How to Enable Events on an ARK: Survival Evolved Server

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On an ARK: Survival Evolved (ASE) dedicated server, enable an event by adding -ActiveEvent=<eventname> to the server startup command, after the map and other launch options. For example:

ShooterGameServer.exe TheIsland?SessionName=MyServer -ActiveEvent=WinterWonderland

Save the batch file, shell script, service definition, or hosting-panel setting, then fully restart the server. Use one event identifier at a time and match its spelling and capitalization exactly.

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What the ActiveEvent setting does

-ActiveEvent is a launch argument for the ASE dedicated-server executable, ShooterGameServer.exe. It tells the server which event definition or event colour palette to load while the world starts. The setting belongs in the startup command, not in an arbitrary Game.ini section.

Only one value can be specified at a time. The argument can enable a full event where the current game build still contains the required content, but older identifiers may now affect only colours or other legacy references. Event behaviour is tied to the patch installed on the server, so an identifier that once supplied creatures, items, rates, or cosmetics may no longer do so.

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Check these requirements first

• Confirm that the server is ARK: Survival Evolved, not ARK: Survival Ascended. ASE uses ShooterGameServer.exe; ActiveEvent handling is different in ASA.
• Identify how the server is launched: a local Windows batch file, a Linux shell or service definition, or a managed-host control panel.
• Back up the current startup command and configuration before changing it. A typo can prevent the server from starting or silently leave the previous setting in place.
• Decide whether you need a complete event or only event-coloured wild creatures. The latter uses ActiveEventColors through DynamicConfig rather than activating the full event.
• Check the current patch notes or Studio Wildcard event announcement. The configuration reference says WinterWonderland is the only listed event still fully working; support for other entries is legacy or colour-only in some builds.

Enable an event on a dedicated server

1. Open the real startup definition

Find the file or setting that actually starts the server. Depending on your setup, this is a Windows .bat file, a Linux shell script, a systemd or other service definition, or a host’s startup-command field. Do not paste the argument into a gameplay configuration file unless your provider specifically exposes a dedicated ActiveEvent control.

2. Add the argument after the map and launch options

The ASE syntax starts with ShooterGameServer.exe, followed by the map name and its query-style options. Add a space and then -ActiveEvent= plus one supported identifier. The example in the introduction uses The Island and WinterWonderland; substitute your map, session name, and chosen event while preserving the hyphen, equals sign, and capitalization.

3. Save and restart completely

Save the edited file or panel setting, stop the running server, and start it again. A live process will not normally adopt a changed launch argument until it is restarted. If your provider offers separate Save, Restart, and Stop controls, save first and use a full stop/start rather than relying on a soft world reload.

4. Confirm the argument was retained

After startup, inspect the generated command line, server console, or panel log. Managed hosts can rewrite startup arguments; seeing the value in the panel is less useful than confirming that the launched process received it.

Event identifiers you can specify

The configuration reference lists the following ASE values. Availability and the content each value activates depend on the server’s current build.

Community Crunch 461 also described manual activation of an anniversary event with -ActiveEvent=Anniversary and identified an Active Events drop-down for Host/Single-Player. Because Anniversary is not included in the older configuration identifier table, treat it as announcement- and patch-specific and verify that your installed build exposes it before relying on the value.

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Using a managed hosting panel

Nitrado

Nitrado’s ARK settings have been documented with an ActiveEvent= option in the general settings area. Enter the event value in the panel’s named field rather than inventing a second command-line format. Save the setting and restart the server, then check the generated startup command or log to ensure the provider retained it.

Other providers

Managed providers expose equivalent functionality through different labels. Some provide a direct Active Event field; others expose the complete startup command. A published Host Havoc guide describes command-line activation for ARK: Survival Evolved. In either interface, use the provider’s current documentation for the exact field location and accepted values, because panel labels and supported identifiers can change independently of the game executable.

When a panel setting conflicts with a startup command

Use one authoritative setting. If a panel generates the command line, edit the panel field instead of adding a second, contradictory argument in a custom command box. If the panel offers only a raw startup string, place the argument there and remove any older ActiveEvent value so that the process receives one value only.

Host/Single-Player versus a dedicated server

A dedicated server reads -ActiveEvent at process launch. Host/Single-Player uses a different interface: Studio Wildcard’s Community Crunch 461 announcement identifies an Active Events drop-down for that mode. Do not assume that a Host/Single-Player menu path exists in a dedicated-server panel, or that a dedicated-server launch argument will appear in the single-player UI.

If you are unsure which mode you are configuring, identify the executable or control surface first. A process started with ShooterGameServer.exe is the dedicated-server case covered by the command procedure above.

Disable an event cleanly

Replace the active value with -ActiveEvent=None, save the startup definition, and restart the server. The configuration reference recommends this value when you want to remove unwanted event references from server memory. Do not leave an old event argument elsewhere in the generated command, or the provider may continue launching with the previous value.

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Enable event colours without the full event

If your goal is only to produce event-coloured wild creatures, use ActiveEventColors through DynamicConfig instead of -ActiveEvent. This avoids implying that the full event’s creatures, items, rates, or cosmetics are active.

DynamicConfig prerequisites

• Start the server with -UseDynamicConfig.
• Provide a CustomDynamicConfigUrl that points to the DynamicConfig file.
• Host the file on a web server over HTTP with a text/plain MIME type.
• Place the ActiveEventColors setting in that file according to the current configuration reference.

The server checks the DynamicConfig file when the world is saved. An administrator can request an immediate check with ForceUpdateDynamicConfig instead of waiting for the next save. A colour change confirms that the colour configuration was read; it does not prove that a complete event is active.

Troubleshoot an event that did not appear

Patch-sensitive behavior and event timing

Event activation is not a permanent guarantee that every historical event feature will return. Studio Wildcard’s dated announcements show that manual activation is an intended workflow for particular events: Community Crunch 460 (May 30, 2025) states, “This event can be manually activated with the dedicated server arg parameter: -ActiveEvent=Birthday.” Community Crunch 461 likewise described anniversary activation and a Host/Single-Player selector. Those announcements establish the workflow for the named releases, not universal support for every older identifier on every later patch.

Before advertising an event to players, confirm three things in the build you actually run: the identifier is accepted, the event assets are present, and the rates or cosmetics you expect are documented for that release. The configuration reference’s distinction between a fully working WinterWonderland and older colour or legacy entries is particularly important for Fear Evolved, Easter, Summer, Turkey Trial, Valentine’s Day, and other historical events.

Command anatomy and safe editing

Read the example as three parts: the executable, the map and query options, and the event switch. ShooterGameServer.exe launches the ASE server. TheIsland?SessionName=MyServer selects the map and names the session. The space before -ActiveEvent=WinterWonderland starts a separate launch argument. Keep that separation intact; inserting the switch into the map’s question-mark options can produce a command the server does not parse as intended.

Copy the existing command to a backup before editing. Add the event argument once, at the end of the existing options unless your host documents another position. Avoid changing map, ports, passwords, or other unrelated options in the same edit. If the server stops starting, restore the backup first, then reapply only the ActiveEvent change so you can isolate a formatting error.

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On a local installation, the edited batch or shell file must also be the file used by the service or shortcut that starts the server. It is common to edit a similarly named script while a service points to another one. For a managed host, the equivalent check is the generated command shown in the panel or startup log. This verification distinguishes a value that was saved in an interface from a value that reached the running process.

Choosing between full activation and colour-only mode

Use full activation when you need the event definition itself and the installed build documents that content. Use DynamicConfig colour mode when the visual effect on wild creatures is the only requirement. These are separate approaches: a colour change cannot be used as evidence that event creatures, rewards, rates, or cosmetics loaded.

There is also a practical maintenance difference. A launch argument is read when the process starts, so changing or removing it requires a restart. DynamicConfig is checked on world save and can be refreshed with ForceUpdateDynamicConfig; however, it still requires the DynamicConfig startup switches and a reachable HTTP file served as text/plain. Choose the method that matches the change you intend to maintain, and document it for anyone else who administers the server.

What to verify before announcing an event

1. Confirm the game edition, executable, map, and installed patch.
2. Check the current Studio Wildcard announcement for the event window or manual-activation instructions.
3. Confirm the exact identifier, including capitals, and ensure no second ActiveEvent value overrides it.
4. Restart fully and verify the generated command or startup log.
5. Test only the features documented for that build; do not promise historical creatures, loot, rates, or cosmetics solely because an identifier is listed.
6. Tell players whether the server is running a complete event or colour-only configuration so expectations match what the build can provide.

A reliable operating checklist

1. Verify that the server is ASE and that its executable is ShooterGameServer.exe.
2. Choose one identifier and copy its spelling exactly.
3. Open the true startup command or the host’s named ActiveEvent setting.
4. Add or set the value once; remove conflicting older values.
5. Save the change and fully restart the server.
6. Inspect the generated command or startup log for the retained argument.
7. Check the current patch’s event announcement and configuration reference before promising event-specific content.
8. If only colours are wanted, use DynamicConfig with ActiveEventColors and the required update mechanism instead of activating the complete event.
9. When ending the event, launch with -ActiveEvent=None and restart.

Bottom line

For an ASE dedicated server, the dependable method is to add one correctly capitalized -ActiveEvent value to the process startup command, restart the server, and verify that the host actually launched with it. WinterWonderland is the only identifier identified as fully working in the configuration reference; every other event should be treated as patch-sensitive until the current build’s documentation confirms the content you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enable an event on my ARK: Survival Evolved server?

Add -ActiveEvent=<eventname> to the ASE dedicated-server startup command after the map and other launch options. For example, use ShooterGameServer.exe TheIsland?SessionName=MyServer -ActiveEvent=WinterWonderland. Save the startup definition, fully restart the server, and confirm the argument appears in the generated command or startup log.

What do I put in the command line for Winter Wonderland?

Use the exact value -ActiveEvent=WinterWonderland, with the hyphen, equals sign, and capitalization shown. It must be passed to ShooterGameServer.exe as a launch argument. Only one ActiveEvent value should be present, and the installed ASE build still determines which event features load.

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Why did ActiveEvent not work on my server?

Common causes are using ASA instead of ASE, placing the value in Game.ini rather than the startup command, misspelling the identifier, failing to perform a full restart, or using a host panel that removed the option when generating its command. Check the executable, compare spelling with the supported list, restart, and inspect the launched command or log.

Where do I enter ActiveEvent on Nitrado?

Nitrado has been documented with an ActiveEvent= option in the ARK general settings area. Enter the event value in that named field rather than creating a second parameter format. Save, restart the server, and verify in the generated startup command or panel log that the setting was retained.

Can I run two ARK events at the same time?

No. The ASE configuration reference allows one ActiveEvent value at a time. Remove any older or contradictory value from a generated command before adding a new one. If you need only event-coloured wild creatures, configure ActiveEventColors through DynamicConfig instead of trying to combine full event switches.

How do I turn an ARK event off?

Replace the event value with -ActiveEvent=None, save the startup command or provider setting, and fully restart the server. Also remove duplicate ActiveEvent arguments so the host cannot continue launching with an older value. This clears normally active event references; it does not restore unsupported legacy content.

Why do I see event colours but not event creatures or rewards?

You may have configured only ActiveEventColors, or the selected identifier may be legacy in your current patch. DynamicConfig colour changes do not prove that a complete event is active. Check the build’s current event documentation before expecting creatures, items, rates, rewards, or cosmetics.

Does the Active Events menu apply to a dedicated server?

The menu described by Studio Wildcard for Host/Single-Player is a different interface from a dedicated server. A dedicated ASE server reads -ActiveEvent when ShooterGameServer.exe starts. Use the command-line or provider-panel procedure for a dedicated server rather than looking for the single-player drop-down.

The Bottom Line

Add one correctly capitalized -ActiveEvent value to the ASE server startup command, restart fully, and verify the generated process received it. Treat legacy identifiers as patch-sensitive, and use DynamicConfig only when you want colour changes without the full event.

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