In the ever-evolving world of online gaming, few titles have captured the imagination and dedication of players quite like Ark: Survival Evolved. This unique blend of survival mechanics, base-building, and prehistoric adventure has made Ark a staple in the gaming community. However, with its growing popularity and the release of the enhanced Ark: Survival Ascended, questions about cross-platform play have become increasingly common.
Whether you’re a veteran survivor or a newcomer eager to explore Ark’s vast landscapes, understanding cross-platform capabilities is crucial. Can you team up with friends across different consoles? What about saving your progress as you switch devices? And why are some crossplay features blocked? This blog will delve into these questions, offering a comprehensive guide to navigating Ark’s cross-platform features, ensuring you and your friends can enjoy this prehistoric adventure together, no matter where you play.
What is Ark: Survival Ascended?
Ark: Survival Ascended is an enhanced and upgraded version of the original Ark: Survival Evolved. Released for modern consoles and PCs, this version brings significant graphical improvements, new gameplay mechanics, and expanded cross-platform capabilities. Unlike its predecessor, Ark: Survival Ascended is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (Steam and Microsoft Store).
This version is particularly exciting for players looking for a more polished and visually appealing experience. It includes all the base content from Ark: Survival Evolved, along with improved textures, lighting, and performance. For new players or those transitioning from older consoles, Ark: Survival Ascended offers a more modern and immersive survival experience.
Is Ark: Survival Ascended Cross Platform?
Yes, Ark: Survival Ascended supports cross-platform play across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (Steam and Windows). This crossplay capability is a significant improvement over Ark: Survival Evolved, which had more limited cross-platform options.
In Ark: Survival Ascended, players on any of the supported platforms can join the same servers, making it easier for friends with different consoles or gaming setups to play together. However, it’s important to note that crossplay between PC and consoles is only available on rented dedicated servers. This means that if you want to play with friends across different platforms, you may need to rent a server or join one that supports crossplay.
What Platforms Can You Play Ark Cross Platform On?
The availability of cross-platform play in Ark: Survival Evolved and Ark: Survival Ascended differs depending on the platform. Here’s a breakdown:
- Xbox and Windows 10: Ark supports cross-platform play between these two platforms when using the Microsoft Store version of the game. This means that Xbox One players can join servers with players on a Windows 10 PC.
- Epic Games Store and Steam: Unfortunately, crossplay between the Epic Games Store version and the Steam version of Ark: Survival Evolved is not supported. Players using these different PC platforms cannot join each other’s servers, which can be a significant drawback.
- PlayStation and Xbox: Crossplay between PlayStation and Xbox is not supported in either Ark: Survival Evolved or Ark: Survival Ascended. This is a critical point for friends hoping to play together across these two popular consoles.
- Android and iOS: Ark: Survival Evolved has mobile versions available on Android and iOS, but these versions do not support crossplay with any other platforms, including other mobile devices. Players are restricted to playing with others on the same mobile OS.
- Nintendo Switch: The Nintendo Switch version of Ark: Survival Evolved does not support crossplay with any other platform, limiting multiplayer interactions to other Switch users only.
Does Ark Have Cross-Save?
Ark: Survival Ascended also introduces cross-save functionality, which is often referred to as cross-progression. This feature allows players to transfer their save data and game progress between different platforms. For example, if you start playing on an Xbox Series X and later switch to a PlayStation 5, you can carry over your progress without starting from scratch.
Cross-save is incredibly useful for players who switch between platforms frequently or those who want to experience the game on different devices without losing their hard-earned progress. It adds flexibility and convenience, making Ark: Survival Ascended more accessible to a broader audience.
How to Play Ark: Survival With Friends?
Playing Ark with friends is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the game, whether you’re building bases together, taming dinosaurs, or exploring the vast open world. To play cross-platform with friends, follow these steps:
- Choose the Right Version: Make sure you and your friends are playing on the same version of Ark. If you’re playing Ark: Survival Evolved, check the platform compatibility (e.g., Xbox and Windows 10). For Ark: Survival Ascended, ensure everyone is on a supported platform (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, or PC).
- Set Up a Dedicated Server: For the best crossplay experience, especially in Ark: Survival Ascended, consider renting a dedicated server. This allows players from different platforms to join the same game without issues. Many third-party services offer Ark server hosting with crossplay support.
- Join a Crossplay Server: If renting a server isn’t an option, look for public servers that support crossplay. These servers are typically listed in the game’s server browser and indicate crossplay compatibility.
- Invite Friends: Once you’re on the same server, you can invite friends to join your tribe, share resources, and work together to survive in the game’s harsh environments.
Why Crossplay is Crucial for Modern Gaming?
Crossplay is crucial for modern gaming because it bridges the gap between different gaming platforms, creating a more unified and accessible gaming environment. In an era where gamers may choose different consoles or PCs based on personal preference or budget, crossplay ensures that these choices do not isolate players from their friends. By allowing players to connect and compete across diverse systems, crossplay enhances the social aspect of gaming, helps maintain a vibrant player base, and improves the overall multiplayer experience. This inclusivity not only enriches the gameplay but also supports the longevity and success of games in an increasingly competitive market.
The Definition and Importance of Cross-Platform Gaming
Cross-platform gaming, often referred to as crossplay, is the ability to play a video game across different gaming systems or platforms, such as Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. This functionality is essential because it eliminates the barriers traditionally imposed by platform exclusivity, allowing players from various systems to engage in the same game world. The importance of cross-platform gaming lies in its capacity to foster a larger, more diverse gaming community, improve matchmaking by increasing player pools, and offer a more flexible and inclusive gaming experience. It also enhances the social aspect of gaming, enabling friends to play together regardless of their chosen hardware.
The Demand for Crossplay Functionality Among Gamers
The demand for crossplay functionality among gamers has surged as players increasingly seek seamless, inclusive gaming experiences. Gamers today expect to connect and compete with friends across different platforms, driven by the desire to play together without the constraints of platform exclusivity. This demand is fueled by the growing importance of social interactions in gaming, where the ability to team up with friends and join a shared gaming experience is highly valued. As a result, developers and publishers are increasingly prioritizing crossplay to meet player expectations, enhance game longevity, and foster a more engaged and interconnected gaming community.
How to Change ARK Crossplay on Servers?
To enable or modify crossplay functionality on ARK: Survival Evolved servers, server administrators need to adjust specific settings in the server configuration. First, access the server settings through the ARK server manager or directly via configuration files. Locate the “Game.ini” file and add or modify the relevant settings to allow cross-platform play. Specifically, you need to ensure that the “bCrossPlay” setting is set to “True.” Additionally, verify that any other platform-specific restrictions are appropriately configured. Once these settings are updated, restart the server to apply the changes. This process ensures that players from different platforms can join and interact on the same server, enhancing the multiplayer experience and broadening the player base.
Why is Ark Crossplay Blocked?
While Ark: Survival Ascended has made strides in cross-platform play, there have been issues leading to temporary blocks on crossplay between PC and console versions. These blocks are primarily due to cheating problems, especially on PC, where mods and cheats can disrupt the gameplay experience for console players.
To maintain a fair and enjoyable environment, Studio Wildcard, the developer of Ark, has restricted crossplay in certain situations. This move helps prevent cheating and ensures that players on all platforms have a balanced experience. However, these restrictions are usually temporary, and crossplay features may be re-enabled once the issues are resolved.
Conclusion
Ark: Survival Evolved and Ark: Survival Ascended offer varying levels of cross-platform play, with the latter providing a more robust and modern experience. Whether you’re playing with friends across Xbox and PC or diving into the enhanced world of Ark: Survival Ascended on next-gen consoles, understanding the intricacies of crossplay and cross-save features will enhance your gaming experience. By choosing the right platform and setup, you can make the most of Ark’s expansive world and enjoy the game with friends, regardless of their gaming setup.
FAQs about Is Ark Cross Platform
Is Ark Cross Play Between PS4 and PC?
No, Ark: Survival Evolved does not support cross-play between PS4 and PC. The PlayStation version of Ark does not have cross-platform compatibility with PC players, whether they are playing on Steam, Epic Games Store, or the Microsoft Store. This means that if you’re playing on a PS4 or PS5, you cannot join servers with players on a PC. Cross-play is limited to certain combinations of platforms, and unfortunately, PS4/PS5 and PC are not among them.
Is Ark Crossplay PC and Mobile?
No, Ark: Survival Evolved does not support crossplay between PC and mobile devices. The mobile version of Ark is a simplified version of the game and operates separately from the PC version. As a result, players on PC (whether on Steam, Epic Games, or the Microsoft Store) cannot play with those using the mobile version of Ark.
Is Ark Cross Platform Xbox and PC Steam?
No, Ark: Survival Evolved is not cross-platform between Xbox and the Steam version on PC. While Xbox players can crossplay with those on Windows 10/11 PCs through the Microsoft Store version, this crossplay does not extend to the Steam version. If you’re using the Steam version of Ark on PC, you will only be able to play with other Steam users, not those on Xbox or Windows 10/11 through the Microsoft Store.
Is there cross-progression in Ark?
No, ARK: Survival Evolved does not support cross-progression. This means that your progress, including character levels, inventory, and achievements, is not transferable between different platforms. Players are restricted to their progress on the specific platform they are using, and there is no mechanism to transfer or sync progress between, for example, a PC and a console.
Is Ark Cross-platform Xbox and Mobile?
No, ARK: Survival Evolved does not support cross-platform play between Xbox and mobile devices. While ARK offers crossplay between some platforms, mobile devices and consoles like Xbox are not included in this crossplay functionality. Players on these platforms will need to find compatible platforms to play together.
Is Ark: Survival Evolved Cross-Platform Android and iOS?
Yes, ARK: Survival Evolved does support cross-platform play between Android and iOS devices. Players on both types of mobile devices can interact and play together within the game, allowing for a unified mobile gaming experience.
Is Ark Survival Cross-platform PS4/PS5 and Mobile?
No, ARK: Survival Evolved does not offer cross-platform play between PS4/PS5 and mobile devices. Although the game supports crossplay between certain platforms, the PS4/PS5 consoles and mobile devices are not compatible for cross-platform interactions.
Is Ark: Survival Evolved Cross-Platform Xbox and PS4/PS5?
No, ARK: Survival Evolved does not support cross-platform play between Xbox and PlayStation 4/5 consoles. Players on Xbox and PlayStation systems cannot join each other’s games, as crossplay is not enabled between these console platforms.
Is Ark 2 going to be cross-platform?
As of the latest updates, ARK 2’s cross-platform capabilities have not been fully confirmed. While there is anticipation and hope that ARK 2 will include crossplay features given the growing demand for such functionality, concrete details regarding cross-platform support are still pending. For the most accurate and current information, checking the official announcements from the developers is recommended.
