To change the player cap on an ARK: Survival Evolved (ASE) dedicated server, set MaxPlayers=<number> in GameUserSettings.ini under [/Script/Engine.GameSession], save the file, restart the server, and verify the listing. If the server still shows 70 slots, add ?MaxPlayers=<number> to the launch command instead. The default cap documented by the ARK Official Community Wiki is 70 simultaneous players.
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ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) uses a different control: add -WinLiveMaxPlayers=<number> to the server start command. The ASE ini key is replaced in ASA, so changing it alone can be ignored or reset.
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What ARK server player slots control
Player slots are the maximum number of people who can be connected to one server at the same time. The setting does not reserve spaces for particular survivors, increase map capacity, or guarantee that a machine can run well at the selected number. It is simply the simultaneous-player cap advertised and enforced by the server.
For ASE, the documented setting is an integer named MaxPlayers. Its documented default is 70. A value such as MaxPlayers=20 limits the server to 20 concurrent players; a value of 100 raises the cap to 100 if the server build, hardware, network and hosting provider permit it.
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- Start a tribe with hundreds of other players to survive and dominate competing tribes...and ultimately discover ARK's true purpose
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ASA handles this differently. Its dedicated-server start command uses -WinLiveMaxPlayers rather than the ASE GameUserSettings.ini key. Always identify the game edition before editing anything.
| Edition | Primary setting | Where to set it | Default documented in the cited source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARK: Survival Evolved (ASE) | MaxPlayers |
GameUserSettings.ini, section [/Script/Engine.GameSession]; command-line fallback available |
70 |
| ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) | -WinLiveMaxPlayers |
Dedicated-server launch command | Not stated in the cited source |
How to change max players on an ARK server with GameUserSettings.ini (ASE)
This is the documented configuration-file route for ASE. Use it when you control the server files directly or your hosting panel provides an editor for GameUserSettings.ini.
1. Stop the server before editing
Shut down the dedicated server cleanly before changing the file. A running process can rewrite its configuration during shutdown, replacing your edit. A host panel may have a separate Stop button; wait until the panel reports that the process is offline before opening the file.
2. Open the correct configuration file
Find the server’s GameUserSettings.ini. Do not edit a similarly named local-client file in your personal ARK installation. The exact directory varies by operating system, installation method and host, so use the file editor or configuration-file section associated with the dedicated server instance.
3. Use the correct section
Locate this section header exactly:
[/Script/Engine.GameSession]Under that header, add or change the key:
MaxPlayers=20Replace 20 with the cap you want. The value must be an integer. Keep one active MaxPlayers line in that section; duplicate lines can make it unclear which value a parser or host tool will use.
A minimal example is:
[/Script/Engine.GameSession]
MaxPlayers=20Do not put the setting under [ServerSettings] when following the documented route. A community discussion reported that placement as ineffective, while a reply identified [/Script/Engine.GameSession] as the correct section. Because community reports conflict on older builds, the section header and the command-line fallback matter when diagnosing a failed change.
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- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
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4. Save, start and verify
- Save
GameUserSettings.iniwithout changing the section spelling or key name. - Start the dedicated server again.
- Wait for the server to finish loading and become joinable.
- Search for the server in the ARK server browser and check the displayed player-slot count.
- If the browser still reports 70, use the launch-parameter method below and check whether a host panel is rewriting the value.
How to change ARK server slots with a launch parameter (ASE)
The command line is the practical fallback when an ASE build ignores the ini value. Add ?MaxPlayers=<number> to the map-and-options portion of the dedicated-server command.
A documented command pattern is:
ShooterGameServer.exe TheIsland?SessionName=<server_name>?ServerPassword=<join_password>?Port=<port>?QueryPort=<query_port>?MaxPlayers=<max_players>?ServerAdminPassword=<admin_password>For example, a 30-slot server would include:
ShooterGameServer.exe TheIsland?SessionName=MyARK?Port=7777?QueryPort=27015?MaxPlayers=30?ServerAdminPassword=change-this-passwordUse your actual map, name, ports and passwords. The angle-bracket items in the pattern are variables, not text to paste literally. Preserve the question-mark separators used by the server executable.
Launch-order detail for ASA command syntax
The cited dedicated-server guide states that, for ASA, ?ServerAdminPassword=<admin_password> must be the last argument in the relevant command format. Do not move later options after it without checking the syntax required by your server build or host panel.
Why the command line can win over the ini file
Some ASE administrators report that MaxPlayers is ignored in the ini and works only as a launch option. One Steam community report associated this behavior with version 256.4x, but that report is old and does not establish how every current build behaves. Treat the command line as a compatibility fallback, not proof that every ini edit is invalid.
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ASA replaces the ASE ini approach with a Windows Live maximum-player command-line option. Add the following to the ASA dedicated-server start command:
-WinLiveMaxPlayers=30Replace 30 with the desired integer. Restart the server after changing the command, then confirm the count in the browser or your server-management interface. An ASA server that keeps reverting to its default after an ASE-style ini edit is likely using the wrong edition-specific setting.
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- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game. Run too far and not only will you be exhausted, but you will also quickly get hungry and thirsty. Weather effects are based on real-world climates, and so you'll need to hide out from rain and snow, while making the most of sunny days
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
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- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout. Make your way to the final boss and figure out why you've been dropped into this Jurassic-era experience
The available source material does not establish a universal ASA default or guarantee that every third-party control panel exposes this switch with the same label. If a panel has a “Max Players” field, inspect the generated start command or ask the provider whether it writes -WinLiveMaxPlayers.
ARK MaxPlayers ini not working: a diagnostic sequence
When the browser continues to show the old cap, work through these checks in order rather than repeatedly changing unrelated settings.
Check the game edition
Confirm whether the instance is ASE or ASA. MaxPlayers in GameUserSettings.ini is the documented ASE route; ASA uses -WinLiveMaxPlayers. An otherwise correct edit for the wrong edition will appear to do nothing.
Check the section header and spelling
For ASE, the documented header is exactly [/Script/Engine.GameSession] and the key is exactly MaxPlayers. Section names are not interchangeable. Correct capitalization and the absence of extra punctuation are important.
Check that you edited the active instance
Multi-server machines often contain several configuration directories. Verify the file belongs to the instance whose name, map and ports you are checking in the browser. Editing a backup, a staging server or a client configuration will not change the live listing.
Check for a second setting that overrides it
Search the start script, service definition and host-panel launch field for MaxPlayers or -WinLiveMaxPlayers. A command-line value can override a file value, and a panel can regenerate the command each time the server starts. Keep one intentional value and remove conflicting entries where your management system allows it.
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- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dino herd
- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety, and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes, and styles
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout
Stop, save and restart completely
Do not rely on a configuration reload while the process remains online. Stop the server, save the file, start it again and wait for a full boot. Then check the browser listing rather than assuming the edit was accepted.
Use the command-line fallback
If an ASE server still ignores the correctly placed ini key, append ?MaxPlayers=<number> to the launch command. This is specifically reported as the working route by some community users and is the documented alternative in dedicated-server setup material.
Look for a host-panel rewrite
Some hosting documentation says a hosted “Max Players” field may be inserted into the launch line and override the ini value. That behavior is not confirmed by a primary source and may differ by provider. If the file changes back after every restart, compare the saved file before and after boot and inspect the generated command. Set the value in the panel if the panel is the authoritative configuration layer.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why an ARK server is stuck at 70 slots
Seventy is the documented ASE default, so a listing fixed at 70 usually means the server is still using its default rather than your requested value. The most common explanations are edition mismatch, an incorrect ini section, an inactive file, an incomplete restart, or an overriding launch option.
- ASE with no effective override: set
MaxPlayers=<number>under[/Script/Engine.GameSession], restart, and verify. - ASE ini ignored: add
?MaxPlayers=<number>to the start command and remove contradictory values. - ASA using ASE instructions: replace the ini edit with
-WinLiveMaxPlayers=<number>on the ASA command line. - Hosted instance resets after boot: check the panel’s Max Players field and its generated launch command.
- Browser still shows the old number: confirm you are viewing the correct server and wait for the restarted instance to finish registering.
One host page has published a default of 16 players, but that conflicts with the 70-player default in the ARK Official Community Wiki and is not a reliable basis for a general ASE instruction. Defaults can also be host- or edition-specific, so identify the actual software and configuration layer before treating a number as universal.
Hosted panels versus self-hosted servers
On a self-hosted server, you normally control both GameUserSettings.ini and the executable command line. That makes it possible to test one method, restart, and inspect the resulting browser listing.
On a rented server, the provider may hide the file path and build the launch command from panel fields. Look for a setting labeled “Max Players,” “Player Slots” or similar, but do not assume the label’s implementation. The available documentation indicates that a panel field may feed the launch line; it does not verify that behavior for every provider. If the panel offers both a file editor and a slot field, use the slot field first, then inspect the generated command or startup log when the result differs from the requested value.
Information to give support
- Whether the server is ASE or ASA.
- The exact number entered.
- Whether the value was entered in the ini, a panel field or the launch command.
- The section header and key used for an ASE ini edit.
- The displayed browser count after a complete restart.
- Whether the value changes back after the next stop/start cycle.
This information distinguishes a syntax problem from a panel override or an edition-specific setting.
Choosing a safe slot count
The configuration value is only a cap. It does not demonstrate that the server can sustain that many players. Higher concurrency can increase CPU load, memory use, network traffic and save activity, while mods and large bases can add further load. The supplied sources do not provide a benchmark or a recommended hardware-to-slot ratio, so no universal performance number can be stated responsibly.
Choose the cap based on the capacity you have actually provisioned and the experience you want to protect. If you raise the limit for an event, watch server health during the event and be prepared to lower it after testing. A lower cap can prevent the last available resources from being consumed by late joiners, but it cannot fix an already overloaded machine.
Verification checklist after changing slots
- Identify ASE or ASA.
- For ASE, confirm
MaxPlayersis under[/Script/Engine.GameSession], or add the documented command-line fallback. - For ASA, confirm
-WinLiveMaxPlayers=<number>is present in the start command. - Stop the server before editing files.
- Save the active instance’s configuration.
- Start the server and wait for it to become joinable.
- Check the server-browser player count.
- Restart once more if a host panel may regenerate settings, then compare the value again.
What is and is not established about current builds
The ARK Official Community Wiki documents the ASE key, its location and a default of 70. Community discussions report cases where the ini value had no effect and the command-line option was required, but at least one such report refers to an older version. A dedicated-server setup guide documents the command pattern, while ASA-specific guidance identifies -WinLiveMaxPlayers as the replacement setting.
No current Studio Wildcard documentation was located for these details in the available material. Consequently, the exact behavior of a particular current build or hosting panel should be confirmed by the resulting browser listing and startup configuration, not by assuming that every version parses settings identically.
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