Ark patch delivers giant bees, 'Hell Pigs', dinosaur cloning, and a volcanic end-game

Want to make a perfect copy of your favorite pet dinosaur? You can now, thanks to Ark: Survival Evolved's patch 257, which adds a Tek Tier cloning chamber. Have your dino step inside, and what was one is now two. That's not the only Tek goodie the patch brings: there are also new sticky grenades, cybernetic armor for Megalodons, and auto-firing turrets. And don't forget, the volcano has been transformed into the "ultra-dangerous new cave" that leads to the Ascenion end-game system. Check out the trailer above.

New dinosaurs? Yep, four of them, including giant bees that produce (presumably giant) honey. There's also a stegosaurus-like creature, though it can't be ridden because it's covered in spikes, and something known as a "Hell Pig" that has a quick-healing attribute, making it difficult to tame. There's also a new sea creature called Liopleurodon Magicus that sounds a bit mysterious:

"...this mythical creature has been said to have the ability to reward the adventurous survivors who tame it, the special attribute of luck. Treasure hunting tribes who have encountered the beast have used this magic to obtain loot beyond their wildest dreams. You're probably wondering why these claims are tales, well it's said that the Lucky Liopleurodon's magic is so powerful, it cannot be kept under control, and after some time, it harnesses this power to get away."

Okay.

Other offerings: new hairstyles and facial hair, 15 new music tracks, 20+ new explorer notes, and some more tweaks to Ark's improved UI. When the patch goes live, players will also receive a perk for the weekend granting 1.5x harvesting, taming, and EXP rates. Have a look-see at some screens below, and read the full patch notes here.