This guide explains how to reset or wipe your ARK: Survival Ascended server world on Legion Hosting. Whether you want a clean start on a new map, need to fix world corruption, or are switching maps, this covers the full process through GPanel.
Prerequisites
- Access to GPanel for your ARK: Survival Ascended server
- Your server must be stopped before deleting any world files
Where ARK Stores World Data
ARK: Survival Ascended stores all save data inside the /ShooterGame/Saved/ directory. Understanding the folder structure helps you choose between a full wipe and a partial wipe.
| Path | Contains | Delete for World Reset? |
|---|---|---|
SavedArks/*.ark |
World save (terrain, structures, wild dinos) | Yes |
SavedArks/*.arktribe |
Tribe data (tribe names, members, permissions) | Yes for full wipe, No for world-only wipe |
SavedArks/*.arkprofile |
Individual player character data (level, stats, inventory) | Yes for full wipe, No for world-only wipe |
Config/ |
Server config files (GameUserSettings.ini, Game.ini) | No — keep these unless you want to reset settings too |
Clusters/ |
Cross-server transfer data (if using a cluster) | Optional — delete to wipe cluster transfer inventory |
Full World Wipe (Map + Players + Tribes)
This removes everything — the map, all player characters, and all tribe data. Use this when you want a completely fresh start.
- Log in to GPanel and select your ARK server.
- On the Console tab, click Stop and wait for the server to show Offline.
- Click File Manager in the left sidebar.
- Navigate to:
/ShooterGame/Saved/
- Open the
SavedArks/subfolder. - Select all files inside
SavedArks/and click Delete. Confirm the deletion. - Return to the Console tab and click Start. ARK will generate a fresh map on launch.
SavedArks/ removes player characters and tribe data permanently. Players will need to start from level 1 with a new character.
World-Only Wipe (Keep Players and Tribes)
This resets the map (structures, wild dinos, resource nodes) while preserving player characters and tribe memberships. Players keep their levels and stats but lose all placed structures.
- Stop your server.
- In the File Manager, navigate to
/ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks/. - Delete only the
.arkfiles (these are the world map saves). Leave the.arkprofileand.arktribefiles in place. - Start your server. A new map will be generated, but players will keep their characters and tribe data.
.arkprofile files. Items that were in storage containers or on tamed dinos will be lost with the map wipe, but items in the player's personal inventory will be preserved.
Switching Maps
If you are wiping because you want to change the map (e.g., from The Island to Aberration):
- Perform a full wipe as described above.
- In GPanel, go to the Startup tab.
- Change the Map parameter to the desired map name.
- Click Save, then start the server.
Backing Up Before a Wipe
Option A — GPanel File Manager
- Navigate to
/ShooterGame/Saved/in the File Manager. - Right-click the
SavedArksfolder and select Archive (or Compress). - Download the resulting archive to your computer.
Option B — SFTP
- Connect to your server via SFTP (see our SFTP guide).
- Navigate to
/home/container/ShooterGame/Saved/. - Drag the
SavedArksfolder to your local machine.
Troubleshooting
Server keeps loading the old world after deleting files
- Make sure the server was fully stopped before deleting. ARK can re-save the world during shutdown if files are deleted while running.
- Verify you deleted the correct
.arkfiles insideSavedArks/. The filename usually matches the map name.
Players lost their characters after a world-only wipe
- Check that you did not accidentally delete the
.arkprofilefiles. These contain player character data. - If the profiles were deleted, the data cannot be recovered without a backup.
Server crashes after the wipe
- Try deleting the entire
SavedArks/folder contents (including profiles and tribes) for a clean start. - If using mods, disable them temporarily to rule out mod-related issues with fresh map generation.
Cluster transfer data still exists after wipe
- Cluster transfer data is stored in the
Clusters/folder, separate fromSavedArks/. Delete the contents of/ShooterGame/Saved/Clusters/if you want to wipe cross-server transfer inventories as well.
Still need help?
Open a support ticket and include what files you deleted and any error messages from the GPanel console.
