Want to move your server from The Island to Scorched Earth, Ragnarok, Aberration, or anywhere else? It is one field in the panel and a restart. This guide has the exact map codes, the steps, and the one thing to know first: each map keeps its own save, so switching is safe and reversible.
Read This First: Each Map Has Its Own Save
ARK stores a separate save for every map. When you change the map you start fresh on the new one, but your old map's world, bases, and tames are not deleted. Switch the code back later and your old progress is exactly where you left it.
What does not carry over is characters, dinos, and structures between maps. Those stay on the map they were made on. If you want players to move between maps with their character and tames, you need a cluster, which is a separate setup (ask our support if you want one).
Step by Step
- Open your server in the DoomHosting panel and go to the Startup tab.
- Find the Server Map field. By default it is
TheIsland. - Replace it with the exact code for the map you want (see the table below). The codes are case-sensitive and some end in
_P, so copy them carefully. - The panel autosaves. Open the Settings tab (or the main server view) and Restart the server.
- The first boot on a new map generates the world, which takes a few minutes. Once it is up, players join exactly as before.
That is the whole process. No files to edit.
Official Map Codes
| Map | Code to enter |
|---|---|
| The Island | TheIsland |
| The Center | TheCenter |
| Scorched Earth | ScorchedEarth_P |
| Aberration | Aberration_P |
| Extinction | Extinction |
| Ragnarok | Ragnarok |
| Valguero | Valguero_P |
| Crystal Isles | CrystalIsles |
| Genesis Part 1 | Genesis |
| Genesis Part 2 | Gen2 |
| Fjordur | Fjordur |
| Lost Island | LostIsland |
Type the code exactly as shown. A typo, or a missing _P, is the usual reason a server boots back onto The Island or fails to start.
Running a Mod Map (Custom Maps)
ARK also has community maps on the Steam Workshop. To run one:
- Add the map's Workshop mod ID to the Mods field on the Startup tab (comma-separated if you run several).
- Set the Server Map field to that map's name (for example
Olympus_WPorAmissa), not one of the official codes above. - Restart. The server auto-downloads the mod, then loads the map.
The map's exact name is on its Steam Workshop page, and the numeric mod ID is the number at the end of the Workshop URL.
Common Questions
Will I lose my current base and tames when I change maps?
No. Each map has its own save, so your current map is preserved. Switch the code back to it later and everything is still there. You just will not have access to it while you are on a different map.
Can my tribe take their dinos to the new map?
Not without a cluster. On a single server, characters and dinos stay on the map they were created on. A cluster links several maps so players can transfer through an obelisk. Contact support if you want one set up.
Why did my server load The Island instead of the map I picked?
Almost always a typo in the code, or a missing _P (for example ScorchedEarth instead of ScorchedEarth_P). Re-check the code against the table above and restart.
Do players have to do anything?
No. The connection address stays the same. They just rejoin once the new map has finished loading.
Need a Hand?
Not hosting with us yet? See ARK: Survival Evolved server hosting. Want a cluster (several linked maps) or stuck on a map switch? Our support team is available 24/7 from your panel.