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To change the concurrent player cap on an ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated server, set MaxPlayers=<number> in GameUserSettings.ini under [/Script/Engine.GameSession], restart the server, and verify the listing in the server browser. If the value is ignored, add ?MaxPlayers=<number> to the server launch command. ARK: Survival Ascended uses the command-line option -WinLiveMaxPlayers instead of the old ini setting.
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What ARK server player slots mean
The player-slot setting is the maximum number of people who may be connected to the server simultaneously. It is an integer value. For ARK: Survival Evolved (ASE), the documented default is 70. Changing the number changes the connection cap; it does not create reserved places for administrators or guarantee that the server can run that many players smoothly.
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Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesBefore editing anything, identify whether the server is running ASE or ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA). Their configuration methods are different:
| Game | Primary setting | Where to set it | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARK: Survival Evolved (ASE) | MaxPlayers |
GameUserSettings.ini, section [/Script/Engine.GameSession] |
The launch parameter ?MaxPlayers=<number> is the fallback when the ini value is ignored. |
| ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) | -WinLiveMaxPlayers |
Server start command or host-panel launch options | The older ini setting is replaced and may be forced back to its default. |
How to change max players on an ASE server with GameUserSettings.ini
Use this route for a self-hosted or rented ASE server when you can edit its configuration files. The key must be in the game-session section, not merely somewhere in the file.
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1. Stop the server before editing
Shut down the dedicated server cleanly before changing the file. A running server can write its current configuration back to disk when it closes, which can erase an edit made while the process is active. If your host provides a Stop button, use it and wait until the status shows that the process has ended.
2. Open the correct file
Open the server’s GameUserSettings.ini. The exact folder depends on the installation method and host panel, so use the configuration-file editor supplied by your host or the file in the server’s saved configuration directory. Make a backup copy before changing it, especially if the server already contains rates, passwords, or tribe settings you cannot easily recreate.
3. Find or create the game-session section
Locate this section header exactly:
[/Script/Engine.GameSession]Place the setting beneath that header:
MaxPlayers=20Replace 20 with the desired whole number. For example, a 12-slot server uses MaxPlayers=12, while a 100-slot server uses MaxPlayers=100. Do not add quotation marks, commas, or a trailing comment on the same line.
4. Avoid the common section mistake
Some configuration references place MaxPlayers under [ServerSettings]. A community discussion reports that this placement did not work for its users, while a reply identifies [/Script/Engine.GameSession] as the working section. Use the game-session section first. If the server still ignores the value, use the launch-parameter method below rather than moving the line between arbitrary sections.
5. Save, start, and verify
- Save
GameUserSettings.ini. - Start the server again.
- Wait for it to finish loading and become joinable.
- Search for the server in the in-game browser and check the displayed maximum player count.
- Have a player connect if you need to confirm that the server accepts the intended number rather than only displaying a changed label.
If the browser still reports 70, treat that as evidence that the server did not apply the ini value. Do not assume that changing the file name, map name, or unrelated ServerSettings entry will alter the cap.
How to change ARK server slots with a launch parameter
The command line is the practical fallback when ASE does not honor MaxPlayers in the ini file. Add ?MaxPlayers=<number> to the map/startup string used to launch the dedicated server.
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Windows dedicated-server example
A typical ASE startup command follows this pattern:
ShooterGameServer.exe TheIsland?SessionName=<server_name>?ServerPassword=<join_password>?Port=<port>?QueryPort=<query_port>?MaxPlayers=<max_players>?ServerAdminPassword=<admin_password>For a concrete 20-player setting, the relevant part is:
...TheIsland?SessionName=MyARK?MaxPlayers=20...Keep the option in the same question-mark-separated startup string as the map and other session options. Replace the angle-bracket values with your actual settings; the brackets themselves are not typed.
Restart after changing the command
Stop the existing process, update the saved shortcut, batch file, service definition, or host-panel startup field, and launch the server again. Changing a command-line value while the old process is running cannot change its current session. Verify the resulting count in the server browser after startup.
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The dedicated-server setup guidance notes that, for ASA, ?ServerAdminPassword=<admin_password> must be the last argument in the startup string. If you are editing an ASA command that already contains this option, preserve that ordering while adding the player-cap option required by your server build or host.
How ASA changes the process
ARK: Survival Ascended does not use the ASE GameUserSettings.ini player-cap method. Its documented control is the command-line option -WinLiveMaxPlayers. Set the desired integer on the ASA server start command, for example:
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-WinLiveMaxPlayers=20Use the syntax accepted by your current ASA server package or hosting panel; the essential distinction is that the value belongs on the launch command, not under [/Script/Engine.GameSession] in the old ASE configuration file. The ASA documentation describes the ini setting as replaced and otherwise forced back to the default, so repeatedly changing MaxPlayers in an ASA ini file is not a reliable fix.
After adding the option, fully restart the ASA process and check the server-browser listing. If the listing remains unchanged, inspect the actual command used at launch: a panel may generate a different command than the one you edited, or a second startup profile may be launching the server.
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ARK MaxPlayers ini not working: troubleshooting steps
When the server stays at 70 or shows another old value, work through these checks in order. They separate an incorrect file edit from a startup command that overrides the file.
Check the game edition first
ASE and ASA require different controls. An ASE-style ini edit will not reliably change an ASA server. Confirm the executable, server branch, and host-panel profile before changing the configuration again.
Confirm the exact section and spelling
- The section header is
[/Script/Engine.GameSession], including brackets, slashes, capitalization, and periods. - The key is
MaxPlayers, with no spaces in the name. - The value is a whole-number integer, such as
MaxPlayers=40. - There should not be a second contradictory
MaxPlayersline elsewhere in the active file.
Make sure you edited the active configuration
Servers often have more than one saved configuration directory, especially after a migration, mod setup, or host-panel reinstall. Check the path opened by the server’s active profile, not a template or backup file. If your panel has separate profiles for different maps or instances, edit the profile that actually starts the server.
Stop and restart completely
Save the file while the process is stopped, then start it again. A browser refresh alone does not reload server settings. If the host reports a restart in progress, wait for the process to finish stopping before starting it so that the previous process cannot overwrite your edit.
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Look for a command-line override
A startup command containing ?MaxPlayers=70 can keep an ASE server at 70 even when the ini contains another number. Inspect the shortcut, batch file, service definition, container arguments, or host-panel launch field and remove or change the old value. For ASE, the command-line option is the fallback when the ini route has no effect.
Check for a host-panel value
Some hosting panels expose a Max Players field that may be inserted into the generated launch command. Host documentation describes this behavior, but it is not established as universal across providers or current builds. If a panel has that field, set it to the same number as the ini or command-line value, save the profile, and restart from the panel itself. If the panel regenerates the command on every restart, a manual file edit may be overwritten.
Read the browser value after the server is online
Use the server-browser listing after a full restart rather than relying on the text in an editor. If the listing still shows 70, the active startup configuration has not accepted the new cap. If it shows the new value but players cannot join at that count, investigate a separate connection, port, or server-performance problem rather than changing MaxPlayers again.
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Seventy is the documented ASE default. A server that repeatedly returns to 70 is usually starting without the intended override: the ini line is in the wrong section, the wrong file was edited, the server was not restarted, or a startup command or panel profile is supplying 70. On ASA, an ASE ini edit can also be discarded because ASA expects -WinLiveMaxPlayers on the command line.
There is no evidence here for a universal alternate default of 16 players. A host page that states 16 conflicts with the documented 70-player ASE default and should not be used as the baseline for diagnosing a server that reports 70.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choosing a slot value
Set the number to the simultaneous-player cap you actually intend to advertise. The setting accepts an integer, so decide whether the number represents a small private group, a community server, or a larger public session. Increasing the cap does not itself provide additional CPU, memory, network capacity, or administrative staffing; it only permits more connections. Monitor the server after a change and reduce the value if the machine or game session cannot maintain a stable experience.
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| Goal | Configuration example | Verification |
|---|---|---|
| Small private ASE server | MaxPlayers=10 in the game-session section |
Restart and confirm the browser lists 10. |
| Community ASE server | ?MaxPlayers=40 in the launch string if the ini is ignored |
Inspect the active startup command and browser listing. |
| ASA server | -WinLiveMaxPlayers=40 on the ASA launch command |
Confirm the generated command contains the option, then restart. |
The examples illustrate syntax only; choose a value appropriate to your hardware, connection, and community.
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Self-hosted versus rented ARK servers
Self-hosted dedicated server
You control the executable, startup script, and configuration files. Use the ASE ini route first, keep a backup, and use the launch parameter when the server ignores the file. For ASA, edit the command that actually starts the server and retain the option after updates or script changes.
Rented server with a control panel
The panel may hide the physical ini file and construct the command for you. Prefer its documented Max Players control when available, then restart through the panel. If the displayed count is wrong, compare the panel’s generated startup arguments with the value in the file. Because panel behavior differs and the override behavior is not universal, the browser listing after restart is the decisive check.
Multiple server instances
If one machine runs several ARK instances, each instance can have its own configuration and startup arguments. Change the profile associated with the intended map and session, and verify the correct session name in the browser. Editing one instance’s file cannot change another instance’s slot cap.
A safe change checklist
- Identify ASE or ASA.
- Record the current slot value and back up the configuration.
- Stop the server before editing.
- For ASE, put
MaxPlayers=<number>under[/Script/Engine.GameSession]. - For ASE troubleshooting, inspect the startup string for
?MaxPlayers=<number>. - For ASA, use
-WinLiveMaxPlayerson the launch command instead of relying on the ASE ini key. - Check any host-panel Max Players field and generated command.
- Save changes and perform a full restart.
- Confirm the new count in the server browser.
- If it reverts to 70, verify the active file, section, edition, and command-line override before changing anything else.
What the setting does not change
MaxPlayers controls the number of simultaneous players allowed by the session. It does not change the map, server name, password, query port, game port, administrator password, or gameplay rates. Those remain separate startup or configuration options. A successful slot change therefore should be tested by checking the displayed player cap and a real connection, not by looking for changes to unrelated server settings.
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