Maps + joining
Picking a map, connecting, switching maps.
ARK has a dozen official maps and a bigger pile of custom ones.
Official maps
| Map | Notes |
|---|---|
| The Island | The original. Easiest start. |
| Scorched Earth | Desert. Hot/cold mechanics. |
| Aberration | Underground. Radiation. Special creatures. |
| Extinction | End-game. Element. |
| Genesis | Mission-based. Two parts. |
| Ragnarok | Free DLC. Huge. Mixed biomes. |
| The Center | Free DLC. Floating islands. |
| Valguero | Free DLC. Mixed biomes. |
| Crystal Isles | Free DLC. Wyverns at start. |
| Fjordur | Free DLC. Norse-themed. |
Set the map in panel settings → restart. The server reinstalls that map's data on first start (a few minutes).
Connecting
In-game:
- Join ARK → Unofficial / Filter for IP.
- Enter your IP + port (default
7777). - Enter password if set.
If your server isn't showing in the browser, use the in-game
console: open <ip>:<port> while at the main menu.
Switching maps
Switching maps wipes character data tied to the old map (creatures, bases, inventories) unless you're running clustered servers (one character that hops between maps).
- Back up the old map's save folder if you want to come back.
- Change the map in panel settings.
- Restart. New map installs + generates.
Multi-map clusters (advanced)
To run multiple maps with a shared character pool, you need a
separate server per map plus a shared ClusterID. We support
this — open a ticket if you want to set up a cluster, we'll help
configure it across multiple game-server services.