Ark Survival Ascended Can’t Join Server: How to Fix Joining Failed Error

With the Early Access launch of Ark Survival Ascended, players are occasionally encountering a frustrating error where they either can’t join a server or get a “failed to join” error. So let’s see how to fix these issues in Ark Survival Ascended.

Why You Can’t Join a Server in Ark Survival Ascended

This issue largely arises from trying to join a full server, but it might indicate a problem if it persists. That said, official and unofficial server connections are always a bit unreliable, especially in Early Access. Below, I’ll show you some common ways to troubleshoot the error — but at the end of the day, this may still persist. The game is still in Early Access (technically) after all.

Though the failed to join error is likely server-side, it’s possible there’s also an issue with your connection. It’s always best to check your connection and internet speed when these things happen. I’ve had the unfortunate experience of my internet dropping at the worst times plenty of times, and sometimes it’s only temporary — though still very frustrating.

How to Fix the Failed to Join Error (Can’t Join Server) Error in ASA

• Check ASA server capacity: In some cases, the number of players on a server isn’t updated in real-time, so you might be trying to join a full server. Refresh the server list, check the capacity, and try to join again if there’s room.
• Check the server status and your internet connection: Make sure that there isn’t any server maintenance or downtime on Ark’s official news page. Furthermore, check whether your internet connection is causing issues by doing a speed-test and restarting your router if there are any problems. Lastly, I highly suggest using a more reliable wired connection if possible.
• Turn off your VPN: If you have a VPN active, try turning it off as it can cause connection problems in rare cases.
• Change Firewall access settings: Make sure to use the “Allow an app through Firewall” option in the “Firewall and network protection” tab of your Windows Security menu. If you’re running something like Norton 360 on Windows 11, make sure the proper permissions are granted there, as well.
• Verify your game files: Try verifying your game files by right-clicking on ASA in your Steam library, selecting “Properties”, then clicking “Verify integrity of game files” in the “Local” tab.
• Change your platform’s date/time: Open your “Date & Time settings” and turn on “Set time automatically.”

Ark Survival Ascended: Joined Failed Error

Depending on the nature of your error, one of these methods might work for you as they have for me and some Steam users.

If neither of the above methods worked for you, though, there might not be a reliable and official way to solve the issue. As of yet, Studio Wildcard hasn’t addressed the issue but an official fix might be coming in a future update. Unofficially, some Steam users reported that trying to alternate between joining official and unofficial servers brute-forced their way in.

At the end of the day, this issue might be a simple matter of time as Studio Wildcard fixes it at a later date. We hope this article on how to fix joining failed error in Ark Survival Ascended has been at least of some use to you. You can find more ASA guides and fixes here like how to fix the character creation crash.