Games Like ARK: Survival Evolved
12 multiplayer games like ARK: Survival Evolved, starting with ARK: Survival Ascended, the closest. The best free one is Unturned. Flip a card to see what it has in common, how many can join and whether it has crossplay.
12 games like ARK: Survival Evolved
Start with: ARK: Survival Ascended, V Rising, Dune: Awakening, Unturned and Once Human.
ARK: Survival Ascended
2–8 online2 on one screenCrossplay
In common: Build & survive · PvP survival · Co-op. Your tribe tames dinosaurs and uses them to defend the base you build together from the wild or other players.
PC · PS5 · Xbox
ARK: Survival Ascended: View game →V Rising
2–40 online
In common: Build & survive · PvP survival · Co-op. As newly awakened vampires, you gather resources, build a castle and hunt bosses to drink their blood and unlock powers. Sunlight burns you, so daytime travel means staying in the shade.
PC · PS5
V Rising: View game →Dune: Awakening
2–4 onlineCrossplay
In common: Build & survive · Co-op · Team vs team. In the desert of Arrakis, you survive by collecting water, building a base, crafting vehicles like ornithopters and harvesting spice. Sandworms attack anyone crossing open sand, and if one swallows you, you lose your gear.
PC · PS5 · Xbox
Dune: Awakening: View game →Unturned
Free2–24 online
In common: PvP survival · Team vs team · Co-op. Surviving the zombie outbreak means looting towns and military bases for food and weapons, crafting tools and building a base. You can face only zombies on your own server or join PvP servers.
PC
Unturned: View game →Once Human
Free2–4 onlineCrossplay
In common: Build & survive · Co-op · Sci-fi. In a post-apocalyptic world overrun by mutated creatures, you survive by shooting, gathering resources and building a base. You capture Deviations, creatures that fight alongside you or work at the base.
PC · PS5 · Xbox
Once Human: View game →Subnautica 2
2–4 onlineCrossplay
In common: Build & survive · Co-op · Sci-fi. You explore the ocean of an alien planet, crafting gear and a submersible, building underwater bases and managing oxygen, food and water. Biomods add abilities built from the DNA of the planet's species.
PC · Xbox
Subnautica 2: View game →Abiotic Factor
2–6 onlineCrossplay
In common: Build & survive · Co-op · Sci-fi. Scientists are trapped in an underground lab overrun by creatures from other dimensions and soldiers. You build your base and weapons from office furniture and equipment, and each of you picks a scientific specialty.
PC · PS5 · Xbox
Abiotic Factor: View game →DayZ
2–60 online
In common: PvP survival · Team vs team. Everyone spawns with almost nothing in a fictional post-Soviet country full of infected and searches for food, water, clothing and weapons. Other players can help or kill you, and death is permanent for that character.
PC · PS4 · Xbox · Switch 2
DayZ: View game →Grounded 2
2–4 onlineCrossplay
In common: Build & survive · Co-op. In a park, teenagers shrunk to the size of a bug gather resources, build a base and fight spiders, scorpions and other bugs. You hatch ant and spider eggs into mounts you can ride.
PC · PS5 · Xbox
Grounded 2: View game →VEIN
2–16 online
In common: Build & survive · Co-op. After a zombie apocalypse, you survive in an open world by looting buildings, cooking, farming and setting up a base you defend from zombies and bandits. Electricity, water and gas in buildings are simulated.
PC
VEIN: View game →Rust
2–8 onlineCrossplay
In common: PvP survival · Team vs team. With only a rock on an island, you gather resources to build a base and craft weapons, and other groups can raid it and take everything. Servers wipe on a schedule and everyone starts over.
PC · PS5 · Xbox
Rust: View game →Valheim
2–10 onlineCrossplay
In common: Build & survive · Co-op. In a randomly generated purgatory, you play Vikings who build houses and ships, craft gear and defeat each biome's boss. Each boss you beat unlocks the materials needed for the next biome.
PC · PS5 · Xbox · Switch 2
Valheim: View game →
How we pick games like ARK: Survival Evolved
The order depends on how much each game has in common with ARK: Survival Evolved. Style of play and genre (Survival) count the most, then whether you play on the same side or against each other, and after that pace, setting and camera, with the most-played game going first when two are tied. Every game here runs on at least one platform that ARK: Survival Evolved is on, so nobody in the group needs new hardware to switch.