ARK: Survival Evolved - Kayd Hendricks

Project Overview

ARK: Survival Evolved is a groundbreaking survival sandbox game where players tame dinosaurs, build bases, and survive in prehistoric and fantastical environments. When I joined Studio Wildcard in 2014 as Senior Designer, we were a team of just 7 people. I progressed to Design Lead, helping build the design department to over 20 individuals across disciplines, managing both live services and expansion development. I guided the game from early access through launch and three major expansions, helping shape it into one of the most successful survival games of all time.

Studio

Studio Wildcard

Platform

PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch

Genre

Survival Sandbox

Engine

Unreal Engine 4

Role: Senior Designer & Design Lead (October 2014 - December 2018)

Role and Contributions

Career Progression

Started as Senior Designer in 2014, promoted to Design Lead in 2016. Led expansion content while continuing hands-on systems and content design.

Leadership & Studio Growth

Scaled the design team to 20+; built strike teams for live ops; established best practices and data-driven iteration under tight timelines.

Content Design & Vision

Co-developed DLC vision and content for Scorched Earth, Aberration, and Extinction; delivered new biomes, creatures, and mechanics.

Technical Design & Implementation

Built pipelines, led Survival of the Fittest mode, integrated QA for rapid iteration, and reviewed commits for technical/gameplay risks.

Achievements & Features

50+ Unique Creatures

Designed and balanced over 50 new creatures across expansions, including Wyverns, Rock Drakes, and Titans with distinctive behaviors and taming mechanics.

Complex Survival Systems

Balanced temperature, radiation, and element corruption systems while maintaining progression across 100+ levels and multiple biomes.

Team Leadership

Led cross-functional teams through accelerated development cycles. Mentored junior designers and advocated for their career growth.

Live Service Management

Managed post-launch content updates, balance patches, and community-requested features for millions of active players over 4+ years.

Pipeline Development

Built content creation pipelines and integrated QA processes for rapid iteration and deployment of new features and content.

Survival of the Fittest

Led design and implementation of the standalone battle royale mode, pioneering competitive survival gameplay.

Technologies & Tools

Cross-Discipline Collaboration Perforce Confluence Jira Unreal Engine 4 Blueprint C++ / Python Visual Studio Live Service Design Pipeline Development Combat Systems

Major Expansions I Led

Under the Design Director, I helped concept, design, document, and drive implementation of three major DLC expansions. Each expansion required managing accelerated timelines while maintaining quality and innovation.

Scorched Earth

The first expansion introducing a harsh desert biome with extreme weather. Designed water conservation mechanics, heat stroke systems, and sandstorms. Led implementation of 11 new creatures including the iconic Wyverns.

Aberration

Underground expansion with radioactive zones and bioluminescent ecosystems. Directed vertical gameplay design with climbing gear, gliding suits, and ziplines. Created unique underground creature behaviors.

Extinction

The climactic finale set on corrupted Earth. Co-designed Titan boss system and orbital supply drops. Led implementation of Mek suits and Enforcers, bringing sci-fi combat to the sandbox.