ARK: Survival Ascended adds the Pyranthos desert region to Astraeos in new “mega update”

ARK: Survival Ascended just pushed a new “mega update” for its Astraeos map, and it’s live now. The big addition is Pyranthos, a new desert region built around ruins, buried routes, and harsher survival conditions.

According to the official post, Pyranthos is meant to be a more hostile slice of Astraeos, with shifting sands and ancient structures that reward players who come prepared (and poke around).

On the creature side, the update adds the Grand Tortugar as a new tame. It’s a giant amphibious beast that can function as a mobile base, with carapace segments you can open and close depending on what you’re doing.

There are also new enemies to deal with, including skeletal foes and myth-flavored boss-type threats like a minotaur, a manticore, and a five-headed hydra called Hydraskos the Unbroken.

Beyond the new region and creatures, the patch includes bug fixes and changes to orbital supply drops across Astraeos. If you want the full breakdown, it’s all in the patch notes.