For ARK: Survival Evolved (ASE), launch Genesis Part 1 with the map identifier Genesis. In ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA), the corresponding identifier is Genesis_WP. Confirm the edition before installing or writing a startup script: the ASE procedure below uses Steam App ID 376030, while ASA uses a different server distribution.
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This guide covers a self-hosted ASE Genesis Part 1 server from installation through port forwarding, first connection, DLC checks, multi-instance operation and troubleshooting. It also explains where ASA instructions diverge.
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Confirm which ARK edition you are running
The map name is not interchangeable between editions. Using the wrong identifier can make the server fail to load the world or start a different map.
| Edition | Genesis Part 1 map identifier | What this guide covers |
|---|---|---|
| ARK: Survival Evolved (ASE) | Genesis |
Complete SteamCMD installation and dedicated-server procedure |
| ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) | Genesis_WP |
Identifier confirmation only; do not install the ASE server package for ASA |
Genesis Part 1 launched for ASE on February 25, 2020, as a paid expansion. Everyone joining must use the same game edition as the server, and intended players should own the relevant Genesis content on their platform.
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- 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
Prepare the machine and network
Host operating system
Use a 64-bit Windows or Linux machine with administrator access. A Linux installation requires glibc 2.17 or newer. Windows hosts require the documented Visual C++ 2013 x64 redistributable and the DirectX June 2010 runtimes. Install those prerequisites before troubleshooting the server executable itself.
Storage and memory
- The base ASE dedicated-server installation uses approximately 18 GiB of storage before saves, player profiles, logs, updates and mods.
- A fresh Genesis Part 1 world is listed at approximately 5–6 GiB of RAM. Memory usage increases as players join and the world accumulates structures, creatures and other objects.
- Leave additional disk space and memory headroom rather than sizing the machine to the empty-map figures. The cited figures are starting points, not a performance guarantee for a particular CPU, connection or player count.
Network prerequisites
Give the server a stable local address, preferably through a DHCP reservation, so router rules do not break when the machine receives a new private IP. You need access to the router’s port-forwarding page and to the host operating system’s firewall. If you plan to administer the server remotely with RCON, reserve its port as well.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesInstall the ASE dedicated server with SteamCMD
1. Create a server directory
Choose a location with at least the installation space plus room for saves and updates. Examples are C:ARKServer on Windows or /srv/arkserver on Linux. Avoid a directory that is automatically synchronized to a consumer cloud-storage service; synchronization can lock or partially copy save files.
2. Install SteamCMD
Download and extract SteamCMD for your operating system, then open a terminal in the SteamCMD directory. Run the following commands, replacing the install path with your chosen directory:
force_install_dir <install_dir>
login anonymous
app_update 376030 validate
exitApp ID 376030 is the ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated-server application. The validate option checks downloaded files and repairs incomplete or corrupted files. On a first installation, the download can take time; wait for SteamCMD to report completion before closing it.
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- Use cunning strategy and tactics to tame, train, ride and breed the 100+ dinosaurs and other primeval creatures roaming the dynamic, persistent ecosystems across land, sea, air, and even underground Build your character's strengths and gain items, skills, and pet creatures using in-depth role-playing systems
- Start a tribe with hundreds of other players to survive and dominate competing tribes...and ultimately discover ARK's true purpose
- Build a fire or shelter, then craft customizable clothing & armors to help protect against damage and extreme temperatures on your way to unlocking advanced technologies and equipment
- Chop down trees and mine metal and other precious resources to build massive multi-leveled structures composed of complex snap-linked parts
3. Verify the files
Open the installation directory and confirm that the ShooterGame server files and executable are present. If SteamCMD exits before downloading anything, check that the path is writable and that the command was entered in the SteamCMD console rather than your normal operating-system shell.
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Create the Genesis Part 1 startup command
In the server directory, create a script that launches the executable with the Genesis map and your settings. The core ASE command is:
ShooterGameServer Genesis?SessionName=<server_name>?ServerPassword=<join_password>?Port=7777?QueryPort=27015?MaxPlayers=<max_players>?ServerAdminPassword=<admin_password>On Windows, put the line in a .bat file and use ShooterGameServer.exe if that is the executable name in your installation. On Linux, put it in a shell script, make the file executable, and run it from the server directory so relative paths resolve correctly.
Understand each parameter
| Parameter | Purpose | Important handling |
|---|---|---|
Genesis |
Selects Genesis Part 1 in ASE | Do not replace it with Gen2; that identifier is Genesis Part 2 |
SessionName |
Name shown in the server browser | Use a distinctive name so friends can find the correct instance |
ServerPassword |
Player join password | Delete the entire parameter for an open server |
Port=7777 |
Game traffic port | Forward UDP traffic to the host |
QueryPort=27015 |
Server-browser query port | Forward UDP traffic and keep it unique per instance |
MaxPlayers |
Connection limit | Set a value your hardware and internet upload capacity can sustain |
ServerAdminPassword |
Administrator authentication | Keep it different from the player join password and do not publish it |
Replace every angle-bracket placeholder with a real value. Do not leave the brackets in the command. If a session name contains spaces, test the resulting browser listing; keeping the name short and simple avoids shell-quoting problems.
Keep ASE and ASA commands separate
For ASA, the map identifier is Genesis_WP, not Genesis. Do not point an ASA installation at the ASE App ID or assume that an ASE startup script, binary or mod arrangement is valid for ASA. Confirm the ASA server package and its current launch syntax from the edition-specific documentation before deploying 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. 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!)
- Gather Resources, 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 style of everything from the walls of your home, to your character's armor, weapons and more
- 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
Forward ports and configure the firewall
Port forwarding has two parts: a router rule that sends internet traffic to the server’s private IP address, and a host-firewall rule that permits the same traffic. Configure both.
| Use | Port | Protocol | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game traffic | 7777 | UDP | Forward to the server and allow through the host firewall |
| Peer traffic | 7778 | UDP | Forward to the server and allow through the host firewall |
| Server query and browser listing | 27015 | UDP | Forward to the server and allow through the host firewall |
| RCON (optional) | 27020 | TCP | Open only when you have configured RCON and need remote administration |
Router procedure
- Log in to the router and open its port-forwarding or virtual-server page.
- Create rules for UDP 7777, UDP 7778 and UDP 27015, each targeting the server’s fixed private IP address.
- If RCON is configured, create a separate TCP rule for port 27020. Do not expose optional administration services unnecessarily.
- Save the rules and restart the router only if its interface requires it.
Operating-system firewall
Create inbound allow rules for the same UDP ports and, if applicable, TCP 27020. You can allow the server executable instead of individual ports, but port-specific rules make auditing easier. Ensure the rule applies to the network profile used by the host. A router rule cannot compensate for a blocked host firewall.
Start the server and verify it from a client
- Run the launch script from the server directory.
- Watch the console while the world initializes. The first start can take longer than later restarts because the map and configuration are being created.
- From an ARK client of the matching edition, search the server browser for the exact session name.
- Test a direct connection from outside the server’s local network as well as a local test. A local connection can succeed even when router forwarding is wrong.
- Join with the player password, if one is set. Keep the administrator password separate; it is not a substitute for the join password.
The published configuration requirements do not constitute a benchmark for your hardware or internet connection. If several players will connect, observe memory, CPU, upload bandwidth and latency during actual use, then adjust the player cap or hardware accordingly.
Genesis DLC and client compatibility
Genesis Part 1 is paid DLC. Before distributing the server address, confirm that each intended player owns the relevant expansion and is launching the same edition you installed. A player with ASA cannot join an ASE server, and an ASE client cannot join an ASA server. Platform cross-play rules can add further restrictions, so test with the exact client platforms your group uses.
When a player reports a missing map or an entitlement error, first verify the edition and DLC ownership rather than changing the map string. For ASE, the correct Part 1 string remains Genesis; Gen2 selects Part 2.
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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
Run multiple ARK instances on one machine
Every instance needs its own game, peer, query and (when used) RCON port. Keep the first instance on 7777, 7778, 27015 and 27020, then assign a non-overlapping set to each additional process. An incremental pattern is:
| Instance | Game UDP | Peer UDP | Query UDP | RCON TCP (optional) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7777 | 7778 | 27015 | 27020 |
| 2 | 7779 | 7780 | 27016 | 27021 |
Use the selected values in that instance’s startup command and create matching router and firewall rules. Also give each process a unique session name and separate save/configuration location. Do not start two instances with the same query or game port; one process will fail to bind or the browser will show misleading information.
Troubleshoot the common failure points
The server starts on the wrong map or will not load Genesis
- Check that you installed ASE and used
Genesis, notGenesis_WP. - Check that you did not type
Gen2, which is Genesis Part 2. - Confirm that the launch script is running from the intended installation directory and that you are starting the newly updated executable.
The server is invisible in the browser
- Verify UDP 27015 is forwarded to the correct private IP.
- Verify the host firewall permits UDP 27015 as well as the game and peer ports.
- Check the session name and test a direct connection from an external network.
- For a second instance, confirm that its query port is unique and appears in its own router rule.
Players cannot join even though the listing appears
- Check UDP 7777 and 7778 forwarding and firewall rules.
- Confirm that the player is using the same ASE or ASA edition and owns Genesis Part 1.
- Make sure the player is entering the join password, not the administrator password.
The process exits or the machine runs out of memory
- Compare available RAM with the approximately 5–6 GiB empty-Genesis baseline, then account for players, structures, creatures, logs and mods.
- Leave operating-system headroom and reduce the player cap or additional instances if memory pressure persists.
- Check that the drive still has space beyond the approximately 18 GiB base installation for saves and updates.
SteamCMD reports missing or corrupt files
Stop the server, run app_update 376030 validate again, and wait for completion. Confirm that the SteamCMD account is logged in anonymously and that the installation path is writable. Do not delete saves before making a backup.
Self-hosting versus a managed ARK server
A home or office machine gives you direct control, but you also own every operational task. A managed service shifts those tasks to a provider. Current prices and availability vary by provider and are not established here, so compare written quotes rather than assuming a standard monthly rate.
| Decision factor | Self-hosted machine | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | Your hardware, electricity and internet costs; no universal figure | Recurring provider fee; verify current pricing before purchase |
| Mods and configuration | Full filesystem and launch-parameter control | Usually offered through a control panel, with limits set by the provider |
| Ports and firewall | You must configure router forwarding and the operating-system firewall | Provider normally supplies the public networking layer |
| Backups | You must schedule, retain and test your own copies | Backup policy, retention and restore charges must be checked in the contract |
| Latency | Depends on your location and upload connection | You can select a region, but verify its actual distance and network quality |
| Player capacity | Limited by your CPU, RAM, storage and upload bandwidth | Often scalable by plan, subject to the provider’s limits |
| Updates and recovery | You run SteamCMD updates and diagnose failures | Some maintenance may be automated; confirm who controls update timing and rollback |
Choose self-hosting when you need unrestricted configuration and can maintain networking, backups and updates. Choose managed hosting when avoiding router administration and hardware upkeep is more important than direct system access.
Quick Recap
Maintenance and security after launch
- Keep the administrator password private and different from the player password.
- Back up the save data and configuration files before updates, mod changes or major setting changes. Keep more than one dated backup and periodically test that a copy can be restored.
- Stop the server cleanly before copying live save files whenever possible; a file copied during a write can be unusable.
- Run SteamCMD updates during a planned maintenance window, then start the server and verify that Genesis loads before inviting players back.
- Monitor free disk space, RAM and log growth. The base 18 GiB figure does not include ongoing world growth.
- Open only the ports you use. If RCON is not enabled, do not forward TCP 27020.
Genesis Part 1 launch checklist
- Edition confirmed: ASE uses
Genesis; ASA usesGenesis_WP. - For ASE, SteamCMD installed App ID
376030withvalidate. - 64-bit Windows or Linux prerequisites installed, including the stated runtimes on Windows or glibc 2.17 on Linux.
- At least approximately 18 GiB available for the base installation, plus room for saves, logs, updates and mods.
- Memory headroom beyond the approximately 5–6 GiB empty-map baseline.
- Startup script contains a unique session name, correct map, player limit and separate passwords.
- UDP 7777, UDP 7778 and UDP 27015 forwarded and allowed through the host firewall.
- TCP 27020 opened only when RCON is configured.
- External discovery and direct connection tested with a client that owns Genesis Part 1.
- Backups created before the first major update or configuration change.
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