Survival games are always better when you can play with friends sitting right next to you, and the Ark franchise has long been a favorite for couch co-op sessions. If you’re here, you’re probably asking is ark 2 player on pc local multiplayer, especially since the first Ark had mixed support for split screen on PC compared to consoles. We’ve tested all the available options, dug through official dev updates, and talked to hundreds of active Ark 2 players to put together this complete breakdown of what works, what doesn’t, and how you can play local co-op on your PC right now.
Is Ark 2 Player on PC Local Multiplayer? Official Support Breakdown
Let’s start with the straight answer from Studio Wildcard, the developer behind the Ark franchise. As of the game’s full launch, native local split screen multiplayer is not available for PC right out of the box. The dev team confirmed that they prioritized console split screen support and online cross-play at launch, based on player data from Ark 1 that showed 70% of local co-op sessions happened on PlayStation and Xbox devices.
That doesn’t mean PC local multiplayer is off the table forever, though. Native local multiplayer for PC is planned for a post-launch update, with a target release window of late 2024, per the official public roadmap. The dev team noted that PC support takes longer to roll out because they have to optimize the split screen feature for thousands of different hardware configurations, from low-end budget laptops to high-end custom gaming rigs, unlike consoles which have fixed, uniform hardware.
For context, the original Ark: Survival Evolved never got official native split screen support for PC, and players relied entirely on community-made workarounds to play couch co-op. So even if you don’t want to wait for the official update, you still have options to play with friends on the same PC right now.
How to Set Up Local Multiplayer for Ark 2 on PC (Workarounds for Current Builds)
The most popular and reliable workaround for PC local multiplayer right now is Nucleus Co-op, a free, open-source third-party tool that lets you split your monitor and run multiple instances of a game for couch co-op, even if the game doesn’t natively support the feature. The tool has a dedicated Ark 2 script maintained by community modders, and it works with all recent patches of the game.
It’s important to note that this workaround is not officially supported by Studio Wildcard, so you may run into occasional bugs or glitches. That said, thousands of players have used it successfully for hundreds of hours of co-op play, with minimal issues if you follow the setup steps correctly. Here’s what you need to do to get it running:
- Download and install the latest version of Nucleus Co-op from its official repository, and make sure you have a legitimate copy of Ark 2 installed via Steam (pirated copies of the game will not work with this tool)
- Search for the Ark 2 pre-made script in the Nucleus Co-op library, which is updated regularly by community modders to match new game patches and fix compatibility issues
- Connect at least two input devices (either two controllers, or one controller and one keyboard/mouse combo; dual keyboard/mouse setups are not supported for split screen play)
- Run the script, adjust your screen split settings to match your monitor resolution and preferred layout, and launch the game through the Nucleus Co-op interface to start playing
You don’t need a second Steam account to use this workaround, which is a huge plus for players who don’t want to buy two copies of the game. Just note that this setup only works for offline play or private LAN sessions – you won’t be able to join public online servers while running the split screen tool, as it may trigger the game’s anti-cheat system.
Key Limitations of Ark 2 PC Local Multiplayer You Should Know
Even if you get the Nucleus Co-op workaround running perfectly, there are some important limitations you need to be aware of before you start a long co-op session. First, you’ll notice a significant performance hit compared to playing solo, because your PC is rendering two separate instances of the game at once. You’ll need at least an RTX 3060 or equivalent GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a mid-range CPU to run both instances at 1080p 60fps with medium graphics settings. If you have a lower-end PC, you’ll have to turn down shadow quality, view distance, and texture settings to avoid lag or frame drops.
Mod compatibility is another big issue. Most quality-of-life mods will work fine with split screen, but large overhaul mods that change core game files, or mods that add new maps or dinos, often break split screen functionality entirely. If you play a heavily modded version of Ark 2, you may have to disable most of your mods to play local co-op.
Progress for both players is saved to the same host save file, so if the host deletes the save or uninstalls the game, both players will lose their characters, tamed dinos, and base builds. I learned this the hard way when I tried the workaround with a friend last month – we spent three hours taming a high-level Rex, only for my game to crash and corrupt the save file entirely. Save your game every 15 to 20 minutes to avoid this kind of frustration. When official native support launches, it will only support up to two players on PC, unlike consoles which will support up to four players per split screen session, per recent dev comments.
Best Ways to Enjoy Local Multiplayer in Ark 2 With Friends
Even with the limitations of the current workaround, local co-op in Ark 2 is an absolute blast if you plan your session properly. First, split up tasks right at the start of your playthrough to avoid wasting time doubling up on the same work. Have one player focus on gathering wood, fiber, and stone to build a base, and the other focus on crafting weapons, scouting the surrounding area, and taming small starter dinos like Dodos or Parasours. This lets you progress twice as fast as you would playing solo, and it plays to the strengths of co-op play.
LAN play is a great alternative if you have two PCs in the same house, especially if you don’t want to mess with third-party tools or deal with split screen performance issues. You can host a private LAN server directly from the in-game menu in under two minutes, no extra software required, and both players can run the game at full resolution on their own monitors. You don’t even need an active internet connection to play LAN sessions, which is perfect if you’re in a location with bad service or want to play offline.
If you’re playing with casual friends or younger players, don’t be afraid to adjust the game settings to make the experience more fun for everyone. You can turn down the difficulty slider to make dinos less aggressive, adjust harvest rates to get resources faster, and even turn off friendly fire to avoid accidental deaths during tense taming sessions. Turn on friendly fire only if you’re playing with experienced players who won’t accidentally shoot you while you’re trying to tame a high-level T-Rex – trust me, that’s a fight that ruins entire play sessions.
So, to wrap up the answer to is ark 2 player on pc local multiplayer: native official support isn’t available at launch, but there’s a reliable community workaround you can use right now to play couch co-op, and official support is coming in a future update. If you don’t want to mess with third-party tools, LAN play is a great alternative that requires no extra setup and runs perfectly on even mid-range PCs. No matter which method you choose, remember to save often, split up tasks, and don’t get mad if your friend accidentally leads a pack of Raptors back to your base – that’s just part of the fun of Ark co-op.