.PAK File Extension
Video Game Package
| Developer | N/A |
| Popularity |
4.1 | 812 Votes |
What is a PAK file?
A PAK file is an archive used by video games such as Quake, Hexen, Crysis, Far Cry, Half-Life, and Exient XGS Engine games. It may include graphics, objects, textures, sounds, and other game data "packed" into a single file. PAK files are often just a renamed .ZIP file.
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PAK files are primarily used by video games but may also be used by other applications such as the Google Chrome web browser. The format for a PAK file used by one game may differ from the PAK format used for a different game. Therefore, you may have to try multiple programs before opening your PAK file.
Programs that open or reference PAK files
PAK Compressed Archive
| Developer | NoGate Consulting |
| Popularity |
3.8 | 240 Votes |
A PAK file may also be an archive created by PAK, an archiving utility for DOS. It contains one or more files that have been compressed and packaged together for easier storage and sharing. The PAK format is a variant of the .ARC format.
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Originally known as GSARC, PAK was developed by NoGate Consulting and released in 1988. It allowed users to create and decompress many types of compressed archives, including PAK archives.
How to open a PAK file
You can open a PAK file with NoGate Consulting PAK. However, PAK does not work on modern operating systems, so you'll likely have to run it an MS-DOS emulator, such as DOSBox.
Mac users can instead open PAK files with The Unarchiver.
Programs that open PAK files
Simutrans Object File
| Developer | Simutrans |
| Popularity |
3.8 | 91 Votes |
File used by Simutrans, a free transportation simulation game; contains game object graphics and properties; compiled from a plain text ".dat" data file and a source .PNG image; used for game vehicles, buildings, terrain, and other objects.
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To modify Simutrans objects, users typically don't edit the PAK files directly. Instead, they usually download the source DAT and PNG files used to package a PAK file, modify the files, and then re-pack the contents into a new PAK file. PAK files are built using the MakeObj.exe program.
Programs that open PAK files
Skype Language Settings Package
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Popularity |
3.9 | 30 Votes |
A PAK file may also be a package used by Microsoft Skype, a popular online video and audio communication program. It contains user interface (UI) settings in a particular language, such as English, Spanish, and French, that are applied to the Skype UI based on the locale of the user. PAK files are only used by the Windows version of Microsoft Skype.
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PAK files are referenced by Skype and are not meant to be manually opened. PAK files can be found in the following directory in Windows:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Skype for Desktop\locales
NOTE: Language settings are stored in .LPROJ files in macOS.
Programs that open PAK files
Gogii Games Package
| Developer | Gogii Games |
| Popularity |
3.7 | 3 Votes |
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Since forming in 2006, Gogii Games has developed games for various platforms, including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. The company utilizes a proprietary package format in many of its offerings. The package format uses the .pak file extension, which is also used by packages distributed in other games.
Most gamers will not encounter PAK files, since they are buried in a game's directory. However, gamers looking to modify a game may attempt to extract resources from a PAK file, alter them, and then re-package them in the PAK file.
Common PAK Filenames
data.pak - Name given to the main PAK file that stores resource files for a game. The file is typically very large.
How to open a PAK file
PAK files are not meant to be opened. Instead, they are referenced and loaded by the Gogii Games video game in which they are included.
Programs that open or reference PAK files
Starbound Resource Package
| Developer | Chucklefish |
| Popularity |
3.5 | 2 Votes |
A PAK file may also be a resource package used by the video game Starbound. It contains images, audio, cinematic, and configuration files. Starbound loads resources from its PAK files when players play the game.
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Starbound is a 2D space exploration game published by Chucklefish. It is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
In 2014, with the release of the Furious Koala update, Starbound began using resource packages saved as PAK files. These packages store files the game references and uses during gameplay. For example, PAK files contain in-game images, audio, and cinematics, as well as configuration files that control gameplay.
While players are not meant to open Starbound's PAK files, modders have created utilities that allow them to extract PAK files' contents. This allows them to modify the file's contents, and thus, Starbound's gameplay.
How to open a PAK file
You can use PAKit (multi-platform) to extract a PAK file's contents. You can also use PAKit to pack files into a new PAK file.