That’s not counting the $2.5 million for the exclusive Xbox Game Pass launch of ARK 2.
The advantage of many video game subscription services, and streaming services, is the free games. It is an opportunity for many gamers, with little money, to get different games for free. Therefore, services like PS Plus, Xbox Live, and Xbox Game Pass have become a priority for gamers.
Following a report by Snail Games for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), we have learned great data about the profits generated by ARK. Snail Games, the official owner of Studio Wildcard, has generated more than $6 million from PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass deals over the last two years.
A profitable business for Studio Wildcard
Although ARK has been on the market for more than seven years, today it is more present than ever. Although, over time, the ARK community has hundreds of thousands of active players. This is due to the great moves made by Snail Games.
In addition to creating marketing campaigns and collaborating with Vin Diesel, Snail Games opted for a different strategy. In 2020, Snail Games is partnering with Xbox to make ARK part of the Game Pass. A gaming service that has revolutionized the industry. Initially, this move seemed likely to generate losses for Snail Games. But the opposite has been the case.
At the time, the game had been on the market for 5 years and had a few tens of thousands of players. Despite constant Thanksgiving and Halloween events, multiple updates, and launching on next-gen consoles, ARK was on the decline. But the Game Pass movement has generated more than $2.5 million.
As if that wasn’t enough, in March of this year, Snail Games made another bold move, but this time with Sony. ARK was part of the PlayStation Plus free games in March 2022. They achieved a 35% increase in the game’s community. It’s a move that cost Sony $3.5 million. Combined with Xbox Game Pass, this resulted in revenue of $6 million in a period of two years.
ARK 2 exclusivity on Game Pass
But these smart moves don’t stop there. After the success generated on Game Pass, Snail Games has made a decision. After months of negotiations, they have reached an agreement with Xbox for the return of ARK to Game Pass. However, it’s not just a simple return; they signed the agreement with the clause that the game will remain forever on the service.
Added to this, they also reached an agreement that the release of ARK 2 will be exclusive to Xbox Game Pass for three years. It’s an agreement that has generated Snail Games more than $2.3 million. So, we are looking at ARK 2 exclusivity on Xbox and PC until 2026.
With the popularity dropping over the years, such moves by Snail Games were very wise. They knew they wouldn’t have the strength to generate such profits without having to rely on microtransactions. Therefore, securing this money is key to the development of ARK 2 and future Studio Wildcard games.
