Linux Review:

ARK: Survival Ascended

ARK is reimagined from the ground-up into the next-generation of video game technology with Unreal Engine 5! Form a tribe, tame & breed hundreds of unique dinosaurs and primeval creatures, explore, craft, build, and fight your way to the top of the food-chain. Your new world awaits!

ARK: Survival Ascended

PROTON TIER: GOLD


ARK: Survival Ascended - Linux (Proton) Technical Documentation

ARK: Survival Ascended reimagines the franchise with Unreal Engine 5, tasking players with surviving in a dinosaur-filled world through taming, building, and crafting.

Status Check: Proton (Gold)

TWEAKS & TRICKS

  • BattlEye Initialization Failure: After the Dec. 19, 2025 (Lost Colony) update, BattlEye fails to initialize.
    • Solution: Delete the game’s Proton compatibility data folder.
  • VRAM Issues with SAM/REBAR: Game consumes excessive VRAM, leading to FPS drops and freezing when SAM/REBAR are enabled.
    • Solution: Disable SAM/REBAR.
  • HDR Configuration: To enable HDR.
    • Solution: MANGOHUD=1 DXVK_CONFIG_FILE=/mnt/Games/dxvk.conf PROTON_USE_NTSYNC=1 PROTON_ENABLE_WAYLAND=1 WAYLANDDRV_PRIMARY_MONITOR=DP-1 DXVK_HDR=1 ENABLE_HDR_WSI=1 %command%
  • Connection Issues (Zorin OS): Inability to connect to servers.
    • Solution: Install gamescope.
  • Inventory Tab Freeze: Game freezes when switching to the Dino Tracking tab in inventory, especially when overlapping with Steam.
    • Solution: Move the game window to a separate workspace.
  • Post ASA 5.5 update issues: Could not run under any proton version.
    • Solution: Delete the game’s Proton compatibility data folder.

Verdict:

ARK: Survival Ascended delivers a gold-tier experience on Linux via Proton. While some issues (particularly with BattlEye and VRAM usage) may arise, solutions are often straightforward, involving adjusting launch options or ensuring optimal system configurations. With occasional maintenance, Linux gamers can expect a robust and enjoyable experience.