Is ARK: Survival Evolved Down? Live status & outage reports

Service info and troubleshooting

Game Won't Launch After Update

After a patch, ARK sometimes fails to start entirely. The most reliable fix is verifying game file integrity through Steam: right-click the game, go to Properties, then Local Files and hit Verify. This catches corrupted or missing files that a failed update leaves behind. If the game still refuses to open, check that your Visual C++ redistributables and DirectX are up to date — the launcher depends on both.

Server List Shows No Servers

This usually isn't a connectivity blackout on your end. The Steam server browser has its own quirks. Set your internet filter to 'None', increase the ping limit to 200+, and clear the server history cache. If the list stays empty, restart Steam entirely rather than just the game. Firewall rules blocking UDP ports 7777 and 27015 are another common culprit — whitelist the ARK executable in both Windows Firewall and any third-party security software.

High Ping and Constant Rubber-Banding

• Switch to a wired connection if you're on Wi-Fi
• Close background apps that consume bandwidth, especially torrent clients and cloud sync services
• Choose servers geographically closer to your location
• Check your router's QoS settings and prioritize gaming traffic
• Restart your router to clear stale NAT tables

Unable to Join a Specific Server

Connection refusals to a single server typically mean a version mismatch. Your game build must match the server's exact version — even a minor patch difference blocks entry. Check the server's version tag in the browser and compare it with your game's current build shown in the bottom corner of the main menu. If you're running mods, a broken or outdated mod can also silently prevent joining; disable all mods and retry.

Game Freezes Mid-Session

Memory pressure is the most common reason ARK freezes or crashes mid-play. The game is notoriously demanding. Lower in-game settings like shadows, view distance, and ground clutter. Make sure your GPU drivers are current — stale drivers cause hard freezes, not just performance drops. Also check GPU temperature; ARK can push hardware hard enough to trigger thermal throttling or an emergency shutdown.

Character or Progress Not Saving

If you log back in and your character is gone, the save may not have synced before disconnect. On official servers this is a server-side write issue; report it through the official support portal with your Steam ID and session time. On unofficial servers, ask the admin to check the SavedArks folder for your player file. Avoid force-quitting the game — always disconnect cleanly through the menu to ensure the local save flushes correctly.