There’s nothing better than diving into Ark’s prehistoric, dinosaur-infested world with a friend by your side. You can split base building duties, team up to take down a ferocious T-Rex, or laugh as one of you accidentally gets carried off by a Pteranodon. If you’ve been fumbling through menus trying to figure out how to play 2 players on Ark, you’re not alone. Lots of players run into weird setup roadblocks, especially if they’re switching between local and online play. This guide breaks down every step you need, plus fixes for the most common issues that ruin co-op sessions.
How to Play 2 Players on Ark: Split Screen Setup for Consoles and PC
Split screen is the perfect option if you’re playing with someone in the same room, no internet required. It works on all major consoles (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch) and PC, though the setup steps vary a little across devices. For consoles, you’ll need two controllers and two separate platform profiles signed in before you launch the game. For PC, you’ll need at least one controller for the second player, as keyboard and mouse inputs only work for the primary player by default.
You don’t need an active internet connection to play split screen 2 player Ark, which makes it a great option for travel or if your internet goes out. To get started, launch Ark and select the “Host/Local” option from the main menu. Adjust your server settings to your preference, then select “Host Non-Dedicated Session” to load into your world. Once you’re spawned in, turn on the second controller, press the A/X/Start button to trigger the join prompt, and select the second player’s profile to add them to the session.
Keep in mind that split screen play on all platforms has a built-in tether limit. That means the second player can’t travel more than a set distance from the host, otherwise they’ll be automatically pulled back. This can be frustrating if you want to explore separate areas, but it’s a limitation of the non-dedicated server setup used for split screen play.
Setting Up Online 2 Player Co-op for Remote Friends
If you’re playing with a friend who’s not in the same room, you have two main options for 2 player online play: non-dedicated servers and dedicated servers. Non-dedicated servers are the easiest option for casual, occasional play. The host runs the world on their own device, and the second player joins via their platform’s friend list. The tradeoff is that you’ll still have the same tether limit as split screen play, and the world will only be accessible when the host is online.
If you plan to play 2 player Ark regularly with a remote friend, a low-cost dedicated server is worth the small investment. Dedicated servers run independently of either player’s device, so there’s no tether limit, the world is accessible 24/7, and you won’t experience performance drops if the host’s device is running other apps. Setting one up only takes 10 to 15 minutes, and most hosting providers have pre-built Ark server templates that require no advanced coding knowledge.
To set up a non-dedicated online session, launch Ark, select “Host/Local”, adjust your settings, and check the “Allow Friends to Join” box before launching the world. Your friend will be able to find your session by going to their friend list, selecting your name, and clicking “Join Game”. If you’re playing across different platforms, make sure you enable crossplay in your server settings and that both of you have linked your game accounts to a Studio Wildcard account.
Common 2 Player Ark Issues and Quick Fixes
Even if you follow all the setup steps correctly, you might run into annoying glitches that kick your friend out or prevent them from joining entirely. Most of these issues are super easy to fix, no advanced tech knowledge required. We’ve rounded up the most frequent problems players face, and simple solutions to get you back to playing fast:
- Tether distance is too short: On PC, open the host server settings before launching your world, find the “Non-Dedicated Host Tether Distance” slider, and crank it up to the maximum value. On consoles, you can’t adjust this natively, so you’ll need to switch to a dedicated server if you want to explore separately.
- Friend can't see your server in the list: Double check that both of you are on the same game version, you’ve allowed friends to join in your server settings, and your firewall/antivirus isn’t blocking Ark’s connection. If you’re on console, make sure your NAT type is set to open or moderate.
- Second player gets stuck on the loading screen: This usually happens when the host’s device doesn’t have enough RAM to run two players at once. Close any background apps before launching the game, and lower your graphics settings a bit to reduce performance strain.
- Second player loses their inventory when they leave: Make sure you enable “Persist Player Profiles Across Sessions” in your server settings before launching the world. This saves all player data so no one loses their hard-earned gear when they log off.
- Split screen is zoomed in or cut off: Go to your console or PC display settings, adjust the screen resolution to match your monitor or TV, and turn off any overscan settings that might be cropping the edges of the screen.
If you run into an issue not listed here, try verifying your game files first. Most random glitches are caused by corrupted or missing game files, and verifying them will replace any broken files automatically. That fix works for 90% of the random issues my co-op group runs into.
Tips to Make Your 2 Player Ark Sessions Way More Fun
Once you’ve got your 2 player session running smoothly, there are a few small changes you can make to avoid fights and make your playthrough way more enjoyable. First, split roles early on. One of you can focus on gathering resources and building, the other can focus on taming dinos and scouting for new locations. That way you don’t waste time doing the same task twice, and you’ll progress way faster than you would playing solo.
Set clear base rules before you start building, especially if you're sharing storage space. Nothing ruins a co-op playthrough faster than someone using all the metal you saved for a metal pick to make a random decorative chair. We also recommend setting separate storage boxes for personal items and shared resources, so no one accidentally takes the last of the narcotics you were saving for a big tame.
Pick a shared goal each session to keep both of you on the same page. Maybe you want to tame your first Rex, or build a raft base to explore the ocean, or take down the first boss. Having a shared goal gives you small wins to celebrate together, and prevents the aimless wandering that makes some co-op playthroughs feel boring. If you’re playing on PC, try adding a few quality of life mods that make co-op easier, like shared map markers, automatic stack sorting, or a mod that removes the tether limit entirely for non-dedicated sessions. Just make sure both of you have the same mods installed, otherwise you won’t be able to join the same server.
At the end of the day, Ark is designed to be more fun with a partner, and once you get past the initial setup hurdles, you’ll have hundreds of hours of chaotic, dino-filled adventures ahead of you. Whether you’re playing on the couch with split screen or logging on from opposite sides of the world, knowing how to play 2 players on Ark opens up a whole new side of the game that you can’t get playing solo. Don’t get discouraged if you run into a few glitches at first – most of them are easy to fix, and the payoff of taking down a giant boss with your friend is more than worth the small hassle. Next time you log on, try out one of the shared goal ideas we mentioned, and see how much faster you can progress together.