How to Make an ARK Survival Ascended PvE Server (Settings, 2026)

Q: How do I make my ARK Ascended server PvE?

Set ServerPVE=True in [ServerSettings] of GameUserSettings.ini, or ?ServerPVE=True on the start line, and restart.

Q: Why is my ARK server still PvE after turning it off?

Either the start line still has ?ServerPVE=True, or GameUserSettings.ini still says ServerPVE=True. Both have to be off.

To make an ARK: Survival Ascended PvE server, set ServerPVE=True under [ServerSettings] in GameUserSettings.ini, or put ?ServerPVE=True on the start line, and restart with the server stopped while you edit. Players and their tames can then no longer hurt other tribes or their bases. Add the PvE extras in the same section, such as AllowFlyerCarryPvE=True and AllowCaveBuildingPvE=True. A value on the start line always beats the ini, so check both.

What PvE changes, and what it does not

On a PvE server	Yes or no
Players can hurt players from other tribes	No
Players and tames can damage other tribes' structures	No
Other tribes can hurt your tames	No
Wild dinos attack players, tames and bases	Yes, the wild is as dangerous as ever
Abandoned bases decay and can be cleared	Yes, unless you turn PvE decay off
Flyers can pick up wild dinos	No, unless `AllowFlyerCarryPvE=True`
Building in caves	No, unless `AllowCaveBuildingPvE=True`
Tribes can agree to a timed war	Yes by default, can be turned off in `Game.ini`

PvE applies to an existing save on the next start. You do not need a new world to switch, and you can switch back.

ARK: Survival Ascended woolly mammoths walking through a snowy pine forest

Where the PvE settings live

What	File	Section
PvE on or off, flyer carry, caves, decay, supply drops	`ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/GameUserSettings.ini`	`[ServerSettings]`
Friendly fire, tribe wars	`ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/Game.ini`	`[/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameMode]`
Anything on the start line (`?Key=Value`)	The launch command	Beats both files

Step 1: Back up and stop the server

Back up ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks/ first. Then stop the server and wait until it is fully off. ARK writes GameUserSettings.ini when it shuts down, so edits made while it runs are overwritten. That is the cause behind most ARK settings that are not working.

Step 2: Turn PvE on

In GameUserSettings.ini, under the existing [ServerSettings] header (do not add a second one):

[ServerSettings]
ServerPVE=True

Or, if you start the server yourself, on the start line:

ArkAscendedServer.exe TheIsland_WP?listen?ServerPVE=True?SessionName=MyServer

Step 3: Add the PvE settings people actually want

Still under [ServerSettings]:

AllowFlyerCarryPvE=True
AllowCaveBuildingPvE=True
PvEAllowStructuresAtSupplyDrops=False
DisableStructureDecayPvE=False
PvEStructureDecayPeriodMultiplier=2.0
DisableDinoDecayPvE=False
PvEDinoDecayPeriodMultiplier=2.0

Setting	Default	What it does	Good value
`ServerPVE`	False	Turns PvE on	True
`AllowFlyerCarryPvE`	False	Flyers can pick up wild dinos, handy for taming	True
`AllowCaveBuildingPvE`	False	Lets players build in caves	True for friends, False on public servers
`PvEAllowStructuresAtSupplyDrops`	False	Lets players build near supply drops	False, so nobody walls one off
`DisableStructureDecayPvE`	False	True stops abandoned bases decaying	True for a small friend group
`PvEStructureDecayPeriodMultiplier`	1.0	Longer or shorter decay timers	2.0 to give inactive players more time
`DisableDinoDecayPvE`	False	True stops tames of inactive players decaying	True for friends
`PvEDinoDecayPeriodMultiplier`	1.0	Longer or shorter tame decay	2.0

On a public server, keep decay on. It is what clears bases left behind by players who quit, so new players have room to build. On a server for your own group, turn it off so nobody loses a base to a holiday.

The ARK wiki server configuration page lists every option if you want to go further.

Step 4: Friendly fire and tribe wars (Game.ini)

In Game.ini, under [/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameMode]:

[/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameMode]
bPvEDisableFriendlyFire=True
bPvEAllowTribeWar=False

bPvEDisableFriendlyFire=True stops tribemates and allies hurting each other by accident, which matters with turrets and explosives. bPvEAllowTribeWar=False stops tribes declaring the mutual, timed wars PvE normally allows, for a strictly peaceful server.

Step 5: Taming rates

PvE servers usually come with faster taming, because nobody is racing to raid you. Set TamingSpeedMultiplier (3 is a popular choice) along with XPMultiplier and HarvestAmountMultiplier. Our best ARK: Survival Ascended server settings has suggested values for small groups.

The gotcha: the launch line beats the ini

ARK reads options from two places, and when both set the same key, the start line wins. If ?ServerPVE=True is on the launch line, setting ServerPVE=False in the ini changes nothing, and the server stays PvE.

It works the other way round too. Many panels, ours included, add ?ServerPVE=True to the start line only when their PvE switch is on, and add nothing when it is off. So if you turn PvE off in the panel but the ini still says ServerPVE=True, the server is still PvE. To run PvP, the switch must be off and the ini must not say True.

The same rule applies to the rates: when a panel passes ?TamingSpeedMultiplier= on the start line, that number beats the ini. See how to change ARK settings without them resetting.

Common problems

Players can still kill each other: PvE is not on. Check the start line for ?ServerPVE= and the ini for ServerPVE=, then restart.
Turned PvE off but the server is still PvE: the ini still has ServerPVE=True. Remove it or set it to False with the server stopped.
Settings reset after restart: you edited while the server ran. Stop, edit, start.
Server shows as PvP in the browser: the server has not restarted since the change. PvE is read on start.
Wild dinos destroyed a base: that is normal in PvE. Only other players are blocked from damaging it.
A base vanished: decay ran out because the owner was offline too long. Turn DisableStructureDecayPvE=True on for private servers.

Running a PvE server on GamezServers

On an ARK: Survival Ascended server from GamezServers, PvE mode is a switch in the panel and is on by default for new servers. XP, taming speed and harvest amount are panel settings too, and extra options like ?AllowFlyerCarryPvE=True go in Extra ? options. Everything else is in the ini files in the file manager: stop the server, take a one click Backup, edit, and start it again.

FAQ

How do I make my ARK Ascended server PvE?

Set ServerPVE=True in [ServerSettings] of GameUserSettings.ini, or ?ServerPVE=True on the start line, and restart.

Can I switch an existing ARK world from PvP to PvE?

Yes. PvE is read on every start, so the same save switches on the next restart and keeps all bases and tames.

Do structures decay on an ARK PvE server?

Yes by default, so bases of inactive players are cleared over time. Set DisableStructureDecayPvE=True to stop it.

Why is my ARK server still PvE after turning it off?

Either the start line still has ?ServerPVE=True, or GameUserSettings.ini still says ServerPVE=True. Both have to be off.