Arma Reforger Player-Hosted Server vs Dedicated: Which Fits?
Compare an Arma Reforger player-hosted server with a dedicated server: who can host, crossplay limits and when a PC menu session no longer fits.
You will need
- Arma Reforger on PC to host from the game menu
- A scenario and the access settings the group wants
- Matching game versions if you move the group to a dedicated server
A player-hosted Arma Reforger server is the quick PC option when the person hosting also wants to play. A dedicated server is a separate process that can keep the group’s world apart from that player’s game session. The right choice depends on who needs to host, how often the group meets, and whether console players need to join.
For a recurring group that wants its world separate from the organizer’s PC, we recommend Game Hosting’s Arma Reforger server. Its integrated panel documents scenario, crossplay and settings controls, Bohemia Workshop mod management and three free backup slots, giving the organizer one place for routine server tasks without claiming a tested restore or guaranteed mod compatibility.
What an Arma Reforger player-hosted server means#
Bohemia’s server documentation separates a player-hosted or listen session from a dedicated server. With the first, the host is also a player in the session; a dedicated server runs as a separate server process without a player’s game instance attached to it. That distinction matters more than whether a menu happens to call both options “hosting.”
The game’s official Host Your Own Game walkthrough shows a PC player starting a session from the game and inviting friends. Bohemia’s server hosting reference documents the menu route as Multiplayer > Host tab > Host new server. Those pages describe the available route; they are not a test of the exact menu in your installed build or proof that a particular friend can connect through your router.
If you want to run a dedicated server yourself, the complete self-hosting guide covers that separate setup. This page stays with the decision between a session started from the game and a server process that stands on its own.
What Bohemia documents in the PC Host menu#
Bohemia’s walkthrough is the reference for the menu-hosted route: start a session, choose the scenario and session details, then let friends find it or use the available invitation route. The menu path may change between game updates, so use the labels in your installed version if they differ from the older walkthrough. The central point remains that the local player starts and plays in the hosted session.
This is a convenient fit for a short evening with a PC group. The host does not need to install or administer a separate server application just to try a session. It also does not mean that the host can walk away from the game and leave a dedicated world running in the background. Plan the session around the person who starts it.
For a broader route comparison—including temporary sessions, a home dedicated server and renting—see every way to play Arma Reforger with friends. The main difference here is narrower: the menu host remains a player in the session, while a dedicated server is a separate process.
When the menu session stops fitting#
The menu option can be enough when one PC player is already available, the group is small enough for its plan, and everyone is happy to meet while that host is playing. It is a poor fit when the organizer wants to join and leave on a different schedule from the group, or when another person needs to start the same world without depending on the original host.
Because this is player-hosted, do not plan as if the session were an independent dedicated service. Bohemia’s distinction is about the host being part of the session; it does not establish a guaranteed shutdown delay or what happens after every possible disconnect. If the group needs to test that edge case, arrange a short trial and record the game version rather than assuming the answer from a forum post.
A home dedicated server moves the server process off the in-game Host route, but it still leaves the PC owner responsible for the machine, network, updates and recovery. Running a server process on the same gaming PC also means both processes share that PC’s resources; there is no sourced performance figure that applies to every CPU, scenario or mod list. A dedicated server is a different operating mode, not a promise of higher frame rate.
Treat saved mod presets as unverified#
The local-host mod-list question is a common source of frustration, but the evidence needs a date attached. A Steam discussion about locally hosted games contains player reports from July 2024 through March 2025 describing long mod lists and an inability to load a saved personal preset into a local host. Those posts explain the complaint; they do not prove what the current game menu supports.
Do not tell a group that a preset definitely cannot be saved today, and do not promise that it can. Before choosing menu hosting for a mod-heavy night, have the organizer test the exact current build and confirm which mods remain selected after leaving and starting another session. For a dedicated server, mods are configured from Bohemia’s Workshop list in the server configuration; clients still need compatible versions and platform support. Bohemia’s Workshop reference explains the dedicated-server side. It is not Steam Workshop, and the server’s mod list is not automatically proof of a local game preset.
If the group changes scenario, mods or save settings on a dedicated world, check that a backup exists and that you know how to recover it before making the change. A backup slot is useful only if the saved copy covers the data you need.
Who can host, and who can join?#
Bohemia documents the menu-hosted route as PC-only. Xbox and PlayStation 5 players can join a dedicated server configured for cross-platform play, but neither console runs a dedicated server itself. The August 13, 2026 update notes also say Xbox Play Anywhere handheld devices cannot host servers locally. That restriction is about hosting; it does not say those handhelds cannot play.
For a dedicated server, the documented game.crossPlatform setting is false by default. Set it to true for the all-platform PC, Xbox and PS5 mode; the setting does not make arbitrary two-platform combinations. See Bohemia’s server configuration reference before changing it. Mod support is a second check: a server’s crossplay setting does not make every Workshop mod compatible with every platform.
Console storage is limited too. Bohemia’s PS5 Workshop update documents a 25 GB mod allocation. Its Xbox 1.7 update says local mod storage can expand from 1 GB up to 50 GB. These are client-side budgets, not the server’s disk size or a guarantee that a particular pack fits. Keep a console group’s mod list small and check each item’s current platform and version support.
Version channels must match. The official news index currently lists stable 1.8.0.13 from September 3, 2026 and Experimental 1.9.0.10 from September 22. Experimental is a separate branch; do not assume its server can serve stable clients. Check Bohemia’s news index again on event day because game clients update independently.
Compare the three hosting routes#
The routes differ in who owns the machine, whether the organizer plays in the hosted session, and who handles upkeep. The table summarizes those tradeoffs without treating an untested setup as a connection guarantee.
| Route | Who can host | Where the server runs | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC menu session | PC player | In the player-hosted game session | A short session when the organizer is playing too |
| Home dedicated server | PC owner | Separate process on a machine the group maintains | A group with a spare machine and someone willing to manage its network and updates |
| Managed dedicated server | Hosting provider | Separate hosted server with a control panel | A recurring group that wants server controls and backups without maintaining a home PC |
A dedicated process on a home gaming PC is still possible, but it does not remove machine or network chores. Likewise, a managed server is not automatically the cheapest route for every group: free hosting routes explains what the free options cost in time, control and reliability. For a more detailed provider checklist, use the host-selection guide.
Decide whether to switch#
Stay with the menu session if the host is a PC player, the group meets while that person is available, and the current menu’s scenario and mod workflow suits the group. Do not base that choice on an old post promising a saved preset or on a claim that a particular console friend can join a player-hosted session; test those current-client details if they are essential.
Consider a home dedicated server if someone can own the computer and take responsibility for its network, updates, backups and startup. That route gives the group a separate server process, but the owner still has to maintain it. The dedicated guide explains the install and the exact server files.
Choose managed hosting when the organizer does not want the server tied to their home PC and prefers panel controls for the scenario, settings and Workshop list. For a mixed PC, Xbox and PS5 group, verify the server’s cross-platform setting and every mod’s support before inviting people. Before moving an existing world, changing its scenario or attempting a restore, confirm the backup and recovery path first; do not wipe a save just to make a new route fit. Bohemia’s 1.7 changelog says the persistence UUID layout changed and old save-game data is incompatible and will be ignored, so an older backup should not be treated as a migration plan (1.7 changelog).
The practical test is simple: decide whether your group needs a player in the session to own the evening, or a separate server process with someone responsible for it. Then choose the lightest route that meets that need, and verify the current version and mod list before game night.
Quick answers
Can you host an Arma Reforger server from the game menu?
Bohemia documents a PC Host option for starting a player-hosted session. That is a listen session with the host playing, not a separate dedicated server process.
Can you host Arma Reforger on Xbox or PS5?
The game’s documented menu-hosted server is PC-only. Xbox and PS5 can join a dedicated server configured for all-platform play, subject to version and mod compatibility.
Does Arma Reforger save a player-hosted mod preset?
Current official documentation does not confirm a saved local-host preset. Older Steam user reports describe selecting mods again, so test the current menu before relying on a saved list.
Can PC, Xbox and PS5 play together on a dedicated server?
Bohemia documents crossPlatform true for all supported platforms together; false is PC-only. It does not offer arbitrary platform pairs through that setting.