ARK is one of the most popular survival games with thousands of servers running worldwide. With ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) alongside the original ARK: Survival Evolved (ASE), you now have two versions to choose from. This article compares both and explains how to set up a server.
Evolved vs Ascended
Survival Evolved is the original on Unreal Engine 4. It runs on virtually any VPS with enough RAM and has a massive mod library on the Steam Workshop. Survival Ascended runs on Unreal Engine 5 with better visuals but significantly higher requirements. ASA mods come from CurseForge instead of the Steam Workshop.
Important: Nitrado holds exclusive commercial hosting rights for ARK: Survival Ascended for a seven-year period. You can run ASA on your own VPS for private use, but offering it commercially as a hosting provider is restricted.
System requirements
| Version | RAM | CPU | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survival Evolved | 6 to 12 GB | 2 to 4 cores | 20 to 50 GB per map |
| Survival Ascended | 16 to 24 GB | 4 to 6 cores | 40 to 70 GB per map |
ARK is one of the heaviest game servers in terms of resources. Choose a VPS with enough headroom, especially if you plan to run multiple maps.
Installation (Evolved)
- Install SteamCMD on your VPS.
- Download the server with
app_update 376030 validate. - Configure
GameUserSettings.iniandGame.iniin theShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/directory. - Start with
./ShooterGameServer TheIsland?listen?SessionName=MyServer -server -log.
Cluster setup
A cluster lets players transfer their character and dinos between multiple maps (The Island, Ragnarok, Fjordur, etc.). Set a shared cluster directory with -clusterid=mycluster -ClusterDirOverride=/path/to/cluster on each server. All servers in the cluster must use the same cluster ID.
Installing mods
For Evolved: add mod IDs to GameModIds= in the command line or ActiveMods= in GameUserSettings.ini. The server downloads them automatically on startup. For Ascended: mods come via CurseForge. Follow each mod's instructions for manual server installation.
Popular settings
- XPMultiplier, TamingSpeedMultiplier, HarvestAmountMultiplier: adjust levelling, taming and harvesting speed.
- DifficultyOffset=1.0: sets the maximum wild dino level (1.0 = level 150).
- MaxStructuresInRange: limit structures per area to prevent lag.
Which version should I choose?
If you want a large mod library and lower server requirements, choose Survival Evolved. If you want the latest graphics and are willing to allocate more RAM, choose Ascended. Many communities run both versions side by side.
How much storage per map?
Evolved maps range from 15 to 50 GB depending on the map and mods. Ascended maps start at 40 GB. Allow an extra 20% for save files and backups.
Can I run multiple maps on one VPS?
Yes, if you have enough RAM. Two Evolved maps need 16 to 24 GB RAM total. Two Ascended maps need at least 32 GB. Use separate ports for each server instance.