While Ark: Survival Evolved is available on all major platforms, it still causes confusion around whether or not Ark is cross platform and can be played with friends who are playing on another platform.
The simple answer is yes, Ark is cross platform, but due to restrictions between many of the platforms, Ark is only cross platform between certain groups of players playing on compatible platforms. This is where the question of Ark’s cross platform abilities becomes a little confusing.
Another issue that can block you playing with your friends is mods. For example, the Steam version of the game allows mods, but the Epic games version doesn’t, which would make it impossible to join your friend’s Ark server if they’re playing on a Steam modded server.
If you are playing official Ark servers then you do not need to worry about mods, as all official servers run without mods, meaning all you need to worry about is that you and your friends are playing on devices and platforms that are cross platform compatible with each other.
Ark Cross Platform Compatibility
What Platforms Can You Play Ark Cross Platform on?
Due to restrictions between platforms, Ark: Survival Evolved can only be played cross platform on certain devices, meaning you will need to be on a compatible platform to be able to play with friends.
Xbox and Windows 10?
Xbox and Windows 10 players can play Ark together without any issues. Although the person playing Ark on a Windows computer must have either the Windows 10 edition of Ark, or being playing it on the Xbox app. This will not work with the Steam version of the game.
Epic and Steam?
Yes, players from both Epic and Steam can play together, but the main issue with this pairing is with mods. The players running Ark on their Steam account will need to ensure they are playing on a server without mods. In this case, it’s often best to go for an official server to be sure.
Is Ark Cross Platform on PS4/5 and Xbox?
No, at the moment there is no way for players with a PlayStation to join players who are playing on their Xbox, nor can players join them.
There has been no official word about cross platform play between PlayStation and Xbox being added, and with Ark 2 just around the corner, it’s not something that we should expect to see now.
If you are playing Ark on a PS4 or PS5 you also cannot play cross platform with players on any PC versions of the game, nor can you play with players using a Nintendo Switch, making the PlayStation version of Ark not cross platform at all.
Is Ark Cross Platform on Android and iOS?
Players on Android and iOS can play together, as both versions of Ark for mobile are completely cross compatible. If you are playing the mobile version of Ark, you should be able to play with friends no matter what device they are using.
Is Ark Cross Platform on the Nintendo Switch?
Much like the PlayStation, Ark for the Nintendo Switch is not cross compatible between any devices or platforms, meaning you can only play with other Nintendo Switch players.
Summary
Ark is an incredible survival game, and while there are ways to play it in single player, we highly recommend playing it with friends and even strangers on a public, official or unofficial server.
If you want to play Ark with mods, it is best to run the Steam version of the game, but anyone you play with will also need to have the Steam version with the same mods.
You will also need to make sure that whoever you want to play with have the same maps and DLC as the server you are playing on, as there has been a lot of Ark expansions and extra maps. So essentially all of your content will need to match the server you are playing on, and your friends will need to be running the same DLCs and content as you.
