also new points of interest (PoIs). These are the new Swamp Castle and several small islands around the edges of the map.

Map reworks

The same old map feels completely new (Image via Studio Wildcard)

Apart from new creatures and areas, the existing locations throughout the map also received an overhaul with the ARK Ragnarok Ascended expansion.

• Updated visuals: This is the most obvious change, since Ragnaok Ascended is a total graphical overhaul of the old map.
• Sea rework: If you go for a dive on the new Ragnaok map, you’ll notice the sea is different. The visibility has been increased, along with the amount of resources.
• Reworked ruins: The temple on an island near Scotland has been reworked and transformed into a lighthouse with a secret cave nearby.
• Changes to Carnivorous Caverns: These were previously pitch black, but are now filled with glowing mushrooms. The new lighting completely transforms the visuals inside the cave.
• Wyvern cave changes: Upon reaching the Wyvern cave, you’ll notice that the entire entrance is different. The cave is now more accessible and properly lit, similar to Carnivorous Caverns.
• Loot chests: Loot chests have been replaced with loot crates, which are wooden boxes scattered across the map.

These are some of the few changes discovered on the new Ragnarok map. It’s possible we missed a few, and the best way to find them is to go out and explore.

Check out our other guides on the game:

• ARK Survival Ascended: 5 best base-building spots in Ragnarok map
• Ark: Survival Ascended DLC Roadmap and map release schedule
• All ARK: Survival Ascended Traits you can store with Gene Scanner
• Best Ark: Survival Ascended tame for every resource

Edited by Niladri Roy