ARK: Trophies - list of achievements, tips, trophy guide ARK Survival Evolved guide, tips

Last update: 30 June 2020

On this page of our game guide to ARK Survival Evolved we have prepared a detailed trophy guide, in which we have comprehensively described all basic trophies and achievements associated with additional content. By using all information available in our guide you will be able to earn the platinum trophy in ARK Survival Evolved and unlock all other achievements in 100%.

Earning trophies and using cheat codes
ARK Survival Evolved trophies - other important information
Apex Predator
Your First Day...
Your First Dino...
Your First Ride...
Maximum Survivor
Maximum Dinosaur
Rex Rider
Giga Rider
Artifact Archaeologist
Veteran Paleontologist
Veteran Survivor
Expert Survivor
Survivor Evolved
Master Survivor
Map Maker
Highest Peak
Lowest Depth
Cure-All
Master Zoologist
Gamma Ascension
Beta Ascension
Alpha Ascension
Beginner Explorer
Experienced Explorer
Adventurous Explorer
Studious Explorer
Veteran Explorer
Adept Explorer
Professional Explorer
Expert Explorer
Master Explorer
Perfect Explorer
Survivor of the Center

Earning trophies and using cheat codes

One of the most important things about ARK: Survival Evolved is the fact that you can unlock achievements and trophies while using cheat codes. This is possible in case of the PC version and even in case of the PS4 and XONE versions as these game editions also include the option to activate the debug console that can be used to edit game parameters and type in commands. Cheat codes only work in single player mode.

In order to activate a particular cheat code entry console, in case of console game version, you need to press the correct combination of buttons:

Square + Triangle + L1 + R1 if you have the PS4 version.
X + Y + LB + RB if you play the XONE version.

A debug console should appear on the screen. Below is a list of the most important cheat codes available in ARK Survival Evolved:

addexperience - you get experience points. In addition to entering the command name, you need to select the desired number of experience points and add two parameters. For example, if you want to level up your hero then type in addexperience 1000000 1 0 - in this example 1000000 is the amount of XP you will receive. If you want to level up a tamed dinosaur, replace the parameters and enter the following command: addexperience 1000000 0 1 .
dotame - You can instantly tame a dinosaur that is right in front of the hero.
forcetame - This is an improved version of dotame code. In addition of taming a dinosaur, you can ride on the dinosaur right away.
gfi - You can summon items and materials to create objects. In addition to the name of the command, you must enter the name of the desired item, the number of units, and the information that will point out who should receive the summoned items. For example, the command gfi wood 500 1 0 allows you to receive 500 units of wood and they will be added to your hero.
ghost - You can move through objects from the surroundings. This is a typical noclip cheat code. Note - Using this cheat code can make you stuck or even crash the game. The walk command will the restore normal movement of your character.
giveengrams - you'll get all available engrams.
gmsummon - you can automatically summon and ride tamed dinosaurs.
kill - you can automatically kill your target, that is, a dinosaur indicated by the crosshair.
leavemealone - it's one of the most powerful cheat codes. It makes you immortal and additionally the controlled character is not attacked by dinosaurs anymore.
setplayerpos - you can teleport to a specific spot on the map. In addition to entering the command name, you must enter x y z coordinates, for example, setplayerpos -90000 -50000 30000.
summon artifactcrate_1_c - summons a chest with an artifact. There are 11 varieties of this cheat code available. You can type commands starting from _1_c to _11_c.
summon Gigant_Character_BP_C - summons a Gigantosaurus on the map.
summon Rex_Character_BP_C - summons a T-Rex on the map.

ARK Survival Evolved trophies - other important information

The basic set of achievements consists of 19 trophies - 1 Platinum trophy (up for grabs on PS4 only), 9 Gold, 6 Silver and 3 Bronze.
There are also three additional trophy sets available - the Ascension, the Explorer Notes and The Center. However, unlocking them is completely optional and they are not required to obtain the platinum trophy. To unlock additional achievements you need to purchase paid add-ons and DLCs.
The greatest convenience is that you can use cheat codes. In other words, cheating won't block you or limit the possibility of earning achievements. You will find a list of the most important cheat codes at the top of this page. Also, in the comment of each trophy we have included suggestions on how you may use particular cheat codes in the best way possible. The cheat codes can allow you, for example, to instantly kill or tame a dinosaur, summon any item, or teleport to a designated location. Note - cheats are only available in the single player mode!
The most problematic trophy is the Master Zoologist, in which you have to tame all species of dinosaurs and living creatures. Veteran Paleontologist will also take you a lot of time, cause it consists in finding all Dossier files on the island.
As you make progress in unlocking the platinum trophy, you have to defeat some very strong bosses. They can be very demanding, especially if you confront them without using any cheat codes. If you don't want to cheat, consider visiting the bosses lairs with other players and in the company of some strong tamed dinosaurs.
You can get the platinum trophy in just a few hours if you will use the cheat codes. If you ignore the cheats, the gameplay time may extend to several dozen or, in extreme cases, even over 100 hours.

Apex Predator

Trophy type: platinum

How to unlock: Collect all ARK: Survival Evolved trophies!

Comment: This trophy can only be unlocked on PlayStation 4. It is not available in the PC and XONE versions.

Your First Day...

Trophy type: bronze

How to unlock: You Survived a full day and night on the ARK!

Comment: You have to survive one day and one night. It will be one of your first unlocked trophies. If you are still having serious problems with keeping your character alive, then please check the General Tips section of our guide. We've included a number of starting tips for novice players.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). Read more about the leavemealone cheat code.

Your First Dino...

Trophy type: bronze

How to unlock: Tame a dinosaur.

Comment: To unlock this trophy you can tame any encountered dinosaur. This process was described in more detail on Taming dinosaurs - Basics page in our guide. In the aforementioned section you can find out, among other things, what are the main methods of taming dinosaurs - by stunning or feeding them.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). Read more about the dotame cheat code.

Your First Ride...

Trophy type: bronze

How to unlock: You Rode a Dinosaur!

Comment: It's one of the easiest trophies of the game. After you tame a dinosaur of your choice, you can choose the Ride option from the drop-down menu. You will be able to mount and ride your dinosaur.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). Read more about the dotame cheat code.

Maximum Survivor

Trophy type: silver

How to unlock: You reached the Maximum Survivor Level!

Comment: In order to earn this trophy, you must advance to the 120th level of experience or to the 135th level if you have all DLC add-ons installed. Experience points required for subsequent level ups can be earned by performing various activities. If you're planning on winning this trophy fairly, then you must prepare yourself for a long grind.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). Check the addexperience cheat code.

Maximum Dinosaur

Trophy type: silver

How to unlock: One of your Dinosaur's reached Maximum Level!

Comment: You can choose any dinosaur from the ones you managed to tame. For more information on leveling up the dinosaurs check the Effectiveness, creature levels and statistics section of our guide. The dinosaur can be advanced to higher level of experience by performing any activity. If you're planning on winning this trophy fairly, then you must prepare yourself for a long grind.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). Check the addexperience cheat code.

Rex Rider

Trophy type: silver

How to unlock: You rode on the back of a T-Rex!

Comment: You may come across a tyrannosaurus while traveling through the game world and you must correctly perform all the actions required to tame the wild animal.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). Take an interest in the summon Rex_Character_BP_C cheat code which allows you to summon a T-Rex on the map. Then, you can use the dotame to immediately tame a dinosaur.

Giga Rider

Trophy type: silver

How to unlock: You rode on the back of a Giganotosaurus!

Comment: Finding and taming the Giantosaurus is one of the ultimate challenges in the game. If you intend to legally earn this achievement, then you can only make such efforts later in the game.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). Take an interest in the summon Gigant_Character_BP_C cheat code which allows you to summon a Giantosaurus on the map. Then, you can use the dotame to immediately tame a dinosaur.

Artifact Archaeologist

Trophy type: gold

How to unlock: You personally retrieved all the Artifacts!

Comment: The locations of all artifacts are marked on the world map that is part of our world atlas of ARK Survival Evolved. These are unique treasures that can be found at the very end of each cave / cavern. Obtaining them in a common way can be very difficult if you are playing a character with a low level of experience and/or if you are travelling the world of the game alone.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). You can use the summon artifactcrate_1_c cheat code - use the subsequent numbers in place of 1 to get all of them (up to summon artifactcrate_11_c). Each cheat allows you to summon 1 crate without the need of exploring the cave and engaging in combat.

Veteran Paleontologist

Trophy type: gold

How to unlock: You unlocked the Dossiers of each of ARK's initial Specimens!

Comment: It's one of the most time-consuming trophies in the game. The files (Dossier) are one of the types of secrets / collectibles that can be found in ARK Survival Evolved. You can collect them by exploring the map and finding the crates in which they are stored. Of course, you can find and unlock these files in any order. Each collectible concerns a different species of dinosaur.

Here's a list of dossier to collect, there are exactly 101 of them:

Achatina
Allosaurus
Ammonite
Angler
Ankylosaurus
Araneo
Archaeopteryx
Argentavis
Arthropleura
Baryonyx
Basilosaurus
Bee
Beelzebufo
Brontosaurus
Carbonemys
Carnotaurus
Castoroides
Chalicotherium
Cnidaria
Coelacanth
Compsognathus
Daeodon
Dilophosaurus
Dimetrodon
Dimorphodon
Diplocaulus
Diplodocus
Direbear
Direwolf
Dodo
Doedicurus
DungBeetle
Dunkleosteus
Electrophorus
Equus
Eurypterid
Gallimimus
Giganotosaurus
Gigantopithecus
Hesperornis
Hyaenodon
Ichthyornis
Ichthyosaurus
Iguanodon
Kairuku
Kaprosuchus
Kentrosaurus
Leech
Leedsichthys
Liopleurodon
Lystrosaurus
Mammoth
Manta
Megalania
Megaloceros
Megalodon
Megalosaurus
Meganeura
Megapiranha
Megatherium
Mesopithecus
Microraptor
Mosasaurus
Moschops
Onyc
Otter
Oviraptor
Ovis
Pachycephalosaurus
Pachyrhinosaurus
Paraceratherium
Parasaur
Pegomastax
Pelagornis
Phiomia
Plesiosaur
Procoptodon
Pteranodon
Pulmonoscorpius
Purlovia
Quetzalcoatlus
Raptor
Sabertooth
Sabertooth Salmon
Sarcosuchus
Spinosaurus
Stegosaurus
Tapejara
Terror Bird
Therizinosaurus
Thylacoleo
Titanoboa
Titanomyrma
Titanosaur
Triceratops
Trilobite
Troodon
Tusoteuthis
Tyrannosaurus
Woolly Rhino
Yutyrannus

Veteran Survivor

Trophy type: gold

How to unlock: Defeat the first Ultimate Life Form.

Comment: This trophy consists in defeating a boss - the great monster called Broodmother Lysrix. It is a giant spider that can be encountered after finding 8 artifacts and earning 18 trophies associated with defeating weaker creatures.

A detailed description of boss's location and fighting tactics against Broodmother Lysrix can be found in the world maps and bosses section of our guide. As a reminder, it is best to attack the boss from a long distance, rely on rocket launchers, rifles and explosives. In addition, try to bring a strong tamed dinosaur with you. You don't have to kill all of Broodmother Lysrix's vanguards, but only those who pose a direct threat to your character.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). Check the kill cheat code, which may allow you to instantly eliminate Broodmother Lysrix. Alternatively, you can use the leavemealone cheat code and make your character immortal.

Expert Survivor

Trophy type: gold

How to unlock: Defeat the second Ultimate Life Form.

Comment: This trophy consists in defeating a boss - the giant monster Megapithecus. He is a giant mutant gorilla. you can encounter this enemy after finding 8 artifacts and earning 18 trophies associated with defeating weaker creatures.

For a detailed description of Megapithecus location and battle tactics check the world map and bosses section that is available in our guide. As a reminder, during the battle with the gorilla boss, you have to be careful when he throws stones towards your direction which may cause heavy damage. Also, watch out for the monsters summoned by the boss (he will summon some Gigantopithicus). Wipe them out quickly if they pose any threat. A strong tamed dinosaur like T-Rex can help you in defeating Megapithecus.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). Check the kill cheat code, which can allow you to instantly eliminate Megapithecus. Alternatively, you can use the leavemealone cheat code and make your character immortal.

Survivor Evolved

Trophy type: gold

How to unlock: You've defeated ARK's first three Ultimate Life Forms! And yet...

Comment: This trophy is a combination of three achievements associated with main bosses available in the original version of the game. You have to defeat the Broodmother Lysrix boss associated with the Veteran Survivor trophy, the Megapithecus boss associated with the Expert Survivor trophy. and the Dragon boss associated with the Master Survivor trophy.

Master Survivor

Trophy type: gold

How to unlock: You defeated ARK's third Ultimate Life Form!.

Comment: This trophy consists in defeating a boss - a huge monster called the Dragon. According to its name, it is a great dragon, with which you can fight a duel after finding 8 artifacts and earning 18 trophies associated with defeating weaker creatures.

You will find a detailed description of the boss's location and fighting tactics in the World map and Bosses section of our guide. As a reminder, if you want to survive the confrontation with the dragon then you have to stay in constant motion, especially since one successful strike of the creature can lead to the death of your hero. If you are going to "legally" earn this trophy, then attack the dragon in a group together with other players. Each player should be supported by some powerful dinosaur.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). You can take particular interest in the kill code that will allow you to immediately destroy the Dragon boss. Alternatively, you can use the leavemealone cheat code and make your character immortal.

Map Maker

Trophy type: silver

How to unlock: You've uncovered more than 80% of the Map!

Comment: This trophy concerns the large island associated with the basic content of the game. The regions that have been discovered are drawn in the hero's diary on an ongoing basis. If you want to know which areas you still have to visit, then check out the world map and bosses page of our guide. We've prepared a full map of the island there. Fortunately, you have to discover only four-fifths of the map, but it will still be a time-consuming trophy. It's best to combine this trophy with your search for Dossier files required for the Veteran Paleontologist trophy.

Highest Peak

Trophy type: gold

How to unlock: You've reached the highest mountain peak of the ARK!

Comment: This trophy concerns the large island associated with the basic content of the game. The highest mountain on this map is a great volcano and you have to climb to its top. Do it only if play a stronger and more experienced character. Additionally, you should be careful during the climb.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). Check the setplayerpos cheat code that allows you to teleport a controlled character. Typing the setplayerpos command -97000 -51000 46000 should take the hero to the top of the volcano.

Lowest Depth

Trophy type: gold

How to unlock: You've reached the bottom of the ARK's oceans!

Comment: This is the opposite of the Highest Peak trophy described above, as in this case you have to reach the lowest point on the map. This achievement can be earned on the main island available in the basic game content. You can reach the ocean floor by diving through underwater caves.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). Check the setplayerpos cheat code that allows you to teleport a controlled character. Entering the setplayerpos -102000 317800 -50000 command should move the hero to the deepest underwater cave in the game.

Cure-All

Trophy type: bronze

How to unlock: You've cured yourself of Swamp Fever!

Comment: Swamp Fever is the name of a disease that can be contracted as a result of contact with Leeches. If you have managed (intentionally or accidentally) to get this condition, it is possible to develop a cure - a vaccine. The antidote cannot be used immediately, because a campfire is required to activate it.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). You can spawn a leech capable of infecting the hero by typing summon summon Leech_Character_Diseased_Cand summon the antidote by typing the gfi cure 1 1 0.

Master Zoologist

Trophy type: silver

How to unlock: You tamed all of the domesticable creatures on the ARK!

Comment: This is the most time-consuming and probably the most difficult trophy in ARK Survival Evolved of those required to unlock the platinum trophy. You have to tame as many as 89 different species of creatures - both on land and underwater.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). Check the dotame cheat code, which allows you to automatically tame an encountered dinosaur or other creature.

Gamma Ascension

Note - This is one of the additional trophies available in the Ascension add-on. Earning this trophy is not required to unlock the platinum trophy.

Trophy type: bronze

How to unlock: You Ascended off the ARK, at Gamma level!

Comment: The opportunity to get this achievement occurs after defeating the three main bosses of the original game, that is, after earning the Survivor Evolved trophy. Only then you can visit the TEK Cave location and fight a duel with the new boss - Overseer. You have to defeat it on the gamma difficulty level, which is the lowest difficulty available in the Ascension DLC.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). Check out the cheat playercommand Ascend1 cheat code. Entering this command will allow you to automatically earn the trophy.

Beta Ascension

Note - This is one of the additional trophies available in the Ascension add-on. Earning this trophy is not required to unlock the platinum trophy.

Trophy type: silver

How to unlock: You Ascended off the ARK, at Beta level!

Comment: The opportunity to get this achievement occurs after defeating the three main bosses of the original game, that is, after earning the Survivor Evolved trophy. Only then you can visit the TEK Cave location and fight a duel with the new boss - Overseer. You have to defeat the enemy on the beta difficulty level, which is the average of those available in the Ascension add-on.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). Check out the cheat playercommand Ascend2 cheat code. Entering this command will allow you to automatically earn the trophy.

Alpha Ascension

Note - This is one of the additional trophies available in the Ascension add-on. Earning this trophy is not required to unlock the platinum trophy.

Trophy type: gold

How to unlock: You Ascended off the ARK, at Alpha level!

Comment: The opportunity to get this achievement occurs after defeating the three main bosses of the original game, that is, after earning the Survivor Evolved trophy. Only then you can visit the TEK Cave location and fight a duel with the new boss - Overseer. You have to defeat the enemy on the alpha difficulty level, which is the highest difficulty level of those available in the Ascension DLC.

Note - You can earn this trophy more easily by using the cheat codes (check the Earning trophies and using cheat codes section of our guide). Check out the cheat playercommand Ascend3 cheat code. Entering this command will allow you to automatically earn the trophy.