Satisfactory Dedicated Server: The Complete Self-Hosting Path

You can run a Satisfactory dedicated server on an x86-64 Windows or Linux PC. It is for PC players: Steam and Epic users can play together, but PlayStation and Xbox players cannot join dedicated servers or cross-play with PC. The route is to download the server, open its current ports, claim it through Server Manager, then create or import a session and protect its saves. This is a map of the whole setup; the Windows, Linux, SteamCMD, port-forwarding and claim walkthroughs can each go deeper without relying on pre-1.0 instructions.

Confirm you can use a Satisfactory dedicated server#

First, check where every player owns Satisfactory. A dedicated server is a PC route for people using Steam or Epic, and those two PC versions can play together. PlayStation and Xbox are a separate ecosystem: they can play with each other, but they cannot connect to a PC dedicated server. If your group includes a console player, stop here and use a console-hosted session instead of renting or building a dedicated PC server.

The dedicated-server software itself runs on x86-64 Windows and Linux. The server has its own build, separate from the game client, and they must be compatible. Steam and Epic update clients independently, so check the server build after a patch before troubleshooting passwords or ports. Experimental is a separate test branch from Stable. The official support page explains that Steam selects Experimental under Properties → Betas, while Epic lists a separate Experimental game entry.

As of October 12, 2026, the official Satisfactory Wiki home page lists 1.2.4.0 for both Stable and Experimental (CL 502094); its separate current-version template still lists Stable as 1.2.2.2 (CL 491125). Because those official references conflict, confirm the selected branch and build in the launcher and on the server before switching or loading a save. Do not treat matching version labels as proof that every build is interchangeable.

Check the host machine before downloading#

Plan around the factory, not only the number of friends. The community-maintained dedicated-server requirements reference recommends 8 GB of memory and suggests 16 GB for large saves or more than four players. Satisfactory’s simulation favors a fast CPU core; spreading a lightly threaded game over many slow cores is not the same as giving it one fast core. RAM demand also rises as the world accumulates machines, belts, vehicles and other buildables.

These figures are a planning baseline, not a benchmark. No controlled performance test was run for this guide, and a player count alone cannot predict how a megafactory will behave. Start with the community-maintained dedicated-server requirements, including the detailed CPU, RAM, disk and network checklist, then watch memory and tick rate as the save grows. If the machine is also your gaming PC, remember that both the client and server will compete for its CPU and memory while you play.

Install the dedicated server from SteamCMD or Epic#

The server is a free download. SteamCMD can install App ID 1690800 with an anonymous login, so you do not need to sign in with a Steam account that owns Satisfactory just to download the server. Epic also distributes a free dedicated-server add-on. Each person who connects still needs the PC game through Steam or Epic.

Choose the server package for the operating system you will actually run. The game provides native Windows and Linux server builds, both for x86-64. On Linux, use a normal unprivileged account: the server refuses to run as root. Keep the install in a folder the service account can write to, and make a note of that path before you configure automatic startup or backups.

The install commands differ between SteamCMD, Windows and Linux, so follow the current steps for your branch rather than copying a command from a guide written before 1.0. These focused walkthroughs are planned separately: SteamCMD and app ID 1690800, Epic’s download route, and the Windows and Linux installs. The official dedicated-server page links the current server requirements and start options. A successful download only proves the files arrived; you still need to start the process and add it through Server Manager before the group can use it.

Open the current game and reliable-messaging ports#

The current default setup needs three protocol-and-port rules. For the focused port list and listener checks, see the Satisfactory server ports reference. Open those rules in the machine firewall and, when the server is at home, forward them through the router to the server’s local IP address.

Older articles may tell you to forward 15000 or 15777. Those are pre-1.0 ports and are no longer part of the current dedicated-server setup. Reliable Messaging on TCP 8888 was added in update 1.1; if it is blocked, a player can start connecting and remain stuck on the loading screen. Keep the external and internal game port the same when forwarding 7777; do not forward only UDP and assume the management connection is covered.

If your router assigns the server a new local address later, its forwarding rule can point at the wrong machine. Reserve a local IP or configure a static address before you share the server publicly. Exact firewall commands differ by router and operating system, so use the dedicated port and firewall reference and make sure the server is running when you check whether the ports are reachable. A port checker cannot prove that a player can complete the game’s handshake.

Add and claim the server in Server Manager#

Use the game’s Server Manager for the first connection. In the main menu choose Server Manager → Add Server, enter the server’s address and port, and confirm it. When the client presents the server’s self-signed certificate, verify that it is the address you intended to reach and accept it to continue. The dedicated server uses HTTPS for its management API, even when it generated its own certificate.

An unclaimed server has no administrator yet. The first person who connects through Server Manager can claim it, name it and set its admin password. Claim the server yourself before sharing its address; otherwise, a stranger who reaches an exposed server first could claim it. The admin password controls server management. A player password is separate and optional; set one if you want to limit who joins. Keep the admin password private and do not use it as the player password.

For the focused first-claim procedure, password roles and server_claimed recovery, see how to claim a Satisfactory dedicated server.

Use Server Manager to sign in as admin, choose the session and manage the server. The HTTPS API lives at /api/v1 on the server’s HTTPS port, usually 7777; its documented functions cover actions such as saving and loading a session. Do not disable certificate checks or send the admin password to an unknown script just to make a connection work. The HTTPS API reference explains certificates, authentication and the API functions. The game’s regular Join Game flow is not the dedicated-server claim route and can produce Encryption token missing.

Create a session and save before shutdown#

After claiming the server, create a new session in Server Manager or use Manage Saves to upload a PC single-player or co-op save. Pick the session carefully: several world-generation choices are made when the world is created, not by changing an ordinary server setting later. Creative Mode also disables achievements for that save and cannot be removed afterward.

The game’s default autosave interval is 300 seconds, with 3 rotating autosave files. That gives you a recent fallback, but it is not a promise that the latest few minutes will survive a crash or shutdown. A dedicated server does not save automatically when you stop it, even on a graceful stop. Before planned maintenance, use the server console to save the active session explicitly:

server.SaveGame Factory

Replace Factory with the session name you want to save. Wait for the server to confirm the save before shutting down. On Linux, server saves live under ~/.config/Epic/FactoryGame/Saved/SaveGames/server/; the .config folder is hidden. The save-file reference and configuration guide cover the locations and defaults.

Keep builds and server mods compatible#

Match the server’s build to the clients, especially after an update. A save created or saved by a newer build will not load in an older build; the server can report unsupported_save_game. Back up the save before switching between Stable and Experimental. As of October 12, 2026, the official Satisfactory Wiki home page lists 1.2.4.0 for both Stable and Experimental, while its version template still lists Stable as 1.2.2.2. Confirm the current branch/build in the launcher and on the server because those official references conflict. On Steam, players choose Experimental under the game’s Betas settings; on Epic, the Experimental entry is separate. Everyone who joins must use the branch/build the server is running.

Mods add another compatibility check. Every player needs the same compatible mods and versions as the server. A mod that loads in the Windows game client is not automatically valid on a dedicated server. Check that its current release supports the installed Satisfactory Mod Loader (SML), the server’s game version and the server target for its operating system. For a Linux server, look for a LinuxServer build; use the corresponding server target for other operating systems. The Satisfactory Modding dedicated-server guide explains how to check server targets and keep client/server mod profiles aligned.

Do not copy a client’s entire Mods folder to the server and assume it will work. If a mod has no matching dedicated-server build, leave it out. Back up before adding or removing content mods: removing one can leave its buildings or items in the save, and a restore should be checked before you treat it as your only recovery copy. This guide does not claim that any particular mod has been tested on your machine.

Choose who maintains the server#

With a home server, someone in the group owns the machine, network access, updates, branch changes and the save-before-stop routine. That can work well if you already have a suitable PC and enjoy maintaining it. Keep the join address private until the server is claimed and protected with the player password you want.

If your Steam/Epic PC group does not want to leave a home PC running or maintain router rules, a managed server can take those chores off the owner’s list. Game Hosting’s Satisfactory server is claimed for its owner, keeps the admin password in panel Settings, and provides scheduled backups and restarts plus three backup slots. Support can also move a co-op save for free. Those are documented workflow features, not a performance result; console players still cannot join a dedicated PC server.

If you are comparing the managed route with other providers, use the Satisfactory host-selection checklist to compare memory, CPU disclosure, region and save handling. Whichever route you choose, keep one separate copy of the world until you have confirmed the server loads the session your group expects.