Official online servers for the Switch version of Ark: Survival Evolved will shut down this month
Players will still be able to join private servers or play offline
The online servers for the Switch version of Ark: Survival Evolved are set to shut down later this month.
The action survival game, which was originally released on PS4, Xbox One and PC in 2017, got a Switch port in 2018 which was heavily criticised for its poor technical performance.
The Switch version was replaced in 2022 by a new port, entirely rebuilt by Grove Street Games, under the title Ark: Ultimate Survivor Edition. Owners of the original Switch version could upgrade to this new version for free.
Now, however, both the original Switch version and the improved Switch version from 2022 are set to have their servers turned off at the end of the month, according to Studio Wildcard.
In a message posted to the official Ark blog (as spotted by Delisted Games), the game’s official servers will be shut down on August 31.
“It is with wistful hearts that today we are announcing the Official Servers for Ark: Survival Evolved and Ark: Ultimate Survivor Edition on Nintendo Switch will sunset on August 31, 2026,” the message reads.
“Over a million players have explored these servers since the original Ark Switch release in 2018 and the launch of Grove Street Games’ rebuilt Switch remaster in 2022. We want to thank everyone who has been a part of this journey.”
The studio notes that players will still be able to connect to unofficial private servers to play the game if needed. No plans were announced to shut down the official servers for any other versions of the game.
Players who own the game will also still be able to play the single-player mode offline, Studio Wildcard confirmed.
This is an option that wasn’t made available to another recently shut down Switch game, Aliens: Fireteam Elite. Because the Switch version of the game was entirely cloud-streaming, its shutdown earlier this month meant the entire product – including modes that are playable offline on other systems – became unplayable for those who bought it.
