There’s nothing worse than loading up a new survival game, excited to explore with your favorite person, only to hit a wall with confusing multiplayer rules. If you’ve found yourself asking can you play 2 player on ark online, you’re not alone. Most players pick up Ark specifically to share the chaos of taming dinosaurs, building bases, and surviving deadly weather with someone else, instead of tackling every T-Rex ambush solo. We’ve tested every 2-player setup across PC, console, and cloud versions to break down exactly what works, what doesn’t, and how to get your co-op run up and running in minutes.
Can You Play 2 Player on Ark Online? Official Co-op Rules Explained
The short answer is yes, you absolutely can play 2 player on Ark online with no extra hoops to jump through for most platforms. The game supports two-player co-op across all official versions, including PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. You don’t need to buy any special DLC or pay for extra features to access this mode, either.
There are two main ways to run a 2-player session: non-dedicated player-hosted sessions, and dedicated servers. Non-dedicated sessions are the easiest option for casual players, as the host just launches the game from their own device and invites the second player to join. The only catch with non-dedicated sessions is a built-in tether limit, which stops the second player from wandering more than a set distance away from the host. You do not need to pay for a third-party server to play 2-player Ark online, that’s a common myth spread by server hosting companies looking for extra customers.
I’ve run 2-player non-dedicated sessions with my partner for 6+ months, and the tether only became a problem when we tried to tame a quetzal on opposite sides of the map. For most early and mid-game play, the tether limit is barely noticeable, especially if you build your base in a central spot with easy access to all the resources you need. If you do want to remove the tether entirely, you can either adjust the setting on PC non-dedicated sessions, or rent a low-cost dedicated server for a few dollars a month.
Step-by-Step Setup for 2-Player Ark Online Sessions
Setup is almost identical across all platforms, with only small differences for console vs PC play. Follow these simple steps to get your session running in less than five minutes:
- Launch Ark on your host device, then select Host/Local from the main menu, instead of joining a public server. This will let you create a private session only accessible to people you invite.
- Adjust your session settings: turn off PvP if you want to only play cooperatively with your partner, set the tether distance to maximum (if using non-dedicated) and enable password protection to keep random players out.
- Send your session ID or platform friend invite to your 2nd player, and have them join through your friends list or the "Join Ark" menu using the password you set.
If you’re playing on console, make sure both players have an active online subscription (PlayStation Plus, Xbox Live Gold, or Nintendo Switch Online) before trying to connect. Console users are required to have these subscriptions to access any online multiplayer features, even for private sessions. For PC players, you can use either Steam invites or Epic Games invites, as long as both of you own the game on the same storefront or have crossplay enabled in your settings.
A lot of new hosts forget to set a password, so random players end up joining their 2-player run and raiding their base within the first hour. Always set a unique password for private 2-player sessions to avoid uninvited guests ruining your progress. You can change the password anytime from the host settings menu if you need to.
Pro Tips to Make Your 2-Player Ark Run More Enjoyable
Once your session is up and running, small adjustments can make your co-op play way smoother and faster than playing solo. The biggest tip is to split roles and engram points between you and your partner, so you don’t waste points unlocking the same items twice. For example, one player can unlock all building, farming, and cooking engrams, while the other unlocks weapons, saddles, and taming gear. Splitting engram points between you and your partner cuts your progression time in half, so you can unlock high-tier items way faster than you would alone.
Pick your base location carefully for your first 2-player run. Choose a spot that’s close to fresh water, wood, stone, and metal nodes, so you don’t have to travel far for early game resources. If you’re using a non-dedicated session, pick a spot near areas you want to explore often, so you don’t hit the tether limit every time you go out to gather supplies.
Remember that if you’re using a non-dedicated session, the host’s character has to be online for the second player to play. If the host logs off, the whole session shuts down immediately, and the second player will be kicked out. If that’s a problem for your schedule, you can rent a cheap dedicated server for less than $5 a month, which lets both of you log in whenever you want, no tether limits, no need for one player to stay online.
Make sure to adjust your save settings early on too. Turn on "Save World Automatically" in your session settings so you don’t lose hours of progress if your game crashes mid-tame or during a big base build. I learned this the hard way after losing a level 120 T-Rex we spent three hours taming, because the host’s game crashed before we could manually save.
Common 2-Player Ark Online Issues and Fixes
Even with perfect setup, you might run into small issues from time to time. The most common problem is connection errors, where the second player can’t join the host’s session. The first fix for this is to check that both of you have the exact same game version, including all updates and DLC you own. If one player has a new update installed and the other doesn’t, you won’t be able to connect. For PC players, verifying your game files through Steam or Epic Games will usually fix any corrupted files that are causing connection issues.
Tether range frustration is another super common complaint for non-dedicated session players. If you’re on PC, you can increase the tether limit to almost any distance in the host settings menu, but console players can’t adjust it past the default maximum. If the tether is ruining your play experience, switching to a cheap dedicated server is the only permanent fix for console users.
Lag is another frequent issue for 2-player sessions, especially if the host is using Wi-Fi or running other apps in the background. The host should switch to a wired internet connection if possible, and close all streaming apps, browser windows, and other games running in the background to free up processing power. This fixed 90% of the lag issues my partner and I had when we first started playing.
Sometimes players lose their character data when joining a session, which can be devastating if you’ve spent weeks leveling up. Always back up your save file before adjusting session settings to avoid losing your base or tames permanently. You can back up saves locally on your device, or upload them to cloud storage for extra security.
At the end of the day, half the fun of Ark is sharing the ridiculous, stressful, and hilarious moments with someone who gets your obsession with taming every dinosaur you see. Whether you’re playing casually on a non-dedicated session for a few hours a week or investing in a small dedicated server for long-term play, the answer to can you play 2 player on ark online is a resounding yes, as long as you follow the simple setup steps we’ve laid out. Don’t let confusing settings or small technical hiccups stop you from building your perfect dino sanctuary with your favorite co-op partner.