.PAK File Extension

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.

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.

Compressed archive format originating from DOS that can contain many files; data in a PAK file may be compressed or uncompressed, but is usually compressed using ZLIB compression.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A PAK file may also be a package that contains resource files for video games developed by Gogii Games. It stores files, such as .PNG images or .MP3 audio, compressed in a proprietary format. Princess Isabella: The Rise of an Heir and Escape the Museum are examples of games that use PAK files.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.