For one ARK: Survival Ascended dedicated server, plan on at least 16 GB of RAM, a 64-bit Windows or Windows-like environment, roughly four logical CPU cores with strong single-thread performance, and more than the game’s approximately 11 GiB installation footprint. Reserve at least 20 GB for a lightly modded installation, then add room for saves, logs, updates, profiles and mods. A 32 GB RAM host is a safer target for an older, busier world or a modded server. Steam’s 16 GB minimum, 32 GB recommendation and 180 GB storage figure describe the game client, not the dedicated server.
What are the minimum requirements for an ARK: Survival Ascended dedicated server?
The practical starting point for a single server is 16 GB RAM, four logical CPU cores assigned to the instance, a fast modern processor, and at least 20 GB of reserved disk space. Those figures are starting points rather than guarantees: map choice, connected players, world age, structures, creatures, storage containers, settings and mods all change the load.
- Operating system: 64-bit Windows or a Windows-like environment. The server is not natively supported on Linux.
- Memory: 16 GB is the stated server minimum; 32 GB gives useful headroom for a mature or modded world.
- CPU: About four logical cores per server instance, with single-thread speed prioritized over a very high core count.
- Storage: The installation is about 11 GiB, but preserving at least 20 GB for one server is a safer operational minimum.
- Network: A 100 Mb-or-better home connection is generally recommended for a good number of players, with the required UDP ports reachable from the internet.
These are server-specific figures. They should not be replaced with the much larger storage requirement shown for installing the full game client.
How much RAM does an ASA dedicated server need?
Use 16 GB as the floor for one instance, then size upward according to the world you intend to run. Memory use rises as players join, a save accumulates structures and creatures, and mods or custom settings add content. A 32 GB machine is a sensible target when you want room for a world to grow without running the operating system into swap.
What do the documented empty-map figures mean?
The following figures are approximate memory use for new worlds with default settings and no connected players. They are not complete host recommendations: the operating system, server process overhead, saves, logs and future workload still need room.
| Map | Approximate empty-world memory | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| The Island | 8–10 GiB | Baseline for a new, unoccupied world; real use increases with activity and age. |
| The Center | 10.5–12 GiB | Starts higher than the other documented examples, leaving less margin on a 16 GB host. |
| Scorched Earth | 7.5–9 GiB | Empty-map figure only; players, bases and mods add to it. |
| Aberration | 8–10 GiB | New-world measurement, not a long-term allocation. |
| Extinction | 7–8.5 GiB | Lowest of the listed empty-map baselines, before normal server growth. |
The map figures are reported by the ARK Official Community Wiki (retrieved 2026). The same source notes that map, players, world age, structures, creatures, storage, configuration and mods all affect memory. The ARK Unity hosting guide states that a server needs at least 16 GB. Together, those statements explain why an empty The Center world can appear comfortable on 16 GB while a mature, modded instance is not.
When is 32 GB RAM worthwhile?
Choose 32 GB when the machine will host a long-running save, a larger active population, several substantial mods or more than one instance. It is headroom, not a guarantee that every combination of maps and mods will fit. Leave memory for Windows or the surrounding environment and monitor the server while players are online rather than sizing from an empty-map reading.
What CPU do I need for an ASA server?
Prioritize strong per-core performance. The ARK Official Community Wiki recommends about four logical cores per server instance and says single-thread performance is preferable to simply adding more cores, because gameplay processing is largely single-threaded except for physics.
How should I interpret the eight-core recommendation?
The ARK Unity hosting guide recommends a processor with at least eight cores for the whole machine. Treat that as host-level headroom: an eight-core system can run the operating system, background services and one server with less contention, but it does not change the per-instance guidance. If you run multiple instances, budget roughly four logical cores for each and reserve additional capacity for the host.
Does a high core count solve server lag?
Not by itself. A processor with many slower cores can perform worse for gameplay than one with fewer, faster cores. Physics can use more than one thread, and other host tasks need CPU time, but the main simulation remains sensitive to the speed of the busiest core. Keep background jobs, scans and scheduled updates from competing with that core during play.
How much disk space does an ARK: Survival Ascended server use?
Each server installation takes about 11 GiB according to the ARK Official Community Wiki. That is the installed application footprint, not the amount of free space you should provision. The ARK Unity hosting guide recommends preserving at least 20 GB for one server, and you should keep additional capacity available for saves, player and tribe profiles, logs, update downloads, installation staging and mods.
| Storage item | What consumes it | Planning implication |
|---|---|---|
| Base installation | Server binaries and required game data | About 11 GiB per installation; do not treat this as the total allocation. |
| Saves and profiles | World save, player data and tribe data | Grows as the world matures; retain space for rotating backups. |
| Logs | Server and diagnostic output | Can accumulate silently; use retention or periodic cleanup. |
| Updates | Downloaded patches and temporary installation files | Keep free space before updating so a patch can stage safely. |
| Mods | Downloaded mod content and revisions | Varies by collection and can increase after updates. |
An SSD is preferable for startup, patching and save operations, although the server-specific figures above do not state a separate SSD capacity requirement. Put the installation and active save on storage with enough free space that an update cannot fill the volume.
Can I host an ASA dedicated server on Linux?
Not natively. The server executable is 64-bit and the documented requirement is Windows or a Windows-like environment; the ARK Official Community Wiki says Linux is not supported natively. A Windows machine or a hosting environment that supplies a compatible Windows-like layer is therefore the predictable choice. Compatibility-layer setups can introduce their own maintenance and performance risks, so verify that your chosen environment can run the current server build before committing a long-lived world to it.
How do I install the server with SteamCMD?
SteamCMD is the documented distribution tool, and the ASA server app ID listed by the wiki is 2430930. A basic update operation is:
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2430930 validate +quitRun it in the directory where you want the server files, then create and launch the server using the configuration and startup method appropriate to your Windows-like environment. The command downloads or validates the application; it does not by itself open firewall ports, create backups or tune gameplay settings.
What network connection and ports are required?
A home connection of 100 Mb or better is generally recommended for a good number of players. For VPS planning, the wiki estimates that each connected player may require up to 60 KiB/s shared across upstream and downstream, depending on tick rate and world complexity. That is a planning estimate, not a fixed bandwidth guarantee: a busy, complex world can behave differently from a quiet one.
| Purpose | Protocol and port | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Game traffic | UDP 7777 | Allow through the host firewall and forward it to the server if clients connect from outside your network. |
| Peer traffic | UDP 7778 | Allow and forward alongside the game port. |
| Steam query | UDP 27015 | Allow for server discovery and query responses. |
| RCON (optional) | TCP 27020 | Open only if you enable remote console administration; restrict access where possible. |
These are the default documented ports. A router may require manual port forwarding, and a VPS provider may impose its own security-group rules. Test from an external network rather than assuming that a local connection proves the server is reachable.
Do Steam’s 16 GB, 32 GB and 180 GB figures apply to the server?
No. Steam’s published requirements describe running the ARK: Survival Ascended client: Windows 10/11, specified client CPU and GPU classes, 16 GB RAM minimum, 32 GB RAM recommended, 180 GB available storage and an SSD. Those figures include the client’s large content installation and graphics workload.
A dedicated server has a different profile. The server-specific evidence is 16 GB RAM as a practical minimum, approximately four logical cores per instance with strong single-thread performance, an installation around 11 GiB, and workload-dependent additions for saves, logs, updates and mods. Copying the client’s 180 GB number into a server specification would overstate the base installation, while treating the client’s 16 GB as a guarantee would understate the need for headroom.
How should I size a server for players, maps and mods?
Start with the workload rather than a single “recommended” hardware label. Evaluate each of these variables before choosing the machine:
- Map baseline: The Center’s empty-world figure begins higher than the other documented examples.
- Concurrent players: More connected players create more simulation and network activity.
- World age: Accumulated bases, creatures, containers and dropped items increase the save’s active state.
- Mods and settings: Additional content and aggressive configuration changes can raise both memory and storage use.
- CPU behavior: Single-thread speed matters more than an excessive core count for the main gameplay loop.
- Storage headroom: Installation, saves, profiles, logs, update staging and mod downloads all need free space at the same time.
- Network path: Upload capacity, latency, firewall rules and router forwarding determine whether players can actually join.
One lightly modded server
A 16 GB host can be a starting point for one lightly modded instance if the operating system and background services are modest and you monitor usage. Reserve at least 20 GB of disk space, use a fast CPU with four logical cores available to the instance, and leave room for updates rather than filling the volume with unrelated files.
A mature or heavily modded world
Move to 32 GB RAM when the save has aged, the player base is active or the mod list is substantial. Keep the same CPU principle—fast individual cores—and enlarge the storage allocation beyond the 20 GB baseline so backups and update staging do not compete with the live files.
Multiple server instances
Estimate roughly four logical cores per instance, then add host capacity for Windows-like services and administration. Memory does not divide neatly: each instance has its own map, save, mods and process overhead, so measure each workload and avoid assuming that two “small” worlds will use exactly twice the empty-map figure.
What should I check before opening the server to players?
- Confirm the platform: Use a 64-bit Windows or Windows-like environment and verify that the server build launches before transferring a valuable save.
- Reserve resources: Assign approximately four logical cores to the instance, provide at least 16 GB RAM, and choose 32 GB if growth or mods are expected.
- Prepare storage: Keep at least 20 GB for one installation, with extra free capacity for saves, logs, updates, profiles, mods and backups.
- Install the application: Use SteamCMD with app ID
2430930and validate the files after an update. - Configure the network: Allow UDP 7777, UDP 7778 and UDP 27015; add TCP 27020 only when RCON is enabled.
- Test externally: Join from a different network, confirm discovery and observe latency while a few players move through the world.
- Measure under load: Watch RAM, CPU, disk free space and bandwidth during peak activity, not just immediately after a fresh map starts.
- Protect the save: Schedule backups and retain more than one restore point so an update or corrupted save does not become an unrecoverable failure.
What are the most common capacity and connection problems?
The process is killed or the host begins swapping
This usually means the workload has outgrown the available memory. Check usage while players are connected and after the world has accumulated structures and creatures. Reduce unnecessary background services, remove unneeded mods, or move to a 32 GB host; do not interpret an empty-map reading as proof that the long-running save will fit.
Players report stutter even though total CPU use is low
Total utilization can hide one saturated core. Check per-core activity and prioritize a processor with stronger single-thread performance. Lowering unrelated background load can help, but adding more slow cores will not necessarily improve the main simulation.
An update fails with a disk-full error
The installed files may occupy only about 11 GiB while the updater also needs temporary space. Remove obsolete logs and old staging files, move backups to separate storage, and retry only after the volume has clear headroom. Keep the live save and at least one known-good backup separate from the update process.
The server works locally but friends cannot join
Check that UDP 7777, UDP 7778 and UDP 27015 are allowed both in the host firewall and in the router or VPS security rules. Confirm that the public address points to the correct machine and test from outside the local network. If RCON is not needed, leave TCP 27020 closed.
Is a managed host necessary?
Managed hosting is mainly a convenience option for people who cannot provide the required Windows-like environment, port forwarding, bandwidth, monitoring and routine maintenance themselves. It does not remove the need to choose an adequate RAM, CPU and storage plan: map, players, world age and mods still determine the workload. Ask a host how its advertised resources are allocated per instance and whether backups, update staging and RCON access are included before moving an established save.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run an ASA server on the same PC I use for playing?
It is possible, but the game client and server then compete for CPU, memory, storage I/O and network capacity. A separate machine avoids that contention and lets the server remain online when the player PC is shut down.
How much bandwidth should I reserve for ten players?
The documented planning figure is up to 60 KiB/s per connected player, shared across upstream and downstream, depending on tick rate and world complexity. Ten players could therefore approach 600 KiB/s under the stated estimate, but leave additional margin for other household or host traffic.
How often should I back up an ARK server save?
Use scheduled backups at an interval that matches how much progress your community can afford to lose, and keep several generations rather than overwriting one file. Store at least one copy outside the live server volume so a disk failure or bad update does not destroy every restore point.
Will adding mods always increase RAM use?
Not by a fixed amount. Mod size, behavior, configuration and the amount of content active in the world determine the effect, and some mods also add disk downloads and update time. Measure the running server after enabling a mod collection instead of relying on its download size alone.