PAK File Extension - What Is A .pak File And How Do I Open It?

PAGE CONTENTS Page Contents Menu

1. 1. Video Game Package
   • More Information
   • Program List
2. 2. PAK Compressed Archive
   • More Information
   • How to Open
   • Program List
3. 3. Simutrans Object File
   • More Information
   • Program List
4. 4. Skype Language Settings Package
   • More Information
   • Program List
5. 5. Gogii Games Package
   • More Information
   • Common Filenames
   • How to Open
   • Program List
6. 6. Starbound Resource Package
   • More Information
   • How to Open
   • Program List

Video Game Package

Developer	N/A
Popularity	4.1 | 808 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.

More Information

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.

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Programs that open or reference PAK files

Sort Pricing Program Name Platform Reset X Windows Pak ExplorerFree Sprite ExplorerFree DePackerFree QuArKFree WallyFree Unreal Engine Resource ViewerFree Linux Unreal Engine Resource ViewerFree

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.

More Information

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

Sort Pricing Program Name Platform Reset X Windows NoGate Consulting PAK — DiscontinuedFree Mac The UnarchiverFree

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.

More Information

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

Sort Pricing Program Name Platform Reset X Windows SimutransFree Mac SimutransFree Linux SimutransFree

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.

More Information

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

Sort Pricing Program Name Platform Reset X Windows Microsoft SkypeFree

Gogii Games Package

Developer	Gogii Games
Popularity	3.7 | 3 Votes

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.

More Information

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

Sort Pricing Program Name Platform Reset X Windows Gogii Games Escape the MuseumFree Trial Gogii Games Princess Isabella: The Rise of an HeirFree Trial Mac Gogii Games Escape the MuseumFree Trial Gogii Games Princess Isabella The Rise of an HeirFree Trial iOS Gogii Games Escape the MuseumPaid Gogii Games Princess Isabella: The Rise of an HeirPaid

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.

More Information

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.

Programs that open or reference PAK files

Sort Pricing Program Name Platform Reset X Windows Chucklefish StarboundPaid PAKitFree Mac Chucklefish StarboundPaid PAKitFree Linux Chucklefish StarboundPaid PAKitFree

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PAGE CONTENTS

1. 1. Video Game Package
   • More Information
   • Program List
2. 2. PAK Compressed Archive
   • More Information
   • How to Open
   • Program List
3. 3. Simutrans Object File
   • More Information
   • Program List
4. 4. Skype Language Settings Package
   • More Information
   • Program List
5. 5. Gogii Games Package
   • More Information
   • Common Filenames
   • How to Open
   • Program List
6. 6. Starbound Resource Package
   • More Information
   • How to Open
   • Program List