Dino Game Ark Adds Ancient Penguin, Giant Anglerfish, New Warring System

A new update released today for PC dinosaur-survival game Ark: Survival Evolved introduces, among other things, a new penguin-like creature and a giant, ancient version of the Anglerfish.

The penguin-esque creature is called Kairuku Waitaki, and, unlike other animals in Ark, this one probably won't kill you, as it's an "amazingly docile and friendly" beast. They won't help you in battle per se, but their bodies "run extremely hot," so you can stand near one to survive in Ark's cold regions.

The Kairuku may be a highly sought-after beast, too, as its blubber contains the same polymer material that players can use to craft items like weapons and armor. Kairuku babies, whose bodies are blubber-rich, are the ones developer Studio Wildcard expects people to seek out the most.

Hunting these babies is "colloquially known as 'Kairu Clubbing,'" the developer said.

As for the other new creature introduced to Ark today, the Melanocetus Anglerpescum (the Anglerfish), it swims at the bottom of the ocean and uses a bioluminescent light pod on its head to attract prey. That makes it relatively easy to spot, and if you find one, you can tame it and then ride it around underwater, using its light to find items that might otherwise go unnoticed. Players can also kill the creature to harvest its luminescent nodes, which can then be used as "long-lasting fuel" for above-ground homes.

In addition to the Kairuku and Melanocetus, today's Ark update adds a new warring system called Tribal Warfare Alliance. This allows Tribes to formally declare war against each other during mutually agreed-upon timeframes and scenarios. The goal here, Studio Wildcard said, is to encourage players to come together, even if it is to do battle.

Watch the video above to get a closer look at Ark's new creatures, but be warned, it contains footage of baby penguin murder.

Ark: Survival Evolved launched earlier this year Steam Early Access and has now sold more than 2 million copies. It remains in development, with the full version expected to launch in summer 2016. Studio Wildcard, which officially refers to itself as "the studio that never sleeps," has released numerous updates for the game since launch, the most recent of which (before today's) added the massive, deadly Giganotosaurus.

It's also coming to Xbox One and PlayStation 4, with owners of Microsoft's system able to play starting this winter through Game Preview. For more on Ark: Survival Evolved, check out GameSpot's Early Access review.