Ark: Survival Ascended’s troubled launch period is showing no signs of slowing down after PvP crossplay was removed on Windows clients due to cheating exploits.
Initially slated to release across all platforms simultaneously, a PC launch took place on Oct. 25 and was followed by an Xbox Series X|S and Windows client release on Nov. 21. Just over a week later, however, the crossplay feature has been removed for some players due to exploits.
Those playing the game on Windows clients are now prevented from accessing official PvP servers while a fix is being built. As spotted by IGN, devs said they had come to the “difficult decision” to block Windows Client access to official PvP servers, and they expect the issue to be resolved “early next week”. Cheaters have become an issue on the crossplay PvP servers since the Xbox and Windows launch, the most prominent of which have been speed hacks and the ability to kill through walls.
Although single-player and non-official servers will remain unaffected, the action will alienate some players who now risk falling behind even further as the nature of the highly competitive PvP servers means that being locked out for an extended period, especially over a weekend, can quickly see any progress made wiped away.
While those players will be prevented access, the server will still run for players on other platforms and there will be no defense for Windows players to keep their bases running and any tamed creatures safe from harm.
The result is another source of frustration for players, who have had to deal with several release delays and limited communication from the development team, which is certainly causing concern for the long-term future of the game given all the DLC maps that will be released in 2024.
