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Ark: Survival Evolved Lets Players Host Their Own Servers on Xbox One

As long as you have a second Xbox One, that is.

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Ark: Survival Evolved is hitting the Xbox One on December 16, and if you have a second Xbox One lying around, you'll be able to use it to host your own server.

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Studio Wildcard co-founder Jesse Rapczak talked to Xbox Wire about his studio's early access dinosaur game, saying that players can host a "50+ player" server on a second Xbox One--something that would normally require "an expensive PC server and a lot of management headaches."

The way this will work was not mentioned by Rapczak, nor was it confirmed if hosting your own server would be available from the outset. Ark is launching on the Xbox One Game Preview Program, meaning that the game is a work-in-progress and some features may be coming later. It released earlier this year in June and is still a part of Steam's Early Access program.

Xbox One owners will be happy to hear that Rapczak believes the Xbox One gamepad control is "much improved over the PC version" and that it will be the "smoothest gameplay experience" available for the game.

Xbox One players will also be getting special limited edition "Founder's content," such as skins. Additionally, the dinosaur survival game charted in 2015's Top 10 Video Games on YouTube.

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GlockGuy1926

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Wow... too many games out man. I haven't even beat most of the big GOTY contenders this year... alot of that is due to Rocket League... but now I'm on RB6/Rocket League, and really wanted to play this game. I just don't think I have the time for it.

Are they going to have the Hunger Games mode on the X1?

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XzerocarnageX

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Edited By XzerocarnageX

Looks like ill be taking over my sons xbox, he wont be happy lmao..

Thats tomo rite? Glad i got the money for it, cant wait yaaaaaay..

These pc games are working well coming to game preview first, gives the devs plenty of time to work the title up and developt them properly but give it us cheaper..

Elite dangerous worked out fantastic on game preview, cant wait for elite dangerous horizons.

Day z will be ace to, once it hits game preview 2k16...

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PrettyRicky

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Can someone send me an invite to the preview program? My gamertag is PrettyRicky

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Plus_1

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I have 2 X1s. Will have to check this out.

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LTJohnnyRico

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@plus_1: Same here !! May give it a go !!

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carsomnyr

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Edited By carsomnyr

I am sceptical about an xbox dedicated host giving you a smooth game with 50+ players for Ark(Without limitations), hope it does though.

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normanislost

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@carsomnyr: i would hope so considering you need a second xbox one just for the server

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hystavito

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Your own console as a dedicated server, cool :). Has this ever been done before?

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skiggy34

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this comes out on Wednesday?!!!???!!!! Awesome!! Been waiting a long time for this one!!!!

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Myles_Dyson

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What is this game even?

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MaddenBowler10

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@myles_dyson: Open world survival (online)--hunt, gather resources, build fires/safeareas/homes---with DINOSAURS. I'm pretty sure you kind even ride and fly some in this too.

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GlockGuy1926

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@MaddenBowler10: Yes, you ride and fly them as well, but have to make the saddles for whatever dinosaur, and tame it as well (obviously).

The thing that got me excited about this game was watching the Hunger Games tournament they had, then eventually made it a game mode, for PC anyway. Hopefully they have that as a mode for consoles as well.

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zinten

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it requires an expensive pc to host a dedicated server because they didnt bother to make the server multithreaded so if you have 8 core high end pc, it only use 1 of those cores. You needed the highest single threaded cpus to run this smoothly with lots of players.

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sbkline

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So if we don't want the mega server with 50+ friends, can we still have a private server for me an 4 friends? The game looks cool but not enough to get a second xbox one for.

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SaintYamato

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Ummm so you need to dedicate an entire console just to play with friends only? Well that sucks. But it probably won't change the positive feelings I have in store for this game.

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normanislost

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@saintyamato: oh it will after you log out of the public server and a tribe of asshats in a later time zone kills all your dinosaurs and your base while you're sleeping (a common steam review complaint)

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SaintYamato

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@normanislost: Yeahhh, I have heard that the devs are trying to figure out a way to get rid of offline base destruction but idk how they will do it without people abusing the system.

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B00ME

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Edited By B00ME

@saintyamato: You can also host a private 4 palyer game with your friends, but won't be through a dedicated server. Above is the option for a private dedicated server with 50+ players. They will also have the official dedicated servers that everyone can join.

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GlockGuy1926

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Edited By GlockGuy1926

@b00me: So if you only have 1 XBox, you can have a private room that you can only allow certain people into, up to 4 at a time?

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SaintYamato

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@b00me: Oh I didn't know you can do 4 player lobbies? Well that is pretty cool, but if the private 50+ lobbies are dedicated then that is really nice!

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cboye18

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Edited By cboye18

Don't know if it's youtube compressed video player or just being the X1 version, but the aliasing in the game is terrible. Does it run 60 FPS at least?

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QuadDamage85

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@cboye18: Likely not. It probably runs at a hard locked 30fps at 900p like most of the games on the system.

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jenovaschilld

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Edited By jenovaschilld

Xbox One owners will be happy to hear that Rapczak believes the Xbox One gamepad control is "much improved over the PC version" and that it will be the "smoothest gameplay experience" available for the game.

I found the controller support to be very good and except for how they handle items and a few menu things just fine on PC. Be interesting to see what all changes they are making.

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Frozzik

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@jenovaschilld: didn't even know it had controller support on pc.

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Zzshock

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Good thing i have a 2nd xbox one... do i have to buy the game twice though?????

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Plus_1

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@Zzshock: no, buy digital and its always 2 for 1. I have two X1s and thats another great feature. If you have 2 X1s you buy digital and can put it on both. BOGO

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GlockGuy1926

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@plus_1: Me and my bro do this on PS4. Set eachothers consoles as our "Primary" and we both can access eachothers games. Bad part is, I have more money then him so it has just become me buying the games and sharing with him lol

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B00ME

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Edited By B00ME

@Zzshock: Yes, according to their twiiter you will also need two copies of the game.

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zandrxi

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@Zzshock: yes and you have to have gold on both systems.

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Plus_1

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@zandrxi: again NO. If you have 2 X1s you only need one gold acct. ones your home console with original gold membership and you keep the gold acct on the second console. Now you have two consoles with gold membership. Two for one strikes again.

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BobaFettHatesU

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I'm sure fanboys have two or three of them laying around.

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adro191

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Who has a spare X1 ? I'm still contemplating the idea of buying an xbox one

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XCrimsonxSynX

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Edited By XCrimsonxSynX

@adro191: I own 2 X1s and 2 PS4s. Have to have more than one when everyone wants to play.

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Furwings

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@xcrimsonxsynx: Same here. I have my own XB1 and PS4 and my 10 year old son has his own XB1 & PS4. We have one shared Wii U as well.

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skiggy34

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@Furwings: sounds awesome!!!

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zandrxi

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<_< Can i just pay for a normal sever i don't have a spare xbox to host a sever for my friends .......

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blackamerica

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how is this useful

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skiggy34

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Edited By skiggy34

@blackamerica: whatsup with your name and your picture??

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Zzshock

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@blackamerica: play with friends and not getting griefed would be nice for a lot of people

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sladakrobot

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Edited By sladakrobot

@blackamerica: Your server,your rules...i guess :-)

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