ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) is the Unreal Engine 5 remake of ARK: Survival Evolved. Running your own server means full control over rates, taming speed, dino spawns and the mods your tribe uses.
Requirements
- RAM: 10 to 16 GB. ASA is significantly heavier than ASE due to UE5.
- CPU: strong single-thread performance. The server is mostly single-threaded for game logic.
- Storage: 20 to 30 GB per map (The Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, etc.).
- Ports: 7777 UDP (game), 27015 UDP (query).
Basic setup
- Select ARK: Survival Ascended in the game panel.
- Choose a map from the startup settings (TheIsland_WP, ScorchedEarth_WP, etc.).
- Set admin password and server password in
GameUserSettings.ini. - Start the server. First boot takes several minutes to generate the map.
Essential settings in GameUserSettings.ini
| Setting | Default | Popular |
|---|---|---|
| XPMultiplier | 1.0 | 3.0 to 5.0 |
| TamingSpeedMultiplier | 1.0 | 5.0 to 10.0 |
| HarvestAmountMultiplier | 1.0 | 3.0 to 5.0 |
| BabyMatureSpeedMultiplier | 1.0 | 10.0 to 20.0 |
| MatingIntervalMultiplier | 1.0 | 0.1 to 0.5 |
| MaxTribeDinos | 40 | 200 to 500 |
Default rates make taming and breeding extremely slow. Most private servers increase these significantly.
Mods (CurseForge)
ASA uses CurseForge for mods instead of Steam Workshop:
- Find the mod on CurseForge and note its Project ID.
- Add the Project ID to the
-mods=startup parameter, separated by commas. - Restart the server. The server downloads the mods automatically.
Popular mods: Structures Plus (S+), Dino Storage v2, Awesome Spyglass, Super Spyglass, HG Stacking Mod.
Cluster setup
A cluster lets players transfer characters, dinos and items between maps:
- Run multiple servers (one per map).
- Set the same
-ClusterId=MyClusteron all servers. - Point all servers to a shared cluster directory with
-ClusterDirOverride=/shared/cluster/. - Players transfer at obelisks or supply drops.
How much RAM for multiple maps?
Each map runs as a separate server. The Island needs 10 to 12 GB alone. A two-map cluster needs 20 to 24 GB total. Run maps on separate plans or a large VPS.
Why is my server using so much memory?
UE5. The ASA server uses 3 to 5x more memory than the old ASE server for the same map. There is no way around it; plan for 12 to 16 GB per map.
Can I transfer from ASE to ASA?
No. ASA is a separate game with separate save formats. Characters and dinos do not transfer from ASE.
Run your ARK server on a game plan at HostValues. We recommend the Obsidian (8 GB) or Diamond (10 GB) plan for a comfortable experience.
