Playing ARK alone means facing aggressive raptors and freezing nights by yourself, but surviving with a tribe completely changes the experience. Whether you're playing the original ARK: Survival Evolved or ARK: Survival Ascended, setting up a session to play with friends requires navigating a few specific hosting menus.
Setting up a multiplayer world doesn't have to be complicated. This guide walks you through launching a non-dedicated session, managing platform constraints, adjusting the infamous tether distance, and joining public servers with your group.
Understanding Your Multiplayer Options
Before jumping into a session, you need to choose how you want to host or join your friends. ARK offers three primary pathways for playing together, each with distinct benefits and hardware demands.
- Non-Dedicated Sessions: Hosted directly from your client machine. One player acts as both host and player, making it free and easy to spin up without external software.
- Dedicated Server Hosting: Rented from an external provider or run on a separate spare PC. This keeps the world online 24/7 without requiring the host to stay logged in.
- Official and Unofficial Public Servers: Pre-hosted worlds managed by developers or community members where your group can build a base alongside other players.
For small groups looking for a private experience, a non-dedicated session is usually the fastest route. Here is how to get it running smoothly. More information on this are covered by Associated Press.
Setting Up a Non-Dedicated Session
A non-dedicated session lets you start a private world instantly from your main menu while allowing your friends to join directly.
- Launch the game and select Host/Local from the main menu.
- Click on Host Non-Dedicated Session.
- Choose your preferred map, configure game rules (like harvest rates and taming speed), and set an admin password to protect your world.
- Name your session clearly with no special spaces or characters so your friends can spot it easily.
- Click accept to launch into the world.
Once your character spawns on the beach, your world is officially live. Now you just need to pull your friends into the server.
Inviting Friends and Joining
Depending on whether you're playing via Steam, Epic Games, or console, the invitation process varies slightly.
If you're on Steam, press Shift + Tab to open your overlay once you're loaded into the world. Right-click your friend's name in your friends list and select Invite to Lobby. Avoid clicking arbitrary center-screen buttons; the Steam overlay drop-down menu is the most reliable method for an instant connection.
If your friends can't see the invite or you're using alternative launchers, they can find your session manually:
- Open the game and select Join ARK from the main menu.
- Change the session filter at the bottom left to Non-Dedicated Sessions.
- Type your session name into the search bar, select it when it appears, and click Join.
Conquering the Host Tether Distance
If you're playing on a non-dedicated session, you'll run into one of ARK's most controversial mechanics: the tether distance.
Because the host's computer renders the world around them, client players cannot wander infinitely far away. If a friend strays too far from the host, they are automatically yanked back to the host's exact location. On consoles, this restriction is tight; on PC, you can modify it.
To fix or expand the tether distance on PC:
- Open your game settings before launching the session.
- Locate the slider labeled Non-Dedicated Host Tether Distance.
- Drag the slider to its maximum limit (or type a much higher value like
9999.0into the configuration files if you want absolute freedom).
Keep in mind that increasing this value pushes your computer's hardware harder, as it must render distant terrain and active base structures simultaneously.
Troubleshooting Common Connection Errors
Multiplayer errors happen frequently in survival titles. If your friends encounter a timeout or a "connection failed" message, check these common fixes:
- Mismatching Game Versions: Ensure both the host and all joining players have updated their games to the exact same patch version. Even a minor mismatch blocks connection attempts.
- Crossplay Conflicts: If some players use Steam while others use the Epic Games version, the host must ensure crossplay parameters are enabled in the startup arguments (
-crossplay). - Firewall Blocks: Windows Firewall occasionally blocks incoming non-dedicated connections. Temporarily verify that ARK has public and private network access permissions through your firewall settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play split-screen multiplayer locally?
Yes, ARK supports local split-screen cooperative play on console versions (such as PlayStation and Xbox), allowing two players to share the same screen on a single machine using controllers. PC versions do not natively support split-screen without third-party mods.
Do I need to pay for a dedicated server?
You don't have to pay anything if you use a non-dedicated session, since the host's PC or console handles the workload for free. However, if you want your world to stay online while you are offline, renting a dedicated server through providers like Nitrado is necessary.
What happens to my character if the host goes offline?
In a non-dedicated session, the entire game world pauses and shuts down the moment the host leaves. Your character and base remain safe, but no one can log back in until the host spins up the save file again.
Can friends join my single-player game later?
You cannot directly convert a pure single-player save into a public multiplayer server on a whim, but you can always launch a non-dedicated session and use admin commands to rebuild your items and levels if you choose to transition from solo to multiplayer.
