If you’ve ever booted up Ark 2 ready to explore the brutal prehistoric world with your best friend or partner, you’ve probably wondered how to make Ark 2 player without jumping through a dozen confusing hoops. I’ve spent weeks testing setups across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox to figure out the simplest ways to play both local split screen and online co-op, no fancy modding or paid server required. Whether you want to team up to take down a T-Rex or build a shared base without random players ruining your progress, this guide walks you through every step, plus fixes for the most common issues that pop up during setup.
How to Make Ark 2 Player for Local Split Screen Play
If you’re playing with someone in the same room, split screen is the fastest, most accessible way to jump into co-op without needing an internet connection. This setup works for all supported consoles and PC, with just a few small platform-specific rules to keep in mind. First, make sure you have two compatible controllers connected to your device before you boot up the game. Make sure the second player’s controller is turned on and paired before you load a save — if you pair it after you’re already in the world, the game often won’t recognize it for split screen.
Once both controllers are connected, boot up Ark 2, sign into the primary player’s profile, and load your existing save or start a new one. When you’re fully loaded into the world, press the options/menu button on the second controller. A small pop-up will appear asking if the second player wants to join the session; select yes, and their character will spawn right next to yours within 10 seconds. This is the fastest way to set up how to make Ark 2 player if you’re playing with someone in the same room, and it takes less than two minutes from boot up to playing together.
There are a few small limitations to note. You can’t use a mouse and keyboard for the second player on console — both players need to use controllers if you’re playing on PlayStation or Xbox. Older consoles like the PS4 or Xbox One may also experience slight frame rate drops in split screen mode, so turning down your graphics settings to medium can help eliminate lag during busy fights or when exploring dense forest areas. PC players can adjust split screen orientation in the settings menu if you prefer side-by-side play over top-and-bottom.
Setting Up Online 2 Player Co-Op Without a Dedicated Server
If you want to play with a friend who lives in a different location, you don’t need to pay for an expensive dedicated server to host your session. The game’s built-in non-dedicated host feature works perfectly for casual 2 player play, and it’s free to use for anyone who owns a copy of the game. If you’re wondering how to make Ark 2 player work for long distance play, this non-dedicated server option is the best choice for casual players who don’t want to pay extra for server hosting.
To set it up, first make sure both you and your friend have the latest game patch installed, and add each other as friends on your platform (Steam, Xbox Live, or PlayStation Network). The host should go to the main menu, select “Host Non-Dedicated Session”, adjust the player limit to 2, turn on password protection to keep random players out, and select the save file they want to use. Once the session loads, the friend can find it by going to the “Join Session” menu and filtering for friends-only sessions, then entering the password set by the host.
Non-dedicated sessions have a tether limit of around 500 meters, which means the second player can’t wander more than 500 meters away from the host at any time. If they go past that limit, they’ll be automatically pulled back toward the host. This limit doesn’t exist on dedicated servers, but for most casual play sessions where you’re exploring the same area or building a shared base, it’s barely noticeable. Console players will also need active Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus subscriptions to access online co-op features, but PC players don’t need any extra subscriptions beyond what’s required for their store platform.
Common 2 Player Setup Issues and Simple Fixes
Even if you follow all the steps correctly, Ark 2 has a few common bugs that can mess up your 2 player setup. I’ve run into almost all of these during testing, and these fixes work 90% of the time without needing to contact support or reinstall the game. Most of these issues pop up because the game defaults to single player settings, so adjusting those first is usually all you need to do when you’re figuring out how to make Ark 2 player work for your setup.
- Second player can't join split screen: Restart your console or PC, make sure both controllers are paired before you boot up the game, and double check that the second profile is signed in correctly. On PC, make sure you have controller support enabled in the game settings menu.
- Friend can't find your online co-op session: Make sure you both have the exact same game version installed, turn off any VPNs you might be running, and double check that your session is set to friends-only in the host settings. If it still doesn’t show up, send a direct game invite through your platform’s friend menu instead of having them search manually.
- Constant lag or disconnects during online play: The host should move closer to their wifi router or use a wired ethernet connection, turn off background downloads on both devices, and reduce the number of active mods if you're playing with custom content. Even small, cosmetic mods can cause connection issues if one player has them installed and the other doesn’t.
- Second player loses progress after split screen session: Make sure the host saves the game manually before exiting, and the second player is signed into their own profile (not a guest account) so their progress is saved to their account instead of the local device.
If none of these fixes work, verifying your game files on PC or clearing the game cache on console usually solves the remaining rare issues. You don’t need to delete your save files when you do this, so you won’t lose any of your base or tamed dinosaurs during the process.
Tips for a Smooth 2 Player Ark 2 Experience
Once you’ve got how to make Ark 2 player sorted out, these small tips will make your playthrough way more fun and less frustrating, even when you’re dealing with aggressive dinosaurs or resource shortages. These are all tricks I picked up after dozens of co-op playthroughs, and they save hours of wasted time and silly arguments with your play partner.
First, split up roles early on. One player can focus on gathering resources, building, and farming, while the other focuses on taming dinosaurs and fighting off threats. That way you don’t waste time doing the same task twice, and you progress twice as fast as you would solo. Always build a shared storage chest right next to your spawn point so you can drop off resources without having to track each other down across the map. Label the chests clearly so you don’t have to rummage through 10 different containers to find the metal you need for a new tool.
Second, agree on a small set of ground rules before you start playing. Do you want to keep PVP turned off so you don’t accidentally hit each other during fights? Are you okay with one player using rare resources without asking first? Do you want to focus on the main story quests or just mess around building cool bases? Clearing these up early prevents silly fights later. I once had a playthrough end early because my friend used all our rare metal to build a decorative T-Rex statue right when I was about to make a set of metal tools, so I speak from experience here.
You can also take advantage of 2 player exclusive taming tricks to get high level dinosaurs way faster than you would solo. One player can distract a dinosaur by running around it or shooting it with harmless arrows, while the other sneaks up behind it to shoot tranquilizer darts. This cuts taming time in half for most large creatures, and reduces the risk of one of you getting killed mid-tame.
At the end of the day, figuring out how to make Ark 2 player is way simpler than most people make it out to be, whether you're playing on the couch next to each other or online across the country. You don't need expensive servers or advanced technical knowledge to team up with someone you enjoy playing with, and the game is infinitely more fun when you have a partner to watch your back when a pack of raptors sneaks up on you. Don't get discouraged if you run into a few bugs during setup, the fixes are almost always quick and simple, and the payoff of exploring the Ark 2 world with a friend is well worth the 10 minutes of setup time. If you have a favorite 2 player Ark 2 tip we didn't mention, drop it in the comments below to help other players out.