Ark: Survival Evolved is a popular survival-focused game where players are stranded on an island full of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. Since its initial debut in 2017, the game has grown a massive fan base across different platforms like PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and more. A common question many players ask is whether Ark allows for cross-play and cross-progression between Xbox and PlayStation platforms specifically. This article explores is ark: survival evolved cross platform xbox and ps5, Survival Evolved supports cross-platform functionality between the Xbox and PlayStation gaming ecosystems, including the latest generation consoles, Xbox Series XS and PlayStation 5.
Can You Play With Friends Across Xbox And PlayStation?
Ark: Survival Evolved does not currently support accurate cross-platform play between Xbox and PlayStation platforms. This means that an Xbox player cannot join the same multiplayer server as a PlayStation player and vice versa. The game keeps the Xbox and PlayStation player bases wholly separated.
While cross-play is not enabled, the development studio Wildcard has stated they aim to add it in the future once the technical and business hurdles are cleared. Some critical points around is ark: survival evolved cross platform xbox and ps5 platform support:
- Players on Xbox One can only play with other Xbox One users. The same applies to PlayStation 4 users.
- Users on Xbox Series XS consoles can only play with other Series XS and Xbox One players.
- PlayStation 5 owners can only join other PS4 and PS5 users.
- Profiles and game progress cannot transfer between Xbox and PlayStation ecosystems either.
- Cross-play may come to Ark at some point but there is no concrete timeline shared yet.
So, in summary, while you can play with friends on the same platform, family, Xbox, and PlayStation remain siloed experiences in Ark currently without a cross-play solution. The good news is the developers want to implement it in the future.
How Does Cross-Play Work On Other Platforms?
While PlayStation and Xbox lack compatibility, is ark: survival evolved cross platform xbox and ps5 does support cross-play in other scenarios that are worth exploring:
- PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, Windows 10) players can play together on the same official or unofficial servers.
- Those playing on Nintendo Switch can join dedicated servers with other Switch, PC, and Google Stadia players.
- Mobile platforms like iOS and Android allow cross-play with each other through dedicated servers.
- Players using the same platform family (Xbox or PlayStation consoles) can play together through backward compatibility.
So, cross-play is fully functional when sticking to platforms within the PC ecosystem or mobile devices. This shows that technological capability exists, it is more the business and policy reasons keeping Xbox and PlayStation separated for now in Ark.
Will the new PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series Consoles Help?
With the launch of the next-gen PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series XS consoles, some had hoped it could help enable cross-platform play between the two ecosystems. However, that does not seem to be the is ark: survival evolved cross platform xbox and ps5 current implementation:
- Series XS users can only play with other Xbox consoles like Xbox One.
- PS5 owners are restricted to PlayStation 4 and other PS5 players.
- Progression and profiles do not carry forward between Xbox and PlayStation networks.
So, while the new hardware is more powerful and capable than previous generations, it has not changed Ark’s position on cross-play between these competing platforms quite yet. Developers Wildcard would need to work with Microsoft and Sony to make the necessary technical and legal arrangements to allow this long-requested feature.
Future Outlook for Ark Cross-Play on Consoles
Even though Ark does not currently facilitate cross-platform play between Xbox and PlayStation networks, there is optimism among fans that it could happen down the road:
- Other major multiplayer titles like Fortnite have successfully implemented cross-play between these consoles.
- Sony has become more open to the idea in recent years compared to their initial resistance.
- Xbox has been a proponent of cross-play for a long time now.
- Wildcard has reiterated its interest in bringing this feature to Ark once barriers are addressed.
- Expanding the player base through cross-play could benefit the game’s longevity on consoles.
- Next-gen hardware may help reduce technical roadblocks compared to older platforms.
While nothing is guaranteed, as cross-play becomes more commonplace in the industry, is ark: survival evolved cross platform xbox and ps5 enabling it at some stage between Xbox and PlayStation consoles cannot be completely ruled out. Fans will have to wait for additional clarity from the developers on their plans.
In Conclusion
To summarize, Ark: Survival Evolved presently does not facilitate cross-play matchmaking or cross-progression between Xbox and PlayStation platforms. The game separates these player bases into their respective ecosystems for now due to business and technical limitations. However, the developers have voiced interest in implementing cross-platform functionality once obstacles are cleared. While the new Xbox Series and PlayStation 5 consoles do not change this dynamic yet, there is optimism that cross-play could come to Ark down the line as the industry trend continues to favor more cross-compatibility.
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