Hosting your own multiplayer server will be 100x more exciting than just playing a game if you’re more interested in the backend of gaming and servers and how everything works.
To get you started, we’ve created the ultimate guide to building and hosting your own multiplayer server affordably.
Selecting the Right Hosting Model
Look for a virtual private server and a hosting service that you know is reliable and affordable. For example, you can use the Contabo server and VPS discount, and it’s a good enough starting point. If you’re more interested in private Minecraft, Valheim, Project Zomboid, and small Rust test servers, or indie multiplayer prototypes, a virtual private server is the better option. Dedicated servers are so expensive, and you won’t necessarily find that you need one.
Server specifications
The specs you should look for are at least 2–4 vCPUs, 4–8GB RAM, NVMe storage, and a data center close by so the server connection is strong. And if you can, find an option with per-hour billing and dedicated options for gaming workloads, but the gaming workload spec doesn’t matter as much if the RAM and CPU are good.
Dedicated servers are so much more expensive, and most VPS options can support single-core CPU speed, especially Minecraft, Rust, ARK, CS2 community servers, and survival games with lots of AI, entities, or plugins.
How to set it up:
- Download Ubuntu Server or Debian
- Connect using SSH. For example, PuTTY or a terminal.
- Install either Java, SteamCMD, or Docker. Which one you need depends on the multiplayer game server you’re building.
Matching The Server Specs to Gaming Specs
You don’t need to buy hosting based on the player slots. 100 slots, for example, mean nothing if the CPU can’t handle the following:
- Tick rate
- World simulation
- Mods
- Artificial intelligence
- Game physics
- Plugins
The CPU will always matter more than core count, so you’re better off prioritizing high clock speed and modern architecture. The Ryzen 9800X3D and 9950X3D chips are two of the best for game hosting. Both are high frequencies and have large 3D V-Cache to reduce latency-sensitive workloads.
Basic sizing examples
- Minecraft vanilla, 5–10 players = 2 vCPU, 4GB RAM, NVMe.
- Minecraft modded, 10–20 players: 4 vCPUs, 8–16GB RAM.
- Valheim or Project Zomboid small community: 2–4 vCPUs, 4–8GB RAM.
- Rust / ARK / heavily modded survival = dedicated server or high-frequency VPS, 16GB+ RAM.
Reducing Build and Hosting Costs
Our advice would be to pick the region closest to most players because a cheap server in the wrong country is just pointless. Google the region where you think your players will mostly be based, and search for the best server location. For example, for Europe-based players, Germany, France, the Netherlands, or UK data centers usually make sense.
You can also use hourly billing for temporary servers, and always keep in mind that most game servers use moderate- to high-bandwidth, but survival servers, modded servers, voice, replays, or frequent asset delivery can increase transfer. Looking for a server that includes outbound transfer and free inbound bandwidth is ideal.
The build will be harder than the affordability if you’re just doing a hobby build. You’ve got plenty of low-cost options without reducing gaming quality, with everything from servers to CPUs, so you really should only worry about the general build and maintenance.
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