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Explore some articles written by our team & fellow gamers!
Explore some articles written by our team & fellow gamers!
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So you've been watching your buddies conquer dinosaurs in ARK: Survival Evolved, and you're ready to join the chaos. But maybe you don't want to deal with random players griefing your base or wiping your server at 3 AM. That's where a private server comes in—and setting one up is way easier than you might think.
Whether you want a cozy survival experience with your tight group or a dedicated server that runs 24/7, we'll walk you through every method to play ARK with friends. Let's get you into the Ark with your crew.
Before we dive into setup, let's break down your options. Each method has pros and cons depending on how many friends you want to play with and how serious you are about your dinosaur dynasty.
A non-dedicated session is the path of least resistance. One player hosts the server locally while playing the game. Think of it as playing on your own PC while your friends join in.
Pros:
Cons:
This is ideal if you've got a small group and everyone's cool with playing only when you're hosting.
A dedicated server runs 24/7 independently, whether you're playing or not. It's the real deal—your friends can hop on anytime, and the server keeps running smoothly without putting strain on anyone's personal rig.
Pros:
Cons:
For a serious gaming group, this is the gold standard. And if you want the easiest dedicated server experience, EZ Game Host makes the whole process painless.
| Feature | Non-Dedicated | Dedicated |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | $10-20/month |
| Players | 1-4 | Up to 70 |
| Always Online | No | Yes |
| Setup Time | 5 minutes | 15-20 minutes |
| Crossplay | No | Yes (with setup) |
| Mods | Limited | Full support |
This is the fastest way to get your squad into the same world. Here's how to set it up:
Fire up ARK: Survival Evolved and click "Create Local ARK" on the main menu. You'll see options to customize your world—difficulty, creature spawns, environment settings, etc. Pick whatever makes your group happy, then hit start.
Your PC will now generate the world and start hosting. Grab a drink; this takes a minute or two.
Once the world loads, pause the game and navigate to the Multiplayer settings:
Your friends can now:
Pro tip: If your friends can't see your session, make sure your session filter isn't set to private, and check that Windows Firewall isn't blocking connections.
Once everyone's in, you're good to go. Want to lock out new players? Set a password or switch to "Invite Only" mode. Adjust difficulty, PvP settings, and taming rates to keep everyone happy.
For a real multiplayer experience that doesn't require you to stay online, a dedicated server is worth the investment. Here's why EZ Game Host stands out as the easiest option:
Most game server hosting companies bury you in confusing dashboards and technical jargon. EZ Game Host strips all that away. Setup takes minutes, management is intuitive, and their support team actually knows ARK.
You'll receive your server credentials via email within minutes.
Log into your server dashboard. Here's what you'll want to set up:
Password Protection: Set a strong server password so only your friends can join. This is under Server Settings > General.
Whitelist Setup: Alternatively, enable whitelist mode and manually add your friends' Steam IDs or usernames. This is more secure than a password but requires you to add people manually.
Game Rules:
Crossplay Settings: If you've got friends on PC and Xbox, enable crossplay in the Advanced Settings tab.
Send your friends:
They'll join through the Join ARK menu by searching your server IP or finding your server in the favorites list.
Your EZ Game Host dashboard lets you:
This is one of the most common questions, and the answer depends on your server setup.
Non-Dedicated Sessions: Nope. This is a platform limitation—you're stuck playing with people on your own platform.
Dedicated Servers: Yes, absolutely! ARK supports crossplay on dedicated servers. Here's how to enable it:
One caveat: Xbox players need to have Game Pass for the console version, and settings might have some minor differences, but the core experience is unified.
Once your server is live, inviting friends is straightforward:
Create a private Discord server for your ARK crew. Post:
If you're mixing platforms, here are some important details:
What Works:
What Doesn't Work:
Best Practice: If you're running a crossplay server, consider what mods to use (if any) and communicate that clearly with your squad. A modded-out ARK experience isn't available to console players.
Both methods protect your server from random players, but they work differently.
For most friend groups, a strong password is fine. For a truly exclusive server, use whitelist mode.
Before your friends jump in, establish some ground rules to avoid conflict:
PvP vs. PvE:
Building & Base Protection:
Taming & Resource Sharing:
Inactivity Policy:
A non-dedicated session is free. A dedicated server runs $10-20/month depending on player count and features. EZ Game Host offers transparent pricing with no hidden fees.
No. For 1-4 friends, a non-dedicated session works great. For larger groups or always-on gameplay, a dedicated server is worth the investment.
Absolutely. LAN connections work through non-dedicated sessions, though you might need to adjust firewall settings. Dedicated servers are even easier for local networks.
Non-dedicated: 1-4 players max. Dedicated: up to 70 players, depending on your server tier. EZ Game Host offers multiple tiers to match your group size.
Yes. You can restore from a previous world save in your dashboard, or start fresh with a new world. Most hosting providers (including EZ Game Host) allow world backups.
Only on dedicated servers. Non-dedicated sessions don't support mods. With a dedicated server through EZ Game Host, you can browse and install mods directly from the dashboard.
You can ban them from the admin panel. If you're using a whitelist, unauthorized players can't join in the first place. A password is your next-best defense.
Playing ARK with friends is one of the best co-op experiences in gaming. Whether you go the casual non-dedicated route or invest in a dedicated server, you're in for an epic dino adventure.
For most friend groups, we'd recommend starting with a non-dedicated session to test the waters. If you find yourself wanting 24/7 access, more players, or crossplay support, jump to a dedicated server—and EZ Game Host makes that transition painless.
Set your password, invite your crew, and get ready to build, tame, and survive together. Your private ARK world awaits.
Happy hunting, and watch out for those raptors.
Ready to set up your ARK server? Check out EZ Game Host's ARK server plans for the easiest hosting experience. Or dive deeper with our guides on ARK Dedicated vs Non-Dedicated servers and How to Set Up a Dedicated ARK Server.