Is ARK Survival Ascended crossplay for Xbox, PC, PS5? Cross platform mods explained

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ARK Survival Ascended is finally coming out for PS5. It has been available on Steam and Xbox, but now Sony players get to join in on the fun. And some extra good news is the crossplay status for ARK Survival Ascended. Not only can Xbox and PS5 players journey together, but the cross-platform gameplay also allows console players to use mods. Unfortunately though, PvP is temporarily not available between all three systems thanks to a recent update for PC users.

The release date and time countdown for when ASA will come out on PS5 is imminent. It costs $44.99/£37.99, and it is available to download from the PSN store for PS5 only. As for Microsoft, it is not on Xbox Game Pass despite ARK 2 joining the subscription service on day one when it eventually releases. There’s still no launch day for ARK 2, but its release date has been delayed to the end of 2024.

Studio Wildcard’s sequel promises to be amazing especially since it stars Fast and Furious megastar, Vin Diesel. We won’t get to play the sequel anytime soon, but right now players on console and PC can band together to explore the evolution of ASE.

Pterodactyl flying across an island in ark survival ascended
Image via Studio Wildcard

Is ARK Survival Ascended crossplay between PS5 and Xbox?

Yes, ARK Survival Ascended is crossplay between PS5 and Xbox. This means Xbox and PS5 users can team together to fell dinosaurs or fight one another to the death.

As for how many players, the Microsoft store says 1-70. It also says you can enjoy 2-4 online co-op and two-player local co-op. In regard to what the game is, it’s not a sequel to ASE nor is it simply a remake. Per the Xbox partner preview, ASA is instead a reimagining that uses Unreal Engine 5. Everything is completely rebuilt from the ground up, and players will discover new features such as a completely overhauled AI and a new Chaos physics system for damage. There are other new graphical features added to make the game even more gorgeous and fully immerse you in the environments of jungles and sparkling waterfalls.

Does ARK Survival Ascended have crossplay on PC?

As of November 30th, ARK Survival Ascended does not support PvP crossplay for PC. There was cross platform multiplayer between Xbox and PC, but PvP servers for Windows clients have been temporarily disabled. Per survivetheark on Twitter, Studio Wildcard says this is only temporary and that PC users will be able to return to cross platform PvP servers once ‘robust anitcheat measures’ have been implemented.

If you are on PC, the good news is that no single-player or private servers are affected. As for when cross platform PvP will return to Windows clients, Studio Wildcard says ‘early next week’. This indicates between December 4th and 10th.

ASA cross-platform mods

Arguably the most exciting aspect of ARK Survival Ascended crossplay is the utilization of cross-platform mods. These mods are available to download on PS5 and Xbox. Of course, they are only able to be created on PC, but console users can install mods from the in-game mod browser, CurseForge. This is accessible from the game’s main menu, and Studio Wildcard says there are over 250 mods available to download right now.

PC users can make mods by heading to the Epic Launcher and downloading the new Ark Devkit. Old mods from ASE can be imported, but you will have to make adjustments because of how ASA uses Unreal Engine 5. Of course, on console, you will not be able to make mods, you will only be able to download and install them.

About the Author

Callum Smith

Callum Smith is a freelance gaming writer for Videogamer. He covers news for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, and he has over five years experience covering the video games industry.