To play ARK: Survival Evolved with friends, you have a few different options depending on your preferences and the platform you’re using. Here’s a guide to help you get started:
1. Host a Local/Private Server
– Single-player hosting: You can set up a local session on your PC or console and invite friends to join your world.
– On PC, you can simply start a new game and choose to host it with friends.
– On Console (PlayStation or Xbox), you’ll need to select “Host/Local” and choose your settings. You can invite friends directly from the menu.
– Your friends need to be on the same local network or use tools like LAN (Local Area Network) play to join.
2. Join an Official or Unofficial Server
– Official servers: These are managed by the game developers (Studio Wildcard), and you can join them by selecting the “Join Ark” option from the main menu. These servers are public and anyone can join.
– Unofficial servers: You or your friends can rent a private server from a hosting provider or set one up through Steam’s ARK: Survival Evolved server hosting feature. This gives you full control over the server settings, mods, and more.
3. Using Dedicated Servers
– If you want a more stable and powerful solution, you can set up a dedicated server for ARK. This requires a PC that can run the server independently of the game client.
– Go to Steam Library, right-click on ARK, and select Manage > Browse Local Files. Then find and run ARK Server Launcher.
– After setting it up, share the server details with your friends to join via the in-game server list.
4. Invite Friends to Your Game (Cross-Platform)
– Cross-play: If you’re on different platforms (e.g., PC and Xbox or PlayStation), ARK supports cross-platform play between certain systems.
– PC and Xbox: You can connect through the Microsoft Store version of ARK and play together.
– PC and PS4/PS5: Cross-play requires you to be on a private server or use Epic Games Store for PC. PlayStation users will need an external server or session for cross-platform play.
– Inviting friends: Simply use the in-game menu to invite your friends to your session. If playing on a dedicated server or private server, your friends can search for the server in the server list and join with a password if needed.
5. Using Mods & Custom Servers
– If you’re using mods or custom content, you’ll need to ensure your friends have the same mods installed to join your session. This is common when playing on unofficial servers.
6. Setting Up a Voice Chat
– Voice chat: Although ARK has in-game voice chat, it can sometimes be useful to use external voice chat apps like Discord to communicate more easily with friends while playing.
7. Check System Requirements
– Ensure both you and your friends meet the system requirements for the platform you’re playing on. Performance can vary depending on whether you’re playing on a PC, PlayStation, or Xbox.
8. Troubleshooting
– If your friends can’t connect, make sure you’re using the correct server settings, ports are open if playing on a dedicated server, or that the server isn’t full or private.
By following these steps, you and your friends should be able to enjoy ARK: Survival Evolved together, whether on a shared private server, public server, or local game.
