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Use ARK’s own server browser, but choose the instructions for the edition you own. In ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA), select Join, open Unofficial, search the exact server name, set filters to All, refresh, and join the result. In ARK: Survival Evolved (ASE), select Join ARK, choose UNOFFICIAL PC SESSIONS, set MAP and GAME MODE to ALL, match the password filter, refresh, and join. The edition, exact name, and filters must all match.
Before you start: identify your ARK edition
PlayStation has two separate ARK products with different browser menus:
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- ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) is the newer release. Studio Wildcard announced its PlayStation launch for November 30, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. Pacific.
- ARK: Survival Evolved (ASE) is the earlier game, available on PlayStation 4 and playable on PlayStation 5 through the PS4 version.
A server listed for one edition will not appear in the other edition’s browser. Confirm the game title on the PlayStation home screen or in your game library before troubleshooting filters.
Join an unofficial ARK: Survival Ascended server
The current joining method documented for ASA servers is entirely inside the game. You do not add the server through a separate PlayStation menu.
- Launch ARK: Survival Ascended on your PlayStation.
- From the main menu, choose Join.
- Open the Unofficial tab.
- Enter the server’s exact name in the search field. Server names can contain spaces, punctuation, and capitalization, so copy the name from the host rather than relying on a shortened nickname.
- Set the browser filters to All unless the host has given you a specific map, mode, or other restriction to use.
- Set the password-protected-server filter to match the server. Turn it on when the server has a password; turn it off when the server is public.
- Refresh the list. If the result does not appear, refresh again; the server may not be listed on the first refresh.
- Select the matching server and choose Join.
- When prompted, enter the password supplied by the host.
This procedure follows the ASA server-joining guide published by Nitrado in 2023, which describes the in-game browser as the easiest and currently only way to join its ASA servers. A server owner can still restrict access or configure platform support, so a successful search does not guarantee that every PlayStation account can enter.
Join an unofficial ARK: Survival Evolved server
ASE uses different labels. A common mistake is to leave the default session filter in place, which can hide an unofficial server even when its name is correct.
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- Launch ARK: Survival Evolved.
- Choose Join ARK from the main menu.
- Set Session Filter to UNOFFICIAL PC SESSIONS. This is the required browser category for the unofficial servers covered by the PlayStation joining guide.
- Set MAP to ALL.
- Set GAME MODE to ALL.
- Set SHOW PASSWORD PROTECTED to match the server. Enable it for a password-protected server; disable it for a server without a password.
- Disable AUTO FAVORITE PLAYED SESSIONS. Leaving this option enabled can narrow what the browser displays instead of showing the complete matching list.
- Search for the exact server name.
- Refresh the list. If it is absent, refresh more than once; the server may not appear on the first refresh.
- Select the correct result and choose Join. Enter the password if the host requires one.
The map and game-mode filters should remain at ALL while you are locating an unfamiliar server. After it appears, you can narrow the list if you need to distinguish several servers with similar names.
What to do when the server does not appear
Work through these checks in order. Each one removes a common reason for a server being filtered out.
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1. Confirm the edition
Ask the host whether the server is running ASA or ASE, then launch that exact edition. An ASA server will not be returned by the ASE browser, and an ASE server will not be returned by ASA.
2. Search the complete server name
Use the spelling, spaces, punctuation, and capitalization supplied by the host. A partial name can return too many results, while a small typo can return none. If the host recently changed the name, request the new name instead of using an old favorite.
3. Remove restrictive filters
- In ASA, open Unofficial and set the filters to All.
- In ASE, set Session Filter to UNOFFICIAL PC SESSIONS, and set both MAP and GAME MODE to ALL.
4. Match the password setting
The browser can hide a server when the password-protected setting does not match. For a protected server, enable the option that shows password-protected sessions. For an open server, disable it. In ASA, use the equivalent password-protected-server filter in the Unofficial browser.
5. Refresh repeatedly
Refresh the list more than once. The joining instructions for both editions note that a server may not be visible on the first refresh. Wait for the list to repopulate before changing several settings at once, so you know which adjustment helped.
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6. Check whether the server is actually running
Ask the owner to confirm that the instance is online and accepting players. A stopped, restarting, or recently edited server cannot be joined even when the browser settings are correct.
7. Check the server name after an edit
For ASE, the host must stop the server before changing its name or other general settings, save the changes, and restart it. Searching while the owner is in the middle of that process can produce the old name, no result, or a temporarily unavailable result.
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8. Start Primitive Plus before searching
If the ASE server uses Primitive Plus, start Primitive Plus from the console’s ARK main menu before searching. Without the matching game mode active, the server may not be listed where you expect it.
Password-protected servers: the exact filter logic
Password handling has two separate parts: visibility and authentication.
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- Visibility: the browser’s password-protected setting decides whether the server is included in the results.
- Authentication: after you select the server, ARK asks for the password. You still need the exact password from the owner.
For a protected server that is missing, first enable the password-protected option, refresh, and search the exact name. For a public server that is missing, turn that option off and refresh. Do not assume that entering a password later will make a server visible if the browser has already excluded it.
Can a PlayStation ARK server play with PC or Xbox?
Survival Evolved on PlayStation
ASE does not provide crossplay from PlayStation. Nitrado’s ARK crossplay guide states: “Neither the PlayStation 4 nor the PlayStation 5 versions of ARK: Survival Evolved support crossplay.” An ASE server on PlayStation is therefore not a route for joining PC or Xbox players.
Survival Ascended
ASA launched on PlayStation with cross-platform features, including cross-platform mod support and the rollout of official servers described by Studio Wildcard. However, crossplay is not an unconditional promise for every unofficial server. The host’s server configuration and the platform policies in effect at the time you play determine which platforms are allowed.
Before renting or joining an ASA server, ask the owner which platforms are enabled. If the answer is unclear, treat the server as PlayStation-only until the host confirms otherwise. The server’s appearance in your browser does not by itself prove that PC or Xbox accounts can connect.
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Choosing a way to play with friends
There are three practical arrangements. Their persistence, access control, and platform behavior are different, so choose based on how often your group plays rather than on the browser steps alone.
| Option | Persistence | Platform compatibility | Password and access control | Map and mod support | Player capacity | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public server | Normally stays available according to the operator’s schedule. | Depends on the edition and that server’s configuration; ASE PlayStation has no crossplay. | May be open or password-protected. | Depends on the operator and edition. | Not stated in the cited guides. | Not stated in the cited guides. |
| Friend-hosted session | Usually tied to the host’s play session rather than a continuously running world. | Depends on the edition and session settings. | Host controls who receives access. | Depends on the host’s available settings. | Not stated in the cited guides. | Not stated in the cited guides. |
| Rented dedicated server | Designed to remain online without the owner’s console running. | The host selects the supported platform and, where available, configures crossplay. | Owner can set a server name and password. | Dedicated-server configuration determines map and mod support. | Not stated in the cited guides. | Current plans and regional pricing must be checked with the provider. |
A public server is simplest when you only need to join an existing community. A friend-hosted session can be enough for occasional play, but its availability follows the host. A rented dedicated server is the practical choice for a persistent private world because it can remain online and gives the owner a stable name, password, and configuration to share.
What the host needs to configure
For a dedicated server, the owner should give players one unambiguous set of connection details:
- The edition: ASA or ASE.
- The exact server name, including punctuation and spacing.
- The map and game mode, even when players are told to search with ALL.
- Whether the server is password-protected and the current password.
- The platforms allowed by the server, especially for ASA crossplay.
- Whether the server uses Primitive Plus in ASE.
Nitrado’s documented hosting workflow allows the owner to set the server name and password, select the platform when ordering an ASE server, and configure crossplay controls where the edition supports them. Provider plans, prices, regional availability, and capacity change over time, so verify those details on the current listing before purchasing.
A safe handoff when the host changes settings
- Stop the ASE server before changing its name or general settings.
- Save the changes.
- Restart the server.
- Send players the updated name, password status, map, and platform information.
- Have players clear the old search, apply the correct filters, and refresh again.
A compact joining checklist
- Am I launching the same edition as the server?
- Do I have the exact current server name?
- For ASA, am I in Join → Unofficial?
- For ASE, is Session Filter set to UNOFFICIAL PC SESSIONS?
- Are the map and game-mode filters set to ALL in ASE?
- Does the password-protected filter match the server?
- Is AUTO FAVORITE PLAYED SESSIONS disabled in ASE?
- Have I refreshed the list more than once?
- If the server is Primitive Plus, did I start Primitive Plus before searching?
- Has the host confirmed that the server is online and accepting my platform?
What these steps do not establish
The documented joining procedures do not provide a complete, current PlayStation troubleshooting matrix for NAT types, router ports, account restrictions, service outages, or every network error. If the server is visible but joining fails after the edition, name, filters, password, and server status are confirmed, contact the host and check the current PlayStation and ARK service-status guidance rather than changing router settings based on an unverified port list.
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On ASA, use Join → Unofficial, search the exact name, set filters to All, match the password setting, refresh, and join. On ASE, use Join ARK → UNOFFICIAL PC SESSIONS, set map and game mode to ALL, match the password setting, disable Auto Favorite Played Sessions, refresh, and join. If the result is still missing, verify the edition and server status first; ASE PlayStation cannot crossplay with PC or Xbox, while ASA crossplay depends on the server’s configuration and current platform policy.
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