There’s nothing better than settling in for a co-op gaming session with a friend when the internet is out, or you just don’t feel like dealing with random players on public servers. Ark: Survival Evolved is one of the most fun co-op survival games out there, but its messy menu system and hidden settings can make local play way harder than it needs to be. If you’re trying to figure out how to play ark 2 player offline ps4, you’ve probably run into a few confusing menu prompts or unexpected glitches already. We’ve put in dozens of hours testing local co-op sessions on PS4 to cut through the confusion and give you a straightforward, working guide to get you and your co-op partner exploring, taming, and building in no time.
How to Play Ark 2 Player Offline PS4: Full Split Screen Setup Walkthrough
Before you start, make sure both PS4 controllers are fully paired to your console and turned on before launching Ark. This avoids the common issue of the second controller not being detected when you get to the menu screen. First, launch Ark from your PS4 home screen, and wait for the main menu to load fully. Player 1 should select the “Host/Local” option from the main menu, instead of joining an online server. Next, you’ll be taken to the server settings screen, where you can adjust rules for your playthrough. The most important toggle here is “Host Non-Dedicated Session” – you have to turn this on to allow local players to join your offline game. Skip the option to invite friends online, since you’re playing offline. Once you’ve adjusted your preferred settings (we’ll cover the best ones to change later), select “Play Single Player” to launch the session. As soon as you spawn into the world, player 2 can press the Options button on their controller. They’ll be prompted to select a PSN profile to use, and after confirming, they’ll spawn right next to you in split screen mode. One huge perk to note: You do not need an active PS Plus subscription to play 2 player offline on Ark for PS4. This makes it a great option for players who don’t pay for Sony’s online service, or don’t have access to stable internet.
Key Settings to Adjust Before Starting Your Offline Co-op Session
The default Ark server settings are built for online play, so they’re not always ideal for casual 2 player offline sessions. The first setting you want to adjust is the tether distance, which is the maximum distance player 2 can be from player 1 before they get automatically pulled back. This is a limitation of non-dedicated sessions, but you can make it far less annoying by going to the advanced server settings tab and cranking the tether distance slider to its maximum value. This lets you explore far enough apart to gather resources separately without constantly getting snapped back to each other. Next, adjust your progression multipliers if you want a more casual experience. You can turn up taming speed, XP gain, and resource collection rates to cut down on the grind, which is perfect if you’re just playing for a few hours with a friend instead of doing a long-term playthrough. We also recommend turning off friendly fire in the settings unless you specifically want to mess around and fight each other. It’s way too easy to accidentally shoot your co-op partner while you’re fending off a pack of raptors, and losing all your progress to a silly mistake is never fun.
Common Troubleshooting Fixes for Ark 2 Player Offline PS4 Issues
Even if you follow the setup steps perfectly, Ark’s notoriously buggy PS4 port can throw a few wrenches in your plans. We’ve run into almost every possible issue during our testing, so these fixes will solve 90% of the problems you’re likely to face. If player 2 gets a “failed to join session” error when they press Options, the first fix is to fully close Ark, restart your PS4, and try again. If that doesn’t work, turn off your PS4’s Wi-Fi completely before launching the game to force it into fully offline mode, which gets rid of conflicts with online server prompts. If your progress doesn’t save when you quit the session, always wait for the save confirmation pop-up to appear before closing the game. Ark takes a few seconds to save both players’ progress, especially if you’ve built a lot of structures or tamed a lot of dinosaurs, and closing it too early will corrupt your save file. Some of the most common quick fixes are listed below:
- If your split screen cuts off parts of the UI, adjust your PS4's display area settings under "Sound and Screen" in the system menu to fit your TV properly
- If tamed dinosaurs disappear when player 2 joins, restart your non-dedicated session and spawn them in again using the summon command if you have cheats enabled
- If you get constant frame drops in split screen, turn down the in-game graphics settings and avoid building large bases in dense areas like the redwood forest
Most of these issues are just small quirks of the PS4 version of Ark, and they’re easy to fix once you know what to look for.
Fun Tips for a Great 2 Player Offline Ark Experience
Once you’ve got your session running smoothly, there are a few small tweaks you can make to get the most out of your co-op playthrough. The first tip is to split roles with your partner to make progression way faster. For example, one player can focus on taming dinosaurs and hunting for food, while the other builds up your base defenses and crafts tools and weapons. This cuts down on the amount of time you spend running back and forth doing the same tasks, and it lets you play to each other’s strengths. Stick to starting areas like The Island’s southern beaches for your first few sessions to avoid getting wiped by high-level predators right away. It’s easy to wander too far north and run into a T-Rex or a pack of Allosaurs before you have the gear to fight back, which can be demoralizing for new players. If you don’t feel like dealing with survival mechanics at all, you can enable creative mode in the server settings to build whatever you want without worrying about hunger, temperature, or enemy attacks. This is a super fun option if you just want to mess around and build crazy bases with your friend instead of going through the standard survival grind. You can also adjust the game difficulty to make creatures easier or harder to fight, depending on how much of a challenge you want. You don’t have to stick to the default rules to have fun, and tweaking settings to match your playstyle will make your sessions far more enjoyable for both players.
Playing local co-op in Ark is one of the most underrated features of the PS4 version, and it’s a perfect game to play with friends or family when you don’t have internet access. The setup process is a little confusing at first, but once you get the hang of adjusting the right settings and fixing common bugs, you’ll be able to jump into a session in just a few minutes. Whether you’re planning a lazy weekend gaming session with a roommate or a long-term co-op survival playthrough, knowing how to play ark 2 player offline ps4 opens up hours of fun without needing an internet connection or extra subscriptions.