Can the Steam Deck run Ark: Survival Ascended? – Answered

With Ark: Survival Ascended’s arrival into the gaming sphere, its updated graphics made gamers with out-of-date rigs sweat. Maybe buying a new graphics card isn’t worth it if things like the Steam Deck can handle it—but can it?

The Steam Deck has managed to pull in big names since its release. It’s able to play a wide variety of titles with differing requirements, but as time goes on, games need more and more to run on certain platforms.

Valve’s hand-held, gaming device has a lot of oomph, but will Ark: Survival Ascended make the Steam Deck burst into flames?

Can the Steam Deck run Ark: Survival Ascended?

Yes, the Steam Deck can run Ark: Survival Ascended. While it might not be the smoothest gameplay you’ve ever seen, it’ll definitely do the trick. 

The only caveat is the fact you’ll have to drop your settings all the way down to low, according to users on Reddit who have downloaded Ark and given it a spin. Despite this, it still runs relatively smoothly. With Ark: Survival Ascended’s updated graphics, players will also get to experience: 

• Cross-platform multiplayer
• Mods spanning crossplatform
• Dynamic water
• New map
• DLSS support
• New dinosaurs

If you think you’re better off getting it on your PC, you’ll have to make sure you can even run it, to begin with. 

What specs do I need for Ark: Survival Ascended?

While you might reach the minimum specs for Ark: Survival Ascended, you’ll likely struggle. Reviews for the updated dinosaur free-for-all highlight severe optimization issues—even for gamers with solid PCs.

Minimum Specs

Here are the minimum requirements for Ark: Survival Ascended:

• OS: Windows 10/11 with updates
• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, Intel Core i7-6800K
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, NVIDIA GeForce 1080
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 70 GB available space
• Additional Notes: SSD Required

Recommended

Now, the recommended specs:

• OS: Windows 10/11 with updates
• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, Intel i5-10600K
• Memory: 32 GB RAM
• Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 6800, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 70 GB available space
• Additional Notes: SSD Required