ARK: Survival Evolved Dedicated Server Hosting Guide

Overview

ARK: Survival Evolved is a survival game where players must survive being stranded on an island filled with dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals, natural hazards, and potentially hostile human players. This comprehensive guide covers hosting an ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated server on a VPS or dedicated server.

Quick Info

Installation & Setup

System Requirements

• OS: Windows Server 2016+ (64-bit) or Linux 64-bit (Ubuntu/Debian)
• CPU: Minimum dual-core; Recommended quad-core @ 3.0GHz+
• RAM: 8-12GB minimum; 16GB+ for modded/high-pop servers
• Storage: 20-25GB for base game; additional for mods and saves
• Network: 10Mbps+ upload recommended

Installing via SteamCMD

# Install SteamCMD first
# Windows: Download from https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd.zip
# Linux:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install lib32gcc1 steamcmd

# Create server directory
mkdir -p ~/arkserver
cd ~/arkserver

# Download server files
steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir ~/arkserver +app_update 346110 validate +exit

# This will download approximately 20GB of files

Windows Startup Script

Create ServerStart.bat in ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64\:

@echo off
start ShooterGameServer.exe "TheIsland?SessionName=MyARKServer?QueryPort=27015?ServerPassword=YOURPASSWORD?ServerAdminPassword=ADMINPASS?listen?Port=7777?MaxPlayers=20"
exit

Linux Startup Script

#!/bin/bash
cd ~/arkserver/ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux
./ShooterGameServer TheIsland?listen?SessionName=MyARKServer?ServerPassword=YOURPASSWORD?ServerAdminPassword=ADMINPASS?QueryPort=27015?Port=7777?MaxPlayers=20 > ~/arkserver.log 2>&1 &

Server Configuration

Configuration File Locations

Windows:

ShooterGame\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\GameUserSettings.ini
ShooterGame\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\Game.ini

Linux:

ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini
ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/Game.ini

GameUserSettings.ini - Key Settings

[ServerSettings]
ServerPassword=YourServerPassword
ServerAdminPassword=YourAdminPassword
ServerName=My ARK Server
MaxPlayers=20
DifficultyOffset=1.0
ServerPVE=False
AllowThirdPersonPlayer=True
ShowMapPlayerLocation=True
EnablePVPGamma=True
ServerCrosshair=True
RCONEnabled=True
RCONPort=27020
TheMaxStructuresInRange=10500

# XP and Progression
XPMultiplier=1.5
TamingSpeedMultiplier=3.0
HarvestAmountMultiplier=2.0
HarvestHealthMultiplier=1.5
ResourcesRespawnPeriodMultiplier=0.5

# Player Stats
PlayerCharacterWaterDrainMultiplier=1.0
PlayerCharacterFoodDrainMultiplier=1.0
PlayerCharacterStaminaDrainMultiplier=1.0
PlayerCharacterHealthRecoveryMultiplier=1.0
PlayerDamageMultiplier=1.0
PlayerResistanceMultiplier=1.0

# Dino Settings
DinoCharacterFoodDrainMultiplier=1.0
DinoCharacterStaminaDrainMultiplier=1.0
DinoCharacterHealthRecoveryMultiplier=1.0
DinoCountMultiplier=1.0
DinoResistanceMultiplier=1.0
DinoDamageMultiplier=1.0

Available Maps

Replace the map name in your startup command:

• TheIsland - Original ARK map
• TheCenter - Free expansion map
• Ragnarok - Free expansion map
• Valguero - Free expansion map
• CrystalIsles - Free expansion map
• ScorchedEarth_P - Paid DLC
• Aberration_P - Paid DLC
• Extinction - Paid DLC
• Genesis - Paid DLC

Startup Parameters

Command Line Options

Port Forwarding Requirements

# Forward these ports on your router/firewall:
UDP 7777 - Game Client Port
UDP 7778 - Raw UDP Socket
UDP 27015 - Steam Query Port
TCP 27020 - RCON (if enabled)

# Linux firewall (UFW):
sudo ufw allow 7777:7778/udp
sudo ufw allow 27015/udp
sudo ufw allow 27020/tcp
sudo ufw reload

Troubleshooting

Server Won't Start

Problem: Server fails to start or crashes immediately.

Solutions:

• Check log files in ShooterGame/Saved/Logs/
• Verify Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable is installed (Windows)
• Ensure sufficient RAM and disk space
• Validate server files: steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 346110 validate +exit
• Check file permissions on Linux (chmod +x on server executable)

Cannot Connect to Server

Problem: Players cannot connect or server not visible in browser.

Solutions:

• Verify all ports are forwarded correctly (7777, 7778, 27015)
• Check firewall rules allow traffic
• Confirm QueryPort is set correctly and not in reserved range (27020-27050)
• Try direct connect using IP:Port in Steam
• Ensure server password is communicated correctly

High Resource Usage / Lag

Problem: Server uses excessive resources or experiences lag.

Solutions:

• Reduce max player count
• Disable or reduce mods
• Lower difficulty and resource multipliers
• Upgrade server hardware (especially RAM)
• Regular server restarts to clear memory
• Clean up abandoned structures with admin commands

Mod Issues

Problem: Mods not loading or causing crashes.

Solutions:

• Update mods via Steam Workshop
• Add mod IDs to GameUserSettings.ini: ActiveMods=modid1,modid2
• Ensure mod compatibility with current game version
• Remove conflicting mods one at a time to identify culprit

Performance Optimization

Recommended Server Settings

• Small Server (5-10 players): 8GB RAM, dual-core CPU
• Medium Server (10-20 players): 12-16GB RAM, quad-core CPU
• Large Server (20+ players): 16-32GB RAM, high-performance CPU

Admin Console Commands

Enable admin: Press TAB, type enablecheats ADMINPASSWORD

• SaveWorld - Force save the game
• DestroyWildDinos - Respawn all wild dinosaurs
• SetTimeOfDay HH:MM:SS - Set time of day
• admincheat KillPlayer PLAYERNAME - Kill a player
• admincheat BanPlayer PLAYERNAME - Ban a player
• admincheat Broadcast MESSAGE - Server-wide message

Backup Strategy

# Backup save files regularly
# Location: ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks/

# Linux backup script:
#!/bin/bash
BACKUP_DIR="/path/to/backups"
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)
cd ~/arkserver/ShooterGame/Saved
tar -czf $BACKUP_DIR/ark_backup_$DATE.tar.gz SavedArks/
# Keep only last 7 days
find $BACKUP_DIR -name "ark_backup_*.tar.gz" -mtime +7 -delete

Additional Resources

• ARK Wiki - Dedicated Server Setup
• ARK Official Wiki - Server Configuration
• Steam Community Discussions
• r/playark - Community Support