Does Ark Survival Ascended have local co-op?

Players love the multiplayer aspects of the Ark games, and Ark Survival Ascended will surely be no different.

That begs a question. Does Ark Survival Ascended feature local co-op?

Can you play local co-op in Ark Survival Ascended?

Playing local co-op has been a staple of every Ark Survival game so far. This is why it’s unfortunate that in Ark Survival Ascended, local co-op and split-screen playing is not a feature that is supported. You can not play local co-op or split screen with your friends or family.

Related: When does Ark Survival Ascended release on console? PS5, Xbox, explained

This has caused some issues with the community, as the only way to play multiplayer is online. Parents who enjoy playing with their children are left with only one option if they want to play Ark Survival Ascended together: to buy a separate console or device. This is, naturally, something that many don’t want to do if they live in the same house as their gaming partner.

That does mean that normal online multiplayer is still a feature, so if you have friends or families with their own consoles, you can play with them granted that everyone has purchased the game, which provides another barrier for people wanting to play together.

It is a shame, but more traditional means of playing games with friends and families are being phased out. Numerous copies of the game must be bought for you to play with who you want.

I hope this news hasn’t been too distressing, and I hope that you’ll still be able to play with those you want to.

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