How to Host an ARK Survival Ascended Server (Quick Start)

To host an ARK: Survival Ascended server without keeping a PC on, pick a plan on GamezServers, pay, and your server is live in about 60 seconds with its own address. Your tribe joins from the Unofficial list, and you tune rates and add CurseForge mods from the control panel in your browser. This guide walks through every step, from choosing the right amount of RAM to your first rate changes and backups.

If you would rather run the server on your own hardware, read how to make an ARK: Survival Ascended server instead.

Step 1: Pick the right plan

ARK is one of the heaviest survival servers around. The Island uses around 8 to 10 GB of memory with nobody online, and tamed dinos, big bases and mods push that higher over time. That is why our ARK plans start at 12 GB.

If you are unsure, take Standard. It is the sweet spot for most tribes, and you can move up or down later without losing your world. New customers get 50% off their first month on any plan. For more on sizing, see how much RAM a game server needs and choosing a plan.

Step 2: Split the cost with your tribe (optional)

At checkout you can choose Split with friends and share the bill between 2 and 10 people. Everyone pays their own share by card, and each share includes a 1 USD payment fee. On the 16 GB plan split four ways, that is roughly 11 USD each.

You pay your share and the server starts straight away. You do not have to wait for anyone. Each friend gets their own payment link and pays when they are ready, and every share that comes in keeps the server running longer. If you are a new customer, your friends get 50% off their first month too.

Step 3: Name the server and pay

Give the server a name at checkout. For ARK, this is the session name your tribe searches for in the server list, so pick something easy to type. Then sign in or create an account on the same page and pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe.

Billing is monthly with no contract. You can cancel any time from the dashboard and the server keeps running until the end of the month you paid for. See billing and cancellation for the details.

Step 4: Find your server on the dashboard

After payment you land on your dashboard. Your server appears under Your servers with the status Setting up, then switches to Online once it is ready. ARK takes a little longer than lighter games on its very first start, because the map has to load, so give it a few minutes before inviting everyone.

Open the server to reach the control panel. Your address sits at the top: click it to copy. It looks like 203.0.113.10:7777. The control panel guide explains every tab.

Step 5: How your tribe joins

1. Launch ARK: Survival Ascended and click Join Game.
2. Switch the list to Unofficial and turn on Show Player Servers.
3. Search for your server name and click Join. Enter the password if you set one.
4. On PC you can also press Tab on the main menu to open the console and type open followed by your address, for example open 203.0.113.10:7777.

Survival Ascended servers are cross platform, so Xbox and PlayStation players find your server in the same Unofficial list. A brand new server can take a few minutes to appear in the list. If it still does not show up, read ARK server not showing up.

Step 6: Set your rates in GameUserSettings.ini

Most of ARK's fun lives in two config files. Open the Files tab and go to ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/. The folder is called WindowsServer even though our servers run the Windows build for you behind the scenes.

Always stop the server before you edit these files. ARK rewrites them when it shuts down, so changes made while it runs get thrown away.

GameUserSettings.ini holds the everyday rates under [ServerSettings]:

[ServerSettings]
XPMultiplier=2.0
TamingSpeedMultiplier=3.0
HarvestAmountMultiplier=2.0
DifficultyOffset=1.0
OverrideOfficialDifficulty=5.0
ServerPVE=True

• XPMultiplier: how fast everyone levels.
• TamingSpeedMultiplier: how fast dinos tame. 3 to 5 is popular for small tribes.
• HarvestAmountMultiplier: how much you get per hit on trees, rocks and bodies.
• DifficultyOffset and OverrideOfficialDifficulty: set both as above for wild dinos up to level 150, like official servers.

Edit only the value after the = sign, keep each setting on its own line and save. Start the server again and your new rates apply.

Step 7: Tune breeding in Game.ini

Breeding and maturation live in Game.ini in the same folder, under this exact header:

[/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]
MatingIntervalMultiplier=0.5
EggHatchSpeedMultiplier=5.0
BabyMatureSpeedMultiplier=5.0
BabyCuddleIntervalMultiplier=0.5

Lower MatingIntervalMultiplier means shorter waits between matings. Higher hatch and mature values mean faster babies. If Game.ini is empty, paste the header and your lines in. If a change does not take effect, check ARK server settings not working.

Step 8: Add CurseForge mods

Survival Ascended mods come from CurseForge. On each mod page, copy the Project ID. Add the IDs to your server in the panel, separated by commas, and restart. The server downloads the mods on start, and players get them automatically when they join.

If Xbox or PlayStation players are in your tribe, only use mods marked as cross platform. Add a few mods at a time, because every mod adds to memory use and startup time.

Step 9: Become an admin

The Console tab in the panel gives you full access, so you can run server commands like SaveWorld, ListPlayers or Broadcast straight away. There are one click buttons for Save world, Broadcast, List players and Wipe wild dinos too.

To use admin commands in game without typing a password each time, add your EOS ID to ShooterGame/Saved/AllowedCheaterAccountIDs.txt in the Files tab, one ID per line, and restart. Our ARK admin commands guide lists the commands worth knowing.

Step 10: Backups, Sleep when empty and upgrades

• Backups: press Backup before big changes such as new mods, a wipe of your rates or a game update. Each server keeps 3 backups.
• Sleep when empty: the server stops after 90 minutes with nobody online, and one press of Start brings it back with the world saved. If you want dinos to keep maturing and crops to keep growing overnight, turn it off in Settings.
• Upgrading: if the server starts running out of memory as your base grows, pick a bigger plan in Settings. The price is prorated and the new RAM applies after a restart. Your world stays exactly as it is.
• Moving an existing world: upload your SavedArks folder through the Files tab or SFTP. See how to transfer an ARK single player save to a server.

Self hosting vs GamezServers

FAQ

How much does it cost to host an ARK: Survival Ascended server?

Plans start at 29.99 USD a month for 12 GB, and most tribes choose the 16 GB plan at 39.99 USD. New customers get 50% off the first month, and you can split the bill with up to 9 friends.

Can Xbox and PlayStation players join my ARK server?

Yes. Survival Ascended servers are cross platform. Console players find your server under Unofficial with Show Player Servers turned on. Any mods you add need to support console too.

Why can I not find my server in the list?

Make sure the list is set to Unofficial with Show Player Servers on, and search the exact server name. A new server can take a few minutes to appear. PC players can always join with open and the address.

Can I bring my single player world?

Yes. Upload the SavedArks folder for your map and it loads on the next start. Your character needs a small rename to carry over, which our save transfer guide explains. Back up first.

Do I need to keep my PC on?

No. The server runs on our hardware, so your world stays online after you log off. Turn off Sleep when empty if you want it running around the clock.

Ready to tame the island

That is everything you need for your first night: a plan, an address, your rates and a few mods. See ARK: Survival Ascended server hosting to pick a plan and get started.