20+ Games With Dedicated Servers: What Games Can You Host on a VPS?

Games with dedicated servers offer players exciting ways to create and manage their own private gaming rooms for multiplayer gaming. While some developers provide public servers for their games, these often don’t offer the customization options found in private ones.

Setting up a dedicated server offers more control and stability. You can create one using Hostinger’s virtual private server (VPS) that comes with a Game Panel that helps simplify the setup process for dozens of online-based games.

In this article, we’ll cover the top 20+ games that allow you to host your very own dedicated server. All of them are fully compatible with Hostinger’s VPS and configurable using Game Panel.

20+ Games With Dedicated Servers

Without further ado, let’s explore 20+ popular multiplayer games you can host with Hostinger’s Game hosting VPS plan.

1. Minecraft

In Minecraft, players aim to survive by venturing into an expansive generated world to gather different materials, craft helpful tools, and fight fearsome creatures.

If you want a more cozy experience, the game offers a complete sandbox-like experience with the Creative mode, as it provides players with unlimited resources to play around with.

Setting up a dedicated server allows enhanced gameplay customization beyond the standard modes typically found in survival games. For example, you can install custom mods to add new mob types and enable PvP, which Minecraft doesn’t support by default.

Moreover, setting up a Minecraft private server lets you host the Geyser proxy, enabling cross-platform multiplayer between Minecraft Bedrock and Java Edition.

For Linux VPS with up to 15 players, Minecraft recommends 3 GB of RAM, 16 GB of storage, and an AMD K8 processor, which has up to two CPU cores. However, it might vary depending on your operating system.

2. Palworld

In Palworld, up to four players explore a vast, open world filled with unique creatures known as Pals. These critters can be captured, trained, and even used in battles. Sounds somewhat familiar, doesn’t it?

Palworld combines elements of survival, crafting, and exploration, encouraging players to build shelters, manufacture weapons, ally with other players, and, best of all, embark on thrilling adventures.

To top it all off, creating Palworld dedicated servers can significantly enrich the whole gameplay experience, bringing something fresh and even unpredictable. Players can modify the rules of the game, adjust critter spawn rates, or introduce entirely new custom content.

For a stable performance, a Palworld hosting setup with at least 8 GB of RAM, 40 GB of storage, and a multi-core processor is advisable. However, if you plan to use custom settings to increase the default player count, you’ll probably need more resources than that.

Read our comprehensive guide if you need help finding the best Palworld server hosting providers.

3. Counter-Strike 2

Tactical shooter Counter-Strike is one of the most popular online games of all time. In the classic 5v5 competitive mode, a team aims to prevent the opposing faction from detonating the bomb, and the one winning the most rounds is the victor.

Over the years, there have been several Counter-Strike games, and CS2 is the latest iteration. While official servers support ranked matches, players can set up a dedicated server to create custom game modes, like surfing or bunny-hopping.

Depending on the game version, the minimum requirements for creating a Counter-Strike server differ. For example, a Linux-based system with 2 GB of RAM, 33 GB of storage, and any modern CPU is recommended.

Additionally, Hostinger offers specialized CS2 server hosting plans tailored to the needs of Counter-Strike enthusiasts.

4. Enshrouded

Enshrouded lets you dive into a world filled with secrets, riddles, and a touch of the mystical. It’s a multiplayer survival game that sets itself apart thanks to its unique blend of collaborative puzzle-solving and harsh survival mechanics, all set in a mysterious, ever-changing landscape.

With a dedicated server, you can tweak the game however you like, whether you enjoy a more laid-back gaming experience or want to amp up the challenge.

If you’re thinking about hosting your own Enshrouded server with four to six players, you’ll need a setup with at least 16 GB of RAM and 30 GB of storage, plus a decent CPU to keep things running smoothly. If you wish to play up to 16 players, an Intel Core i7 with 3.7 GHz or matching AMD CPU will be needed as per official requirements.

5. Among Us

Among Us puts up to 15 players in a spaceship, each assigned to a launch preparation task. However, among them, pun intended, are randomly chosen Impostors whose objective is to eliminate their crew members without being spotted.

A dedicated server lets you install mods to change the game’s core mechanics and add further immersion. For example, the proximity chat limits players’ communication only with nearby Crewmates. You can also increase the player limit, create new tasks, and add special abilities.

Among Us doesn’t specify the recommended server hardware specification. However, a dual-core CPU with 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage should be enough for 20 players since the game is relatively lightweight.

6. DotA 2

Defense of the Ancients (DotA) was a massive online battle arena (MOBA) mod for another classic game you might’ve heard of – Warcraft III. Valve, developers of such hit titles as Half-Life and Left 4 Dead, made DotA 2 the successor and standalone version of the original.

In DoTA 2, two five-player teams control unique heroes to destroy the opposing faction’s structure. One that successfully demolishes the Ancients located on the enemy’s base across the map is the winner.

Setting up a dedicated server for DoTA 2 lets you create custom and community game modes other players can join. A notable example is Auto Chess, where eight players’ pre-set strategies dictate the outcomes of automatic battles. A concept that quickly captured the attention of well-known developers.

Valve doesn’t specifically mention the minimum server requirement. However, it recommends hosting Source-based games like DotA 2 on a system with at least 1 GHz CPU and 512 MB of RAM.

7. Unturned

Unturned is one of the most popular massively multiplayer games where players aim to survive a zombie apocalypse by gathering supplies, building bases, and fighting infected. Interestingly, it has a “blocky graphics” style similar to Minecraft.

While it also has a crafting system and hunger bar similar to the popular sandbox game, its core mechanics are relatively more straightforward. Unturned has a large community of modders, allowing you to add more transportation or farming options, for example.

In addition to modding, setting up an Unturned dedicated game server lets you choose from over 40 maps. The minimum hardware requirements are a quad-core CPU, 4 GB of RAM, and at least 10 GB of storage.

8. DayZ

DayZ is a multiplayer survival game with in-depth survival mechanics. In addition to gathering supplies to prolong their lives, players must find weapons to fight not only zombies but other survivors as well.

Setting up a private DayZ server allows one to create a world with custom rules to adjust its difficulty further. For example, penalizing those harming unarmed players makes the game more enjoyable for beginners.

Moreover, there are various mods to make the game more fun, like DayZ-dog, which lets players have four-legged companions.

Due to its vast world, hosting DayZ requires a high-performance server. The recommended hardware specifications are a quad-core CPU, 8 GB of RAM, at least 50 GB of storage, and over 100 Mbps network speed.

9. Terraria

Terraria is a two-dimensional action-adventure game where the player must gather resources, farm crops, mine ores, and battle various enemies to survive. It may seem similar to Minecraft, but Terraria focuses more on combat instead of building.

In addition, Terraria lacks a creative mode where players have unlimited resources. However, users can set up a dedicated gaming server to enable PvE or PvP multiplayer-based games.

A personal game server also allows modding since the tModLoader extension requires dedicated hosting.

Terraria recommends at least 512 MB of RAM to host a vanilla version of the game world with fewer than 10 players. While the minimum CPU is unspecified, we recommend at least a dual-core processor.

10. Rust

Rust is an open-world multiplayer game where you must survive harsh environments by gathering resources, building shelters, and battling enemies.

Despite its simple mechanics, Rust offers different modes to improve the overall gaming experience. For instance, Hardcore mode increases the difficulty to make the game a whole lot more challenging.

Rust players can change these game modes by setting up a dedicated server. In addition, they can modify the mechanics, like the item crafting speed and resource gathering rate, or change the day-night cycle.

Hosting a custom gaming server for Rust requires a higher-performance system. Developers recommend at least a quad-core CPU, 8 GB of RAM, and a 100 Mbps connection. If you have a lot of custom assets and players, you’ll need even more resources than that.

11. Team Fortress 2

Team Fortress 2 is a character-based multiplayer first-person shooter. It offers tons of different game modes by default, including classics like the Capture of the Flag, King of the Hill, or Mann vs. Machine.

Of course, you can install different mods on your TF2 private server. For instance, add a texture rework bundle to improve the game’s graphics or custom player models to change your or your weapons’ appearance.

The minimum server requirement is a dual-core CPU, 1 GB of RAM, 5 GB of storage, and 1 Mbps network. Despite the low resource consumption, we recommend a higher-specification machine since it offers more headroom for increasing available player slots.

12. Garry’s Mod

Garry’s Mod is an ever-popular sandbox game where users can build and interact with objects in all sorts of ways (thanks to the powerful Source engine) but don’t have a clear objective.

However, a dedicated server lets you host dozens of Garry’s Mod different online gaming modes yourself, such as Prop Hunt and Trouble in Terrorist Town.

In Prop Hunt, a team of players takes turns searching for another player-controlled team that can disguise themselves as various mundane in-game objects.

Meanwhile, Trouble in Terrorist Town sets you on a custom Counter-Strike-based map where players must find traitors among themselves before they eliminate everyone else.

Since Garry’s Mod is a rather processor-intensive game, your server will require at least 2 GHz CPU, 4 GB of RAM, 512 MB of dedicated vRAM, and 5 GB of storage space.

13. ARK: Survival Evolved

In ARK: Survival Evolved, players are stranded on a remote island filled with mythical dinosaurs. The game’s objective is to gather resources, build shelters, and tame said wild animals to fight alongside you.

While still playable, ARK: Survival Evolved currently doesn’t have official servers anymore, and public multiplayer is only available in the sequel, ARK: Survival Ascended. However, you can still play in the cooperative mode using a dedicated personal host.

Like other games on this list, ARK: Survival Evolved lets users install mods in a self-hosted server in order to modify gameplay mechanics further. The hardware requirements for 10-15 players are 8GB of RAM, a dual-core CPU, and 20 GB of storage.

14. Don’t Starve Together

Don’t Starve Together is a sequel to the single-player survival game Don’t Starve, with an added multiplayer feature. In this game, players are stranded in a forest and must look for clues to escape while surviving hunger and monsters.

Setting up a private server lets you switch game modes to Battle Arena or Time Attack. You can also choose from five different difficulties or only allow your friends to join the server. In addition, it lets you install all kinds of exciting mods, including unique Twitch integration features.

Don’t Starve Together server requires at least 65 MB of RAM and 8 Kbps network per player. It means you need roughly 650 MB of RAM and an 80 Kbps connection to host 10 users. However, The game doesn’t specify the recommended CPU, but dual-core should be sufficient.

15. Valheim

In Valheim, you play as a Viking warrior whose objective is to prove their worth to the Gods by slaying evil in the afterlife. Up to 10 players must work together to stay alive and defeat its many unique bosses.

Since the official server only supports up to 10 players, setting up a dedicated host lets you play with more people. You can also enable other game modes, like the Hardcore mode, that adds additional penalties upon dying and increases overall difficulty.

In addition, a dedicated server lets players install custom mods to fine-tune Valheim’s core gameplay elements.

Valheim is a rather CPU-intensive game to host, requiring a server with at least a quad-core, 2.8 GHz processor, 2 GB of RAM, and at least 2 GB of storage.

16. Project Zomboid

Project Zomboid is an open-world isometric survival game. Players can choose different traits and occupations, deciding where they should start the game. For example, if you wish to be a firefighter, you’re more likely to start in the fire station.

In addition to fighting zombies, players must pay attention to multiple indicators to keep their characters alive, including stress, fatigue, hunger, and boredom. This makes Project Zomboid much more challenging compared to other survival games.

Running a dedicated server lets you run commands to adjust the game’s difficulty. However, it requires some powerful hardware with a quad-core CPU, 8 GB of RAM, and 70 GB of storage.

17. 7 Days to Die

7 Days to Die is yet another excellent open-world survival game. Players’ objective is to stay alive by fighting zombies, building shelters, and collecting resources.

This game’s unique aspect is the player’s vulnerability to the Infection in addition to being injured in other ways. Furthermore, players can choose to generate their map randomly, prompting them to take a unique approach for each new game session.

Setting up a dedicated server enables the game’s multiplayer mode with up to eight people per server. For this, the recommended server hardware is a dual-core 3 GHz CPU, 8 GB of RAM, and 12 GB of storage.

18. Left 4 Dead 2

Left 4 Dead 2 is a horror co-op title set in a zombie-infested East Coast. Unlike other survival multiplayer games, it is mainly combat-driven, heavily focused on its story, and supports up to four players controlling the Survivors.

There’s also a game mode called Survival, where players must fight the zombies for as long as possible. Meanwhile, the Versus mode assigns some players as the Special Infected that must stop the Survivors from advancing.

Mods for Left 4 Dead 2 mainly alter character and object models or focus on enhancing the game’s quality of life. However, setting up a dedicated server lets you install over 50 custom campaign maps to prolong the game’s lifespan since the original content is somewhat limited.

Since it’s an older Source engine-based title, a server with a 1 GHz CPU, 10 GB of storage, and 512 MB of RAM should be sufficient for hosting the game.

19. Factorio

Factorio is a construction and management simulation survival game where players must gather materials to build factories and machinery while fighting numerous monsters at the same time.

While the game supports multiplayer, it uses a client-hosted server (also known as a listen server) architecture by default. Since one player’s computer becomes the host, others might experience latency or performance issues if the system or internet speed is insufficient.

Setting up a dedicated server ensures optimal computing and networking performance. In addition, it lets you install custom extensions from the official mod repository to modify the game further.

Factorio’s minimum host hardware requirements include a dual-core 2.4 GHz processor, 2 GB of RAM, and at least 10 GB of storage.

20. Risk of Rain 2

In Risk of Rain 2, players control spaceship pilots stranded on a planet filled with hostile aliens. They must work together to gather resources and collect items that improve their abilities.

In this survival game, monsters gradually become more and more difficult, forcing players to choose between getting more experience points or finishing the level before enemies become too powerful.

By default, the game supports up to four people. You can create a dedicated server to increase that player count and install custom mods to make the game more unpredictable and unique.

Regarding the server requirements for hosting Risk of Rain 2, you should have at least a dual-core CPU, 4 GB of RAM, and 5 GB of storage.

21. Squad

Squad is a tactical first-person online shooter with an emphasis on combat realism. Up to 100 players split between two teams must compete in various objectives, such as taking control of strategic areas and destroying the opposing team’s weapon cache.

Players can choose from a selection of different roles that all have unique skills. To navigate the Squad’s extensive battleground, teams can use different vehicles, including battle tanks and helicopters.

Squad is a resource-intensive game, requiring at least a quad-core CPU, 8 GB of RAM, and around 55 GB of storage. Setting up a private server lets you install custom mods to improve combat mechanics even further for an ultimate tactical shooter experience.

22. Conan Exiles

Conan Exiles places the player in a brutal world based on the classic tale of the Hyborian Age. They must survive the harsh elements of nature by crafting tools and weapons while defending themselves against enemies of all kinds.

They can also choose to ally with different pantheon shrines, which will give the player god-like powers. Materials and enemies in Conan Exiles are unique to specific biomes. For example, mystical Yeti can only be found in snowy areas of the map.

Making your own dedicated server allows you to host either a PvE or PvP-focused game world. The minimum requirement to play with up to 10 players is a dual-core processor, 8 GB of RAM, and 35 GB of storage.

Why Host Games on Your Own Dedicated Server?

Hosting games on your own server has several advantages compared to the official ones that developers provide. In this section, we’ll cover three of such benefits.

Improved Performance and Reliability

Public game servers are usually only available in specific locations. If the host is far from you, that will result in high latency, resulting in an unpleasant, sometimes game-breaking experience.

Some online games use a listening server, appointing a player’s computer as the host. This impacts performance since that player’s system will be under a high load.

Playing a multiplayer game with a private server ensures low latency since you can pick a host closest to the players’ location. At Hostinger, users can choose from several VPS hosting locations.

Moreover, a self-hosted game server only acts as a host and doesn’t run the game itself. This optimizes resource consumption to ensure a more reliable performance.

Have Better Control Over Your Gaming Environment

Developers usually restrict users from modifying the game server or environment due to security reasons. However, you might want to tweak some settings or install custom mods to improve the gameplay. After all, you play games to have a good time.

A self-hosted server offers complete control over the environment. In addition to setting the game based on your preferences, you can supervise players, especially if they’re causing trouble.

For example, you can ban cheaters, players violating the rules, or rude individuals ruining others’ gameplay experience. By comparison, in a public server, you must report them and wait for the administrators to respond.

For beginners with minimal server administration experience, the best game server hosting services should provide a graphical control panel. For example, Hostinger provides Game Panel for setting up a game server on VPS-based systems without the need to know how to code.

Enhanced Security Features

A self-hosted game server lets you install and modify numerous other features to add additional security layers. For example, install Fail2Ban to detect and block malicious login attempts on your VPS.

The public game server might also implement extensions from unknown sources, exposing you to potential security vulnerabilities. A dedicated host lets you carefully select the installed software, minimizing potential risks.

In addition, your web host also implements built-in security measures to safeguard your server from cyber-attacks. At Hostinger, we use traffic filtering to prevent denial-of-service (DoS) attacks and include a malware scanner to take care of malicious software.

We also monitor our infrastructure 24/7 to ensure optimal safety and uptime. If you are hosting for your friends, a private server ensures data integrity since you’ll be managing their IP addresses and other network information.

Conclusion

Game developers often provide users with official public hosts for multiplayer-based games. However, setting up your own dedicated server offers more customization options, control, and a boost in performance.

In this article, we have covered today’s 20+ popular games you can host servers for. Here are some of our favorites:

• Minecraft. An incredibly loved sandbox game that lets users set up tons of custom mods, including PvP-based combat or adding new building mechanics.
• Palworld. The game combines creature collection and battles in a vast multiplayer world. Having a dedicated server assures that you’ll have smooth custom-tailored adventures together with your friends.
• Counter-Strike 2. An ever-popular tactical first-person shooter. Having a private server allows you to host custom game modes that are a bit less tense than traditional ranked matches.
• Enshrouded. A mystery-solving survival-based game set in a mysterious environment. Making a dedicated server will bring new custom challenges for your group.
• Among Us. Having a private server will enable you to tweak this online deduction game further. For example, players can install immersion-altering mods such as a proximity chat or change the default player count for some additional mayhem.

We recommend choosing a web host with sufficient hardware and a graphical interface to simplify your VPS gaming server setup. For example, Hostinger’s game hosting plans offer a dedicated game server control panel and up to 32 GB of RAM.

Games With Dedicated Servers FAQ

In this section, we’ll answer some questions about hosting games with dedicated servers.