Ark: Survival Evolved drops players onto mysterious islands filled with dinosaurs, danger, and endless possibilities. Since its 2017 full release, this survival game has built a massive community of players who tame prehistoric creatures, build sprawling bases, and battle for dominance. Whether someone is a complete beginner or returning after a break, this guide covers everything they need to know about Ark: Survival Evolved, from core mechanics to expansion maps and essential tips for survival.
Key Takeaways
- Ark: Survival Evolved is an open-world survival game where players tame dinosaurs, build bases, and battle for survival across mysterious islands.
- Taming creatures is central to gameplay—use tranquilizers to knock out dinosaurs, then feed them their preferred food to earn powerful allies.
- The game offers numerous maps including free options like Ragnarok and Fjordur, plus paid expansions like Scorched Earth and Aberration with unique creatures and challenges.
- New players should spawn on southern beaches, tame a Parasaur early for resource gathering, and prioritize movement speed and weight capacity stats.
- Joining a tribe makes Ark: Survival Evolved significantly easier by sharing resources, dividing crafting roles, and providing base defense on multiplayer servers.
- Breeding tamed dinosaurs produces offspring with combined stats that often outperform wild tames in strength and utility.
What Is Ark: Survival Evolved?
Ark: Survival Evolved is an open-world survival game developed by Studio Wildcard. Players start with nothing on a strange island and must gather resources, craft tools, and hunt to stay alive. The twist? Dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures roam freely across the landscape.
The game launched in early access in 2015 and received its full release in August 2017. It’s available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices. Ark: Survival Evolved supports both single-player and multiplayer modes, with official servers hosting hundreds of players at once.
At its core, Ark: Survival Evolved blends survival mechanics with creature taming. Players don’t just avoid dinosaurs, they capture, train, and ride them. A tamed T-Rex becomes a powerful ally. A Pteranodon provides fast air travel. This creature system sets the game apart from other survival titles.
The game also features a loose storyline told through explorer notes scattered across maps. These notes reveal the history of the ARKs (the floating island environments) and hint at a larger sci-fi narrative involving ancient technology and otherworldly threats.
Core Gameplay Mechanics
Ark: Survival Evolved combines several gameplay systems into one experience. Players must manage hunger, thirst, stamina, and health while building shelters and progressing through technology tiers.
Taming and Breeding Dinosaurs
Taming creatures is central to Ark: Survival Evolved. The process varies by species, but most dinosaurs require players to knock them unconscious first. Players use tranquilizer arrows, darts, or blunt weapons to reduce a creature’s torpor. Once unconscious, the dinosaur needs specific food placed in its inventory.
Herbivores prefer berries or crops. Carnivores want raw meat, or better yet, prime meat from larger kills. Taming can take minutes for small creatures or hours for powerful ones like the Rex or Giganotosaurus. Kibble (crafted from eggs and other ingredients) speeds up the process significantly.
Breeding adds another layer. Players can mate tamed dinosaurs to produce offspring with combined stats. Hatching eggs requires precise temperature control. Raising babies demands constant feeding and attention. The payoff? Bred creatures often outperform wild tames in strength and utility.
Building and Crafting Systems
Players craft everything in Ark: Survival Evolved from resources they gather. Early game means stone tools and thatch huts. Late game brings metal structures, electrical systems, and automated turrets.
The crafting system uses engram points earned through leveling. Players unlock blueprints for weapons, armor, structures, and saddles. Because engram points are limited, most players specialize or rely on tribe members for different crafting roles.
Building functions on a snap-point system. Foundations, walls, ceilings, and roofs connect together to form structures. Players can create simple shelters or elaborate compounds with multiple floors, greenhouses, and defensive perimeters. Base location matters, some areas offer better resources, while others provide natural protection from raids.
Available Maps and Expansion Content
Ark: Survival Evolved offers numerous maps, both free and paid. Each environment brings unique creatures, resources, and challenges.
The Island is the original map and remains popular with new players. It features diverse biomes including beaches, jungles, mountains, and snow regions. The Island also contains caves and three boss arenas that test endgame players.
Scorched Earth was the first paid expansion. This desert map introduced wyverns, rideable dragons that players steal as eggs from nests. The harsh environment adds new survival challenges like heat stroke and sandstorms.
Aberration takes players underground into a damaged ARK with bioluminescent zones and radioactive areas. New creatures like the Rock Drake (which can climb walls and glide) made this expansion a fan favorite.
Extinction moves the setting to a ruined Earth overrun by corrupted creatures. Players face massive Titan bosses and can tame mechanical creatures called Enforcers and Scouts.
Genesis Part 1 and Part 2 continued the storyline with simulation-based missions and new biomes. These expansions added features like a personal AI companion and the ability to punch trees effectively (finally).
Free maps include Ragnarok, Valguero, Crystal Isles, Lost Island, and Fjordur. These community-created maps received official support and contain unique creatures not found elsewhere. Fjordur, for example, introduced the Fenrir and Andrewsarchus.
Tips for New Players
Starting Ark: Survival Evolved can feel overwhelming. These tips help new survivors get established faster.
Pick the right spawn location. South and east beach spawns on The Island are safest. Avoid snow, swamp, and mountain regions until properly equipped.
Tame a Parasaur early. This dinosaur is easy to knock out with a slingshot, acts as an alarm for nearby threats, and carries decent weight. A Parasaur makes resource gathering much easier.
Build near water. Staying hydrated matters. Rivers and beaches provide water access plus fishing opportunities later.
Join a tribe or play with friends. Ark: Survival Evolved rewards cooperation. Tribes share resources, divide crafting responsibilities, and defend bases together. Solo play is possible but significantly harder, especially on PvP servers.
Don’t get attached too quickly. Death happens often in Ark: Survival Evolved. Creatures die. Bases get raided. Experienced players accept losses and rebuild. Keep backup supplies in hidden locations.
Learn creature spawns. Knowing where dangerous creatures live prevents unnecessary deaths. Therizinosaurs near the redwoods will destroy unprepared players. Raptors hunt in packs and can pin survivors to the ground.
Upgrade movement speed and weight capacity. These stats help new players survive and gather efficiently. Health and stamina matter too, but mobility saves lives.
