Current version of ARK: SA seems to work a bit better with Proton Experimental. If all of the settings are set to low (not just using the low preset, but custom with all parameters set to low) then it will often let you play on a server at somewhere between 20 and 32 FPS (40 FPS reachable via lower res + FSR).

Crashes on any higher settings though shortly after joining any server.

@icedream does it work via a single player/local game for you?

The join/spawn crash also affects Windows users, same with the upload/transfer crash.

There is a crash however that happens on Proton but not on Windows, it will randomly happen after some time.

I believe it's connected to loading people's base structures or tames, because it happens more often in areas where there are more bases (haven't had a crash in extinction wastelands, where people don't build bases). It also happens more often when moving around the map, especially when teleporting or flying.

54538.184:0134:026c:err:virtual:try_map_free_area mmap() error Cannot allocate memory, range 0x2deb50000-0x2dee05000, unix_prot 0x3.
54538.184:0134:026c:err:virtual:try_map_free_area mmap() error Cannot allocate memory, range 0x6fffffff0000-0x7000002a5000, unix_prot 0x3.
54538.184:0134:026c:err:virtual:try_map_free_area mmap() error Cannot allocate memory, range 0x7fd2b7840000-0x7fd2b7af5000, unix_prot 0x3.
54538.184:0134:026c:err:virtual:try_map_free_area mmap() error Cannot allocate memory, range 0x7fd430c80000-0x7fd430f35000, unix_prot 0x3.
54538.184:0134:026c:err:virtual:alloc_free_area_in_range Could not map in reserved area, alloc_start 0x7ffffe000000, size 0x2b5000.
exe: ../src-wine/dlls/ntdll/unix/virtual.c:1907: create_view: Assertion `!((UINT_PTR)base & page_mask)' failed.
54538.184:0134:026c:warn:seh:dispatch_exception backtrace: --- Exception 0x80000101.
54538.184:0134:026c:trace:seh:dispatch_exception code=80000101 flags=1 addr=00007FD4324A0DB4 ip=7fd4324a0db4
54538.184:0134:026c:warn:seh:dispatch_exception EXCEPTION_WINE_ASSERTION exception (code=80000101) raised
54538.184:0134:026c:trace:seh:dispatch_exception  rax=0000000000000000 rbx=00000000000053b8 rcx=00007fd4324a0db4 rdx=0000000000000006
54538.184:0134:026c:trace:seh:dispatch_exception  rsi=00000000000053b8 rdi=0000000000005356 rbp=00000001048fdeb0 rsp=00000001048fde70
54538.184:0134:026c:trace:seh:dispatch_exception   r8=0000000000000001  r9=0000000000000000 r10=0000000000000008 r11=0000000000000246
54538.184:0134:026c:trace:seh:dispatch_exception  r12=00000001048ff6c0 r13=00007fd4328801c8 r14=0000000000000006 r15=00007fd432885569

Edit: This happens on multiple version of Proton (8, 9, Experimental, GE). I'm nowhere near out of neither system memory nor video memory. 7900XTX.

increasing vm.max_map_count via sysctl fixed the crash for me

Compatibility Report

Ark: Survival Ascended (2399830)

System Information

• GPU: AMD ATI Radeon RX 7900 XT
• Video driver version: Mesa 25.2.7-arch1.1
• Kernel version: 6.17.8-arch1-1
• Link to full system information report as Gist: https://gist.github.com/M4RKERSM4SK/7e63ce7fade56d30f3d6572717daeec8
• Proton version: Proton Experimental as of 11/21/25

I confirm:

• [x] that I haven't found an existing compatibility report for this game.
• [X] that I have checked whether there are updates for my system available.

steam-2399830.log

Symptoms

After Proton experimental updated to what was released on 11-21-25, Ark ASA now gives me a kernel panic

Nov 21 14:57:54 kernel: simple-framebuffer simple-framebuffer.0: [drm] Registered 1 planes with drm panic
Nov 21 14:57:54 kernel: amdgpu 0000:0c:00.0: [drm] Registered 4 planes with drm panic

I switched it proton to 10.0-3 and its been going strong for hours on end. So it seems to be limited to what was released on 11-21-25 for Proton experimental. Also, I was using proton experimental up until 11-21-25 with no issues until that update.

Reproduction

Launch Ark ASA with proton experimental 11-21-25
Join a server or single player game (in my case it was abberation server)
After about 13 min of playing, try to open the inventory of a storage container (in my case it was a mortal and pestle)
Kernal panic after game freezes for about 5 min.

@M4RKERSM4SK did you get the game to crash several times or did you roll back after it happened once? Played over an hour with a new singleplayer game and so far no hangs on my end. mesa 25.2.7, linux 6.17.8, proton experimental, rx 9060 XT

What graphics settings are you using?

@M4RKERSM4SK hmm, still no crash on my end, however with your settings I get some floating elements. Mostly the group of small rocks that you can pick up, just float in midair

I am pretty convinced its related to something with getting into inventory

After some more testing, getting into inventory on ASA does the following:

In Inventory

Out of Inventory

For whatever reason getting into inventory hard caps the FPS to 60 (which is the setting I want) and changes settings maybe tihe frame gen? Where running out of inventory seems to creep up on FPS and has changed settings.

On proton experimental 11-21-25, I get heavy frame drops when these setting change in and out of inventory, but not so much on Proton 10 for whatever wierd reason.

Lighting seems to be a thing too that changes (I am testing on Abberation)

I do run a decent sized based and only like 3 dinos out and about.

Am running these other graphics settings

Checked other hardware stuff too

• CPU good temp and load
• GPU 75 degrees C and under ok load
• No reported issues on SSD
• Verified all game files etc