It's official: the Xbox One version of dinosaur adventure game ARK: Survival Evolved is finally getting local and online split-screen multiplayer when its next patch rolls in.
There's one problem, though; it's still unclear when the update will actually be released.
According to developer Studio Wildcard, online and local split-screen multiplayer will be included in Version v731.0, but aside from the promise of "more notes to come," the information is currently sparse.
The Xbox-exclusive feature was originally revealed via a GameSpot report right before the game's release in December 2015. Back then, however, split screen was for local cooperative play only.
"Many developers are abandoning split-screen local play, but we couldn't stomach that for ARK!" Studio Wildcard creative director Jesse Rapczak tells GameSpot. "Friends and families can look forward to working together to survive the environment, tame its inhabitants and unravel the mysteries of the island - all from the same couch."
Studio Wildcard's decision to include split-screen multiplayer in ARK's Xbox One version is significant because developers have been leaving the feature out lately in games. Perhaps the most notorious omission in recent memory is with Halo 5: Guardians, which is part of a series known for its split-screen multiplayer. Needless to say, fans were disappointed.
While ARK's split-screen multiplayer is cause for celebration among local co-op players, Studio Wildcard also needs to address the open-world game's performance issues on the Xbox One.
As revealed by Eurogamer's Digital Foundry column, ARK: Survival Evolved suffers frequent stuttering, constant screen-tearing and regular frame rate dips. Hopefully, Studio Wildcard would address these problems, especially as split-screen multiplayer can cause even worse frame rates.
Despite its performance woes on the Xbox One, however, the game was downloaded more than a million times in less than a week since its December 2015 release.
Xbox owners can buy a copy of ARK: Survival Evolved for $34.99. Take note that the game is currently in the Xbox One Preview program, which means it's unfinished and is still under development.
The PlayStation 4 version for ARK: Survival Evolved is scheduled for release in summer 2016.
