ARK Survival Ascended server performance and RAM

A smooth ARK: Survival Ascended server needs enough RAM, sensible limits on tames and creatures, and a restart once a day. Start with 12 GB for a few friends and 16 GB for most groups. ARK is one of the hungriest games to host, and it grows hungrier as your world fills up.

How much RAM you need

RAM is the server’s memory. ARK keeps the whole map in memory, with every creature, tame, building and item on it.

A world uses more memory after a few months than on day one, because tames and bases pile up. You can change plans any time without losing your world.

What uses the most

• Tames. Every tame stays in memory, even when nobody’s near it. Big breeding projects add up fast.
• Buildings. Large bases with thousands of pieces cost memory and CPU, and make saves slower.
• Wild creatures. More wild creatures means more for the server to run.
• Mods. Each mod adds its own creatures, items or code. Big mod lists also make every start slower.
• The map. Bigger maps hold more of everything.

Settings that cost the most

These live in GameUserSettings.ini, under [ServerSettings]. See the config reference.

Good settings for a smooth group server:

• Set a tribe tame limit with MaxPersonalTamedDinos, even a generous one. It stops one tribe filling the server.
• Leave DinoCountMultiplier at 1.0. More creatures makes taming easier, but the server pays for it.
• Add mods a few at a time and check RAM on Overview after each batch.

Refresh the wild creatures

Over time, wild creatures can pile up in some places, or stay at old levels after you change settings. DestroyWildDinos removes every wild creature, and new ones spawn over time. Tames are safe.

1. Open Console in the panel.
2. Type DestroyWildDinos and send it.

Run it after you change creature settings, or every few weeks on a busy server. Some players run it when they want fresh creatures to tame.

Restart once a day

Long-running ARK servers slowly use more memory. A daily restart clears it.

1. Open Schedules.
2. Add the preset Daily restart with warnings. It warns players in chat before the restart.
3. Pick a quiet time. ARK takes a few minutes to start, so avoid your group’s busiest hour.

The server saves with SaveWorld before it restarts. A restart also picks up mod updates. See mod updates.

Pick the right region

Choose EU or US East, whichever is closest to most of your players. Low ping matters when you’re fighting from a flyer. You pick the region when you create the server. Ask support at support@wilderack.com if your group moves.

Read the graphs on Overview

Overview shows CPU, RAM, players and network over 24 hours and 7 days.

• RAM close to your plan’s limit: lower your tame limits, remove mods you don’t use, or move up a plan.
• RAM creeping up day after day: normal over a long uptime. A daily restart resets it.
• CPU spikes every 15 minutes: that’s the world saving. It gets heavier as your world grows.
• Network spike when a player joins: the server is sending them the world around them. It settles once they’re in.

If the server crashes, Console shows a helper card with a plain-words hint. See common errors for more.