Studio Wildcard has launched the Summer Bash 2026 event for ARK, running from July 17 through August 5. The seasonal event introduces a variety of summer-themed cosmetics and structures, alongside boosted rates across official game modes.
Quick Facts
- Event Dates: July 17, 2026 – August 5, 2026
- Mod ID: 927091
- Official Server Rates: 2x Harvesting, Taming, Experience, and Breeding (PvP/PvE); 4.5x Harvesting, Taming, and Experience (Small Tribes)
Event Cosmetics and Structures
Players can unlock new summer-themed items by collecting Popsicles, which are obtained by defeating the Slidy 'N Slippery Kairuku. The update includes a range of inflatable base decorations, such as the Bounce House tileset, various dino-themed balloons (Rex, Bronto, and Stego), and new furniture like the Bounce Sofa and Bounce House Bed.
Personal cosmetics have also been expanded with summer attire including jelly sandals, silicone bracelets, life vests, and swim caps. Weapon skins receive a thematic makeover, featuring the Balloon Longneck Rifle and Balloon Tek Rifle, which the developers describe as having a "wonderfully ridiculous" aesthetic.
Official Server Rates and Updates
During the event, the official network is running boosted rates to encourage activity:
- PvP/PvE: 2x Harvesting, Taming, Experience, and Breeding.
- Small Tribes: 4.5x Harvesting, Taming, and Experience, with 4x Breeding.
- ARKpocalypse: 5x Harvesting, Taming, Experience, and Breeding.
In addition to the event, Studio Wildcard confirmed that extra official Genesis 1 servers are scheduled to go live on the evening of Monday, July 20 (Pacific Time) to accommodate player demand. These will include a mix of PvP, PvE, and Small Tribes configurations.
Conquest Season 8 and Future Content
Conquest Season 8 is currently active across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. All 18 maps are now set to Genesis Part 1. While Tek is generally enabled, specific items such as the Tek Grenade, Tek Railgun, and various Tek saddles are restricted. Transfers between the two server clusters are now open as of July 17.
Looking ahead, Studio Wildcard teased the upcoming Tides of Fortune Galleon. This massive ship will support over 300 player-built structures, supported by new technical systems designed to increase player-built structure limits on ships by up to four times depending on the ship class.
How to Enable the Event
For players on private servers, the event is managed via a mod. You must install the "Summer Bash" mod (ID: 927091) from the in-game Mod browser. To activate it on a server, include the mod ID in your server command-line launch arguments using the -mods=927091 parameter.