What Is a Game Server?
By Linus Pierre · Updated October 2026
A plain-English guide to game servers: what they do, the three ways to run one, what renting gets you and how to get started.
A game server is a computer that runs your multiplayer world all the time, so you and your friends can join whenever you like, even when the person who set it up is offline.
- You can host from your own game, run server software at home or rent a server from a host.
- Renting gives you an always-on server in a data centre, managed from a web panel.
- Most groups need a small rented server, not a whole machine.
What a game server does
Every multiplayer game needs one place where the “real” version of the world lives. That place is the game server. It keeps track of where every player is, what they are carrying, what they have built and what the creatures around them are doing, then sends updates to everyone many times a second.
In shooters and big online games, the developer usually runs these servers. In survival, sandbox and co-op games such as Minecraft, Valheim, Project Zomboid and Palworld, players can usually run their own. That is where game server hosting comes in.
A server that runs on its own, without anyone playing on that machine, is called a dedicated server. Our guide to what a dedicated server is in gaming explains the term, and how it differs from renting a whole machine.
Three ways to run a game server
- How it works
- One player opens their world to friends from inside the game
- Good for
- Groups that always play together
- Watch out for
- The world closes when the host leaves
- How it works
- You install the game’s server software on your PC or a spare machine
- Good for
- Trying a game out, or people who like tinkering
- Watch out for
- Port forwarding, updates, electricity and your home upload speed
- How it works
- A host runs the server in a data centre; you control it from a web panel
- Good for
- Worlds that should always be online
- Watch out for
- A monthly cost, and plans that are too small for your game
Hosting from your game is the easiest start. Running the server yourself costs nothing extra but takes effort; our self-hosting guide walks through what is involved. Renting is the route most groups end up on once their world matters to them, because it removes the hassle and keeps the world online.
Some games and hosts also offer free servers with limits, such as queues, shut-downs when nobody is on, or small amounts of memory. They are a decent way to try things out; see our guides to free Minecraft servers and free Terraria server hosting.
What you get when you rent a game server
When you rent from a game server host, you pay for a slice of a powerful machine in a data centre, set up for your game. Exact features vary by host, but a good plan usually includes:
- An always-on server on hardware built for games, with a fast connection.
- A web control panel to start, stop and restart the server, change settings and edit files.
- One-click installs for the game, and often for popular mods and modpacks.
- Backups, ideally automatic, so you can roll back a broken world.
- DDoS protection to keep the server online if someone tries to knock it offline. Our security guide explains what to look for.
- A choice of location, so you can pick a data centre close to your players. For UK groups, that means a UK location such as London.
- Support for when something goes wrong.
Slots, RAM and what you are really paying for
Plans are usually sold by RAM or by player slots. A slot is just the maximum number of people allowed on at once; it does not add any power. What decides performance is the RAM and CPU behind the plan, and how much your game needs depends on its map, mods and world size more than on player count. Our guide to how much RAM and CPU a game server needs shows where to start for popular games.
What it costs
Price depends mostly on how much RAM your game needs, the host, the location and how long you pay for up front. Small servers for a group of friends sit at the low end, while large modded or public servers cost more. For current prices, see our guide to cheap game server hosting in the UK, or pick your game in the game hosting hub to compare plans side by side.
How to rent a game server in five steps
- Check your gameFind out how much RAM it needs and whether you will use mods.
- Pick a host and locationChoose a data centre close to your players.
- Choose a plan sizeMatch the RAM to your game, not just the slot count.
- Set it upInstall the game, change settings, add mods or upload your world.
- Invite your groupShare the address, set a password or whitelist, and play.
A few tips make the process smoother:
- Bring your existing world. If you have been playing host-and-play, you can usually upload that save to the new server. Our guides show how for Valheim, Enshrouded and Vintage Story.
- Lock it down. Set a server password or whitelist before you share the address.
- Turn on backups. Check they run automatically, and try a restore once so you know how it works.
- Start small. Many hosts let you upgrade later without losing your world.
For game-specific walkthroughs, see how to set up a Project Zomboid server, a Valheim server or a Minecraft server.
When you do not need a game server
A rented server is not always the right answer. You can probably skip it if:
- You always play as a full group, and the host has a decent PC and connection.
- The game only supports official servers or host-and-play.
- You are only trying a game for a weekend. Host from your game first and rent once it sticks.
- Someone in your group already has a spare PC that can stay on, and enjoys setting things up.
Our game guides on playing with friends, such as ARK: Survival Ascended, Vintage Story and Palworld, compare every option for that game.
What to check on a host’s plan page
- Your game is supported, with one-click install and the mods or modpacks you want.
- Guaranteed RAM that matches your game, not just a player-slot count.
- Location close to your players. UK groups should look for a UK data centre.
- Backups: automatic, how many are kept and how to restore one.
- World upload: whether you can bring an existing save.
- Billing: the regular monthly price after any first-month discount, and the refund policy.
- Independent opinions: read our host reviews and how we compare hosts.
Game server questions
Is game server hosting the same as web hosting?
No. Web hosting serves websites, which mostly send files when someone asks for a page. Game server hosting runs a live game simulation that has to respond to every player many times a second, so it needs fast processors, enough RAM for the world and a low-latency connection. Game hosts also add tools such as one-click game installs and mod managers.
Do I need technical skills to run a game server?
Not with a rented server. Most game hosts give you a web control panel with one-click installs, so changing settings or adding mods takes a few clicks. Running a server yourself at home or on a VPS needs more technical knowledge, such as port forwarding, updates and security.
Can I play on the server while it runs on my PC?
Yes. If you run the game’s dedicated server software on your PC, you can usually start the game and join your own server. The catch is that your PC does both jobs at once, which can cost performance, and the server stops when you turn the PC off.
Can I switch to a different host later?
Usually, yes. Most games keep the world in save files that you can download from one host and upload to another. Take a fresh backup, check the new server runs the same game version and mods, then upload the save before you invite players back.
What is a player slot?
A player slot is one place on the server, so a 10-slot server allows up to 10 people online at once. Slots are a limit, not a resource: they do not add RAM or CPU. Always check the RAM behind a slot-based plan, because that decides how well the server runs.
