Best ARK Survival Ascended Maps for a Server (Map Names List)

The best ARK Survival Ascended map for a new server is usually The Island (TheIsland_WP) for a first playthrough, Ragnarok or Valguero for a bigger tribe, and Astraeos (Astraeos_WP) for players who own the DLC. Every official map has a server name ending in _WP, and switching maps on a server only takes that name.

ARK Survival Ascended map names for servers

These are the level names a dedicated server expects. Type them exactly, case included. A wrong name was even called out in the August 27, 2026 patch notes as a cause of creatures not spawning (Steam).

The name list matches the ARK community wiki's server configuration page. Mod maps from CurseForge use the name given on their mod page, plus the mod's project ID.

What is the best ARK map for a first server?

The Island. It is the map most guides, wikis and tame calculators assume, its progression is well paced from beach to bosses, and it is one of the lighter maps to run. If your tribe is new to ARK, start here, then move to a story map like Scorched Earth or Aberration once you have beaten the Island bosses.

Best ARK Survival Ascended maps by playstyle

Best for building: Ragnarok or Valguero

Both are large free maps with plenty of flat ground, rivers and cliffs to build on. They are good for long running PvE servers where players want space between bases.

Best for a challenge: Scorched Earth or Aberration

Scorched Earth's heat, storms and limited water push you to plan. Aberration moves the whole game underground, with radiation zones and terrain that makes flying hard. Both are smaller maps, which suits a tight group.

Best for ocean and ships: Genesis Part 1 or Astraeos

Genesis Ascended Part 1 launched on July 3, 2026 with a simulated, map wide ocean built for the ships, treasure hunting and naval combat in ARK: Tides of Fortune (Steam, July 3, 2026). Astraeos added wave physics and the Trireme warship with its 1.0 update on August 27.

Best for players who own the DLC: Astraeos

Astraeos covers over 264 square kilometres according to Studio Wildcard, with Pyranthos desert, Lemnokis Island, Helianthos and the deep sea Abyssanthos region. It is sold separately on Steam, so check that your players own it before switching. Our ARK Survival Ascended patch notes cover what the 1.0 update added.

Best for endgame tribes: Extinction

Extinction has the Titans and a ruined city full of Element. It is a good second or third map for a tribe that already knows the game.

How much RAM does each ARK map need?

Bigger maps and more structures need more memory. ARK is one of the heaviest servers to run, so these are realistic numbers for a small to medium tribe:

Memory grows over time as tames and bases pile up, so plan for where your server will be in two months, not on day one. More on sizing in how much RAM a game server needs.

How do you change the map on an ARK server?

The map is the first word of the server's start line, so changing it is one edit:

1. Stop the server.
2. Change the map name at the start of the launch line, for example from TheIsland_WP to Ragnarok_WP.
3. Start the server. A map you have not played before starts fresh, while a map you played earlier loads its own save.

Each map keeps its own save in ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks/, so switching does not delete your old world. Characters and tames do not carry between maps unless you run a cluster, covered in how to set up an ARK Survival Ascended cluster.

How do you run a mod map?

Add the mod's CurseForge project ID to your -mods= list and use the map name from the mod page as the server map. Players download the map automatically when they join. Mod maps break more often after big patches, so expect to update after events like the planned Unreal Engine 5.8 upgrade. The full process is in how to install mods on an ARK Survival Ascended server.

Switching maps on GamezServers

On our ARK: Survival Ascended servers, the map is a setting in the panel. Pick or type the map name, restart, and the server loads it. Earlier maps keep their saves, so you can come back later. For a mod map, add its ID under CurseForge mod IDs and type the map name from its mod page.

FAQ

What is the server map name for The Island in ARK Survival Ascended?

TheIsland_WP. All Survival Ascended official maps use the _WP suffix, which separates them from the old Survival Evolved names.

Is Astraeos free on an ARK Survival Ascended server?

Astraeos is a separate purchase on Steam. You can set Astraeos_WP as the server map, but players should own the DLC to get the full experience.

Does changing the map delete my ARK save?

No. Each map has its own save file in SavedArks, so switching back loads the old world as you left it.

Which ARK map is the easiest to run?

The Island and Scorched Earth are among the lighter official maps. A small tribe can run them comfortably on 12 GB of RAM.

Can I run two ARK maps at once?

Each server runs one map. To play several maps with shared characters and tames, run one server per map and link them as a cluster.