Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsAs a practical estimate, one in-game hour in ARK takes about 2.5 real-time minutes on a default cycle close to one real hour for a full in-game day and night. It is not an exact rate for every map: map behavior and world or server settings can change the timing.
How long does an in-game hour take?
There is no single conversion that applies to every ARK map and configuration. The ARK Official Community Wiki describes a base rate at DayCycleSpeedScale=1 of about one real-time minute for 28 in-game minutes, which works out to roughly 2.14 real minutes per game hour. Its separate Ragnarok example uses a full cycle of about one real hour and gives different hourly durations for day and night. These are approximate references, not a universal exact rate. ARK Official Community Wiki: Server configuration; ARK Official Community Wiki: Time.
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| 1 |
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ARK: Survival Evolved (PS4) | $18.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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ARK: Survival Evolved (Nintendo Switch) | $35.49 | Buy on Amazon |
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ARK: Survival Evolved - Xbox One (Renewed) | $21.26 | Buy on Amazon |
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ARK Survival Evolved Definitive Complete Guide & Walkthrough (Latest Update 2025) All Strategies,... | $15.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Why do the numbers vary?
ARK’s default day and night duration varies by map, and custom world or server settings can alter the cycle. On Ragnarok, the wiki’s calculation reports approximately 164 real seconds per in-game hour during daytime and 126 seconds per in-game hour at night; those figures are specific to that map and its stated default context. ARK Official Community Wiki: Time.
Which settings change the clock?
DayCycleSpeedScalechanges the overall day/night cycle speed. The wiki lists1.0as the default and says it matches single-player experience and official public servers.DayTimeSpeedScalechanges the duration of daytime relative to the cycle.NightTimeSpeedScalechanges the duration of nighttime relative to the cycle.
The configuration guide gives approximately 0.035 for DayCycleSpeedScale as guidance for creating an approximately 24-hour in-game day/night cycle. That is a custom setting, not the default. ARK Official Community Wiki: Server configuration.
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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
What about Aberration?
Aberration has unusual cycle behavior. The wiki notes that in Survival Ascended, time moves at a constant speed while night periods occur during different in-game hours, so a simple day-versus-night hourly estimate may not describe the experience there. ARK Official Community Wiki: Time.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- 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
Rank #3
- 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
Rank #2
- 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
How to estimate it in your game
- Check whether your world or server uses default or custom cycle settings, especially
DayCycleSpeedScale,DayTimeSpeedScale, andNightTimeSpeedScale. - Use about 2.5 real minutes per game hour only as a quick estimate for a default cycle near an hour per full in-game day and night.
- If precision matters, time an in-game hour in the specific map and setting you are playing; do not assume the Ragnarok day and night figures apply elsewhere.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
