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To change an ARK server between PvP and PvE, stop the server, open GameUserSettings.ini, and edit ServerPVE under [ServerSettings]: use ServerPVE=False for PvP or ServerPVE=True for PvE. Save the file and restart the server before reconnecting.
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What the ServerPVE setting does
ServerPVE is the server-wide switch that determines whether the server runs PvP or PvE rules. It is a Boolean value: False means PvP is enabled, while True disables player-versus-player combat and enables the PvE mode defined by the server configuration.
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The setting applies to the server rather than to an individual player. A client cannot override it with a local configuration file. The ARK Official Community Wiki lists False as the default value for serverPVE.
| Desired mode | Configuration line | Result |
|---|---|---|
| PvP | ServerPVE=False |
Player-versus-player combat rules are enabled. |
| PvE | ServerPVE=True |
Player-versus-player combat is disabled and PvE rules are enabled. |
Before changing the setting
- Stop the server. Do not edit the live configuration while the dedicated server is running. A running process can write its current values back to disk and remove your edit.
- Close the game before editing. The official configuration reference warns that changes made while the game is running can be discarded.
- Know which configuration file your server uses. The setting belongs in
GameUserSettings.ini, notGame.iniand not a client-only configuration file. - Keep a backup. Copy the existing file before changing it so you can restore the previous configuration if another setting is accidentally altered.
Self-hosted dedicated server: Windows
Find GameUserSettings.ini
For a Windows dedicated server, the standard configuration directory is:
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ShooterGameSavedConfigWindowsServerOpen GameUserSettings.ini in that directory with a plain-text editor. Do not use a word processor that may add formatting or change line endings.
Edit the server setting
- Confirm that the server is stopped and the game client is closed.
- Open
GameUserSettings.ini. - Find the section header
[ServerSettings]. If the header is already present, place the setting anywhere beneath it. - Add or edit exactly one of these lines, without quotation marks:
ServerPVE=Falsefor PvP, orServerPVE=Truefor PvE. - Save the file as
GameUserSettings.ini. Check that the editor did not append an extra extension such as.txt. - Start the dedicated server again and wait for it to finish loading before connecting.
If an existing ServerPVE line is present, change its value rather than leaving two competing entries in the file. Keeping one clearly located line under [ServerSettings] makes later troubleshooting easier.
Self-hosted dedicated server: Linux
Use the Linux configuration path
Linux dedicated servers use:
ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/Open the GameUserSettings.ini file in that directory and make the same edit under [ServerSettings]. The value is identical on both platforms; only the directory path differs.
Stop and start the service safely
If the server is launched as a systemd service, stop the service before editing and start it again after saving. The official dedicated-server setup reference documents a systemd service pattern for launching ARK; use the service name and operational commands defined by your own installation rather than editing a file while the process is active.
After the service restarts, reconnect and check the server’s displayed game-mode information. If the old mode remains, follow the troubleshooting checks below before changing other files.
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Managed hosting: Nitrado workflow
A managed host may hide the file system behind a control panel. Nitrado documents both a direct toggle and an Expert Mode file editor.
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Use the general settings toggle
- Stop or take the server offline if the panel requires it.
- Open Settings > General in the Nitrado web interface.
- Find the option labelled to disable PvP and enable PvE.
- Turn the option on for PvE or off for PvP.
- Save the change and restart the server from the panel.
Nitrado’s documented example states: “If you want a PVP server, it should look like this: ServerPVE=False.” The panel’s wording describes the same Boolean value from the opposite direction: enabling the “disable PvP and enable PvE” option produces ServerPVE=True.
Edit the file in Expert Mode
- Enable Expert Mode for the server.
- Open Settings > Expert Mode.
- Load
GameUserSettings.ini. - Under
[ServerSettings], setServerPVE=Falsefor PvP orServerPVE=Truefor PvE. - Save the configuration and restart the server.
When a hosting panel regenerates configuration files, edits made through an external file-transfer method can be overwritten. In that situation, make the change in the panel’s own setting or Expert Mode editor and restart from the panel so the saved value is applied by the host.
How to verify that the change worked
- Wait until the server has completely restarted; changing the file alone does not change a running instance.
- Reconnect to the server rather than relying on a session that was already open before the restart.
- Check the server browser or in-game listing for the displayed game-mode label.
- If necessary, stop the server again and read the saved
GameUserSettings.inito confirm that the line is still under[ServerSettings]with the intended capitalization and value.
The authoritative check is the configuration loaded after the restart. A client-side setting, an old cached listing, or a panel page that has not saved cannot change the server’s Boolean value.
Why the server is still PvP after you changed it
The line is in the wrong section
ARK reads this option as a server setting under [ServerSettings]. A line placed under another section may be ignored. Move it beneath the exact section header and remove duplicate entries elsewhere in the file.
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The key or value is misspelled
Use the documented spelling and capitalization exactly:
ServerPVE=Trueenables PvE and disables PvP.ServerPVE=Falseenables PvP.
Do not substitute a different key name, add quotation marks, or use words such as On, Off, Yes, or No.
You edited Game.ini or a client file
GameUserSettings.ini contains server and client options, but client-only options are ignored by the server. Confirm that you edited the server’s copy of GameUserSettings.ini in the WindowsServer or LinuxServer directory, not a local installation’s configuration file.
The server was running during the edit
Stop the dedicated server, close the game, save the file, and then restart. If the file reverts after startup, compare it with your backup and make the edit while the process is fully offline.
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Some managed panels regenerate files during startup or deployment. Use the panel’s PvE toggle or Expert Mode editor, save there, and restart through the same interface. Recheck the file after the restart to ensure the value persisted.
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You are looking at an old server listing
Disconnect and reconnect after the restart, then verify the game-mode label again. A listing viewed before the restart does not prove which configuration the newly started process loaded.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Changing mode on an established server
The Boolean switch controls the server’s PvP or PvE rules; it does not require a separate client installation. Nevertheless, treat a mode change as an administrative event: announce the downtime, stop the server cleanly, back up the configuration and saved data, make one change, restart, and verify before allowing players back in.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallChanging the map at the same time introduces a separate risk documented by Nitrado. On a PvP server with existing player profiles, changing maps can produce extremely long respawn times. This warning concerns the map transition and stored player data, not the spelling of ServerPVE.
Mitigations for the map-change problem
- Upload player data through an obelisk before changing the map, then download it after the new map is running.
- Alternatively, make a backup and perform a save-folder wipe after switching maps, understanding that a wipe changes the stored world and player state.
Make and test a backup before using either mitigation. If you are only changing PvP/PvE mode and not changing maps, the map-specific respawn warning does not by itself require a wipe.
Self-hosting versus managed hosting
Both arrangements use the same ServerPVE Boolean, but the administrative workflow differs.
| Decision point | Self-hosted Windows or Linux | Managed panel |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration access | Direct access to GameUserSettings.ini in the platform-specific WindowsServer or LinuxServer directory. |
Panel toggle or an Expert Mode editor; direct file access depends on the host. |
| PvE control | Manually set ServerPVE=True under [ServerSettings]. |
Use the option labelled to disable PvP and enable PvE, or set the value in Expert Mode. |
| Restart control | Stop and start the dedicated process or its service manager. | Save and restart from the hosting panel. |
| Backups and recovery | You are responsible for copying configuration and saved data before edits. | The panel may provide controls, but you remain responsible for confirming that a usable backup exists. |
| Platform scope | The documented paths cover Windows and Linux dedicated servers. | Available controls and supported editions depend on the host and server product. |
| Updates and file persistence | You manage the server process and must prevent running processes from overwriting edits. | The provider manages the panel and may regenerate files, so panel-based changes are safer. |
A reliable change checklist
- Identify whether the server is Windows, Linux, or managed through a panel.
- Take the server offline and close the game before editing.
- Back up
GameUserSettings.iniand, before a map change, the relevant saved data. - Open the server’s copy of
GameUserSettings.ini. - Place one correctly spelled
ServerPVEline beneath[ServerSettings]. - Use
Falsefor PvP orTruefor PvE. - Save without changing the filename or adding formatting.
- Restart the server using the same method used to stop it.
- Reconnect and verify the browser or in-game game-mode label.
- If the value reverted, repeat the check with the hosting panel or service stopped.
Common questions
Does ServerPVE=True mean the server is PvP?
No. The name can be confusing, but True means the server is in PvE mode: PvP is disabled. False is the PvP value.
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No. This is a server setting. Players must follow the mode loaded by the server.
Where is GameUserSettings.ini on Linux?
Look in ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/. Windows dedicated servers use ShooterGameSavedConfigWindowsServer.
Do I need to edit Game.ini as well?
No for this switch. The PvP/PvE Boolean belongs in GameUserSettings.ini under [ServerSettings].
Why should I restart after saving?
The dedicated server reads its settings during startup. Restarting loads the saved value and allows the browser and clients to see the new mode.
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