Yes—but Xbox and PC players can play ARK together only when they own compatible editions and join a server that allows both platforms. ARK: Survival Evolved and ARK: Survival Ascended are separate games and do not crossplay with each other.
Which ARK game and PC version do you have?
| Game | Xbox version | PC version documented for crossplay | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARK: Survival Evolved | Xbox One | Windows 10 / Microsoft Store | Studio Wildcard announced Xbox One and Windows 10 crossplay in 2017, with shared Xbox Play Anywhere progression. The announcement does not establish Steam PC crossplay for this pairing. Xbox Wire, December 20, 2017. |
| ARK: Survival Ascended | Xbox Series X|S | Windows PC and Steam | Wildcard first described crossplay for Xbox and Windows PC, with Steam initially excluded; a later Xbox launch announcement said Steam cross-platform play would be enabled on day one. Community Crunch 355, March 31, 2023; Community Crunch 385, November 4, 2023. |
The game titles themselves are not interchangeable: Survival Evolved players cannot join Survival Ascended players, regardless of platform. Wildcard said the games would coexist but would not support crossplay between them because of changes made for Survival Ascended. Community Crunch 355.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
ARK: Survival Evolved - Xbox One | $23.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
ARK: Survival Evolved (Xbox One) | $44.75 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
ARK: Survival Evolved (Xbox One) | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
ARK: Survival Evolved - Xbox One (Renewed) | $21.26 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Ark: Ultimate Survivor Edition - For Xbox Series X | $89.99 | Buy on Amazon |
What can stop Xbox and PC friends from joining?
The PC storefront matters in Survival Evolved
For the Xbox One pairing established by the 2017 announcement, the documented PC version is the Windows 10 / Microsoft Store edition. Do not assume a Steam copy of Survival Evolved can join an Xbox One player: the cited announcement does not confirm that pairing.
Crossplay depends on the server
Crossplay support does not mean every server accepts every platform. The 2017 Survival Evolved announcement directed players to official servers marked “CrossPlay.” It described a limited set of crossplay-enabled official servers at the time, alongside player-hosted options. That is historical guidance, not a current list or count of active servers. Xbox Wire.
#1 Best Overall
- 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
For Survival Ascended, Wildcard described crossplay networks as well as console-only official servers. A November 2023 notice temporarily blocked Windows clients from several named crossplay official PvP server types while anti-cheat measures were being addressed. The notice said single-player and private servers that had not disabled Windows clients were unaffected. That dated restriction should not be treated as proof of current server policy; the sources cited here do not establish whether it was later lifted or what every server admits. Community Crunch 385; Community Crunch 386.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Test your tribe and your beasts in battle with every boss challenge from the franchise.
- Experience everything that the ARK franchise has to offer in this definitive collection.
- Complete your collection of notes and dossiers left by past explorers to learn the surprising history of the ARKs.
- From primordial island jungles to the futuristic gardens of an interstellar starship, every sprawling environment is here for you to conquer.
- Discover the hundreds of unique species roaming these lands, from the prehistoric to the fantastical, and learn how to befriend these creatures, or to defeat them.
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
Rank #2
- 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
How to check before trying to join a friend
- Confirm the exact game. Both players need Survival Evolved or both need Survival Ascended; the two titles do not crossplay.
- Check the PC edition. For Xbox One and Survival Evolved, use the Windows 10 / Microsoft Store pairing documented by Wildcard. For Survival Ascended, the later Xbox launch announcement included Steam crossplay.
- Select a server that accepts both platforms. In Survival Evolved, the historical Xbox guidance was to look for official servers labeled “CrossPlay.” For either game, check the current in-game server listing and the intended mode rather than assuming every official or player-hosted server is compatible.
- If the server is unavailable, check its restrictions. Platform access can vary by server network and mode, including PvP, PvE, console-only, and player-hosted settings. A general crossplay announcement does not guarantee access to a specific server.
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.
