ARK: Survival Ascended Map Slot Requirements

ARK: Survival Ascended has grown a lot since it launched, and some newer maps are far more demanding on server hardware than the ones the game started with. As a result of the increased performance needs of these maps, and the associated operating costs, Nitrado is introducing a minimum slot requirement for a small number of high-consumption maps on new servers. This article walks through exactly what is changing, who it affects, and what your options are.

The most important part first: if you bought your ARK: Survival Ascended server on Nitrado before 22 June 2026 at 2PM CEST, nothing changes for you. If you are considering a new purchase after this date and you want to play Lost Colony or Astraeos, that new server will need 26 or more slots. Everything below is the detail behind those points: which maps are affected, why the change is happening, and what to do if it applies to you.

What’s Changing

Some ARK: Survival Ascended maps place much higher demands on server hardware than the maps the game launched with. To keep those maps running smoothly, Nitrado is introducing a minimum slot requirement on this small group of high-consumption maps. The sections below explain who is affected and what your options are.

The change applies only to ARK: Survival Ascended servers purchased after 22 June 2026 at 2PM CEST. servers bought before then keep their existing access at any slot count.

In short:

• The 20-slot starting plan continues to run every map excluding Lost Colony and Astraeos.
• Two maps need 26 or more slots on new servers purchased after 22 June 2026 at 2PM CEST: Lost Colony and Astraeos.
• Existing servers purchased before this will not be affected by the change.

This is an ARK: Survival Ascended change only. It does not affect any other game.

Who Is and Isn’t Affected

If your server’s original purchase date is before 22 June 2026 at 2PM CEST, nothing changes for you. The exemption follows the server. Upgrades, or any other change you make from the server overview do not break it. The exemption stays in place for as long as the server is active or suspended, including reactivation from suspension later.

If you purchase a new ARK: Survival Ascended server after the change, the new minimum applies to start an ARK:Survival Ascended server with affected maps. The same is true if you delete an existing server and buy a new one, because the new purchase is a new server with a new purchase date.

The Maps With Higher Slot Requirements

As of 22 June 2026 at 2PM CEST, the following maps require 26 or more slots for new servers:

• Lost Colony
• Astraeos

Every other ARK: Survival Ascended map runs from 20 slots. If future maps land at similar consumption levels, this page will be updated to reflect the current list.

What Each Tier Provides

ARK: Survival Ascended needs significant hardware resources to run smoothly, which is why every server starts at a minimum of 20 slots. A small number of maps have higher performance demands, so they need a 26-slot minimum to run well.

• The 20-slot tier runs every map excluding Lost Colony and Astraeos
• The 26-slot tier runs every standard map, custom maps, plus the high-consumption maps.

Higher slot counts give the server the extra headroom the more demanding maps need to run with a full player count, mods, and the usual server overhead, without performance issues during populated sessions.

Why Now

We’re announcing now for two reasons:

• Servers purchased before 22 June 2026 at 2PM CEST keep their existing access at any slot count , and the customers carrying those servers deserve advance notice and an explanation of the changes.
• New customers buying after the change deserve to see the full picture before they commit, not after. Map requirements will be clearly displayed on the ARK: Survival Ascended page ahead of purchase.

Astraeos is the largest map in ARK: Survival Ascended by a wide margin, roughly double the size of The Island and larger than Ragnarok or Lost Island. A bigger world means the server holds far more in memory: terrain, spawn regions, resources, and everything players build across it. And because the players on a busy server spread out across all that ground, more of the world is active at the same time.

“Some ARK: Survival Ascended maps require significantly more resources than others due to their technical complexity. These additional resources allow maps like Astraeos to include the wide range of locations and features I want to share with the ARK community” – Nekatus

Lost Colony asks the server to run systems no earlier Ark map had. Its Thrall system populates the map with NPC soldiers, outposts, and Purge events that the server simulates on top of the usual creature AI, and Thralls can be put to work automating base logistics. All of that is extra state and extra work for the server to manage, on top of everything a standard Ark map already demands.

What to Do if Your Server Was Bought Before the Deadline

Nothing changes for you. Your server supports every map, including Lost Colony and Astraeos, at its existing slot count.

The exemption follows your server as long as the server stays active. Upgrades,downgrades, suspensions, and reactivations from suspension all keep the exemption in place. The exemption is tied to the server’s original purchase date, not your current slot count.

If a server ends because of a billing issue, a payment failure, or anything you didn’t intend, contact support before deleting or purchasing a new server so we can look at the case before the exemption goes with it.

What to Do if Your Server Was Bought Afterwards

If you want access to Lost Colony or Astraeos, two options:

• Order a higher slot server. The offer page shows which maps are supported at which slot count, so you can match the plan to what you want to play.
• Or upgrade an existing 20-slot ARK: Survival Ascended server to 26 slots from the service overview. The upgrade is just a few clicks. Back your server up before any change.

If you only want to play the standard map rotation and never touch Lost Colony or Astraeos, the 20-slot plan continues to work and no action is needed.

If you try to select one of the two high-consumption maps on a 20-slot server, the Webinterface shows a warning with a link to the slot upgrade flow. You can save other settings, but the server won’t start on the unsupported map until you either pick a different map or upgrade slots.

Microsoft Store Subscriptions

Microsoft Store subscriptions can’t be changed mid-cycle. This is a Microsoft platform limitation on subscription products, not a Nitrado restriction. Plan changes, and most other subscription-level adjustments only become possible at the end of the current billing term.

If you are on a Microsoft Store subscription and want to play one of the high-slot maps, you have two options:

• If you wish to upgrade immediately, or if your current subscription is close to the end of your billing period, please reach out to our support team to have your server changed to prepaid. From the prepaid version you can upgrade slots normally.
• Or buy a new ARK: Survival Ascended server with 26 or more slots, separate from your existing subscription.

Quick Reference

The following table:

Frequently Asked Questions

Do All Ark Survival Ascended Maps Need 26 Slots?

No. Only Lost Colony and Astraeos need 26 or more slots on new servers. Every other map is supported from 20 slots.

My Existing Server Was Deleted or Expired – What Now?

A new server is created with a new purchase date, so the new server follows current rules.

Why Is 26 Slots the Minimum?

Lost Colony and Astraeos both consume notably more resources than the other maps. The 26-slot tier provides enough headroom for those demands plus the usual server overhead, mods, and full player counts. The other maps run inside the 20-slot tier.

Will Upgrading or Downgrading Change The Server Start Date?

A slot change does not change the original purchase date of the server, so an exemption from before 22 June 2026 stays with the server even after the slot change. Renewal pricing can change with the new slot count.

Need Help?

If you have read this article and are still not sure what applies to your account, contact Nitrado support with your server details. The team will check your account and suggest the right option for your case.

Got a specific server or Microsoft Store question? Open a support ticket and we’ll look at your account.