Trying to survive the dinosaur-infested wilds of Ark alone is a brutal grind, and half the fun of the game comes from messing around with a friend as you build bases, tame dinos, and fight off raptor ambushes. If you’ve been fumbling through menus trying to figure out how to get 2 players on Ark Survival Evolved, you’re far from the first player to run into confusing setup steps that differ across platforms. This guide breaks down every working method, plus fixes for the most common headaches that pop up when you’re trying to play with a friend.
How to Get 2 Players on Ark Survival Evolved: Local Split Screen Setup
Split screen is the easiest option if you’re both playing in the same room, and it works natively on Xbox and PlayStation consoles. You'll need two controllers paired to your console first, plus a second profile for the second player to use (guest profiles won’t work on most platforms, so make sure the second player is signed in to their own PSN or Xbox Live account). To get started, launch Ark and get to the main menu on the first player’s profile, then press the options/menu button on the second controller. The second player’s character creation screen will pop up automatically, and you can jump right into a local game together. You can't use split screen for official online servers, so this method only works for local non-dedicated sessions you host yourself. PC players don’t have access to native split screen, so you’ll need to use an online setup if you’re playing on PC.
Setting Up an Online Non-Dedicated Server for 2 Players
If you’re playing on PC, or you and your friend are in different locations, a non-dedicated server is the fastest free way to play together. This setup lets one player host the game from their own device, so you don’t have to pay for a third-party server to play 2 player. To set it up, launch Ark and select “Host/Local” from the main menu, adjust your game settings to your preference, then crank the tether distance to the maximum allowed before you launch. The tether limit controls how far apart you and your friend can be before the game pulls the second player back to the host, so setting it to max avoids a lot of frustrating interruptions. Once you’ve set a server name and password, click host, and your friend can find your server in the “Join Ark” menu under the non-dedicated filter. Non-dedicated servers have pros and cons depending on your play style:
- Pros: Free to set up, takes less than 2 minutes, no extra software or technical knowledge needed
- Cons: Tether distance limit even at maximum, the host has to be online and in the game for the second player to play, performance depends on the host’s device specs
- Best for: Casual 2 player sessions where you both plan to play at the same time, and don’t mind staying relatively close to each other in the world
If you want to remove the tether limit entirely on PC, you can download a free mod from the Steam workshop that eliminates the restriction entirely, though this doesn’t work for console players.
Fixing Common 2 Player Connection Issues in Ark
Even if you follow all the setup steps correctly, Ark’s janky multiplayer systems can throw up random errors that stop you from playing with a friend. The most common issue for split screen players is the second controller not registering at the main menu; if this happens, double check that the second player is signed in to a full PSN/Xbox Live profile, not a guest account, and restart the game if the problem persists. For online non-dedicated servers, the most frequent issue is the second player not being able to find the server in the menu. Make sure both of you have the same game version and no conflicting mods installed first, because even one mismatched mod will stop you from connecting. If you’re playing on the same local network, check that the host’s firewall is set to allow Ark through, as default firewall settings often block private game servers. If you keep getting kicked mid-session, try lowering the server’s graphics and render distance settings to reduce strain on the host’s device, especially if the host is playing on an older console or low-end PC.
Tips for Smooth 2 Player Gameplay Once You’re Connected
Once you get your 2 player session up and running, a few small changes will make your playthrough way more enjoyable and less frustrating. First, assign loose roles early on to avoid wasting time doubling up on tasks: one player can focus on taming dinos and scouting, while the other gathers resources and builds up your base, for example. Make sure you both set your spawn point to the same bed as soon as you build a base, so you don’t spawn halfway across the map from each other if you die to a random raptor attack. Turn off friendly fire unless you both specifically want it on, because nothing kills a fun session faster than accidentally shooting your friend with a shotgun while you’re aiming at a T-Rex. If you plan to play long term, you might want to upgrade to a cheap dedicated server eventually; these remove the tether limit entirely, let you play even if the original host is offline, and support more players if you want to add more friends to your group later on.
Once you know how to get 2 players on Ark Survival Evolved, the whole game opens up in a way single player never can. You can take on harder bosses, build way bigger bases, and mess around with dumb challenges like trying to tame a Giganotosaurus together that you’d never attempt alone. I still laugh about the time my friend accidentally led a pack of terror birds back to our first wooden base when we started playing, and even though we lost all our gear, it’s still one of my favorite gaming memories. If you run into issues, just double check the steps we covered, and most problems will be fixed in a couple of minutes so you can get back to surviving the Ark with your friend.