Changing the Difficulty on Your ARK Survival Evolved Server
Learn how to change the difficulty and max dino levels on your ARK Survival Evolved dedicated server by editing the server configuration.
Whether you want a relaxing experience or an unforgiving challenge, here is how to change the difficulty on your ARK Survival Evolved server.
Changing the Difficulty
Open the Config File
Log in to the XGamingServer Panel and Stop your ARK server. In the sidebar, click Files.
Navigate to GameUserSettings.ini
Go to /ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini.
Add Difficulty Settings
Under [ServerSettings], add the following lines:
DifficultyOffset=
OverrideOfficialDifficulty=Set Your Values
DifficultyOffset ranges from 0.2 to 1.0. OverrideOfficialDifficulty ranges from 1.0 to 10.0.
Start Your Server
Start your server to apply the changes.
💡 Tip: If you set
DifficultyOffset=1.0andOverrideOfficialDifficulty=1.0, the max dino level will be 30. SettingOverrideOfficialDifficulty=2.0will double it to 60, and so on.
Respawning Wild Dinos
After changing difficulty, existing wild dinos will not update. You need to destroy them so new ones spawn at the correct levels.
📝 Note: If you are not already an admin, follow our admin guide first.
Connect to Your Server
Open ARK and connect to your server.
Open the Console
Press Tab to open the Console.
Destroy Wild Dinos
Type admincheat DestroyWildDinos and press Enter. Higher level dinos will begin to spawn over time.
How is this guide?
Change the Server Version on Your ARK Survival Evolved Server
Learn how to change the version of your ARK Survival Evolved dedicated server to a different beta branch such as pre-Aquatica.
ARK Survival Evolved Server Configuration Guide
Learn how to configure your ARK Survival Evolved dedicated server with GameUserSettings.ini and Game.ini, including a full settings reference.