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Playing with friends? Godlike.Host runs hosted Factorio servers from 10 data-center locations, with free DDoS protection.
Short answer: Wube publishes 4 GB RAM and a dual-core 3 GHz or faster processor as the minimum PC game requirement, with 8 GB RAM and a quad-core 3 GHz or faster processor recommended. Those figures describe the graphical PC game, not a tested dedicated-server configuration. For a server, the right size depends on the save, mods, connected players and simulation load; no official source gives a universal RAM or CPU number for those workloads.
You can host from the game while you play, run a separate headless server that you administer, or pay for managed game hosting. The best choice depends less on a headline specification than on who keeps the machine online, who handles updates and networking, and where the server is located relative to the players.
What the published Factorio requirements actually mean
The Factorio FAQ lists requirements for running the PC game. They are useful as a baseline for a small installation, but they are not dedicated-server benchmarks and should not be presented as a guarantee for a particular player count or mod pack.
| Published figure | What it applies to | How to use it when planning a server |
|---|---|---|
| 4 GB RAM | Minimum PC game requirement | A lower-bound reference for the game client, not a headless-server sizing promise |
| Dual-core 3 GHz+ processor | Minimum PC game requirement | Baseline only; it does not establish performance under a busy simulation |
| 3 GB disk space | Minimum PC game requirement | Not a complete server-storage plan because saves, logs, mods and backups also need space |
| 8 GB RAM | Recommended PC game requirement | A sensible client reference, not an official dedicated-server recommendation |
| Quad-core 3 GHz+ processor | Recommended PC game requirement | Useful context when choosing a machine, but not a workload-tested server specification |
| Up to 500 players | FAQ statement about multiplayer capacity | A published game capability, not a hardware guarantee for 500 simultaneous players |
The missing information matters. The official material reviewed does not provide a tested configuration such as “X players with Y mods require Z GB,” nor does it publish CPU or memory scaling by map size. Treat player count, mod set, save characteristics and simulation load as variables you must validate for your own game rather than converting them into an invented formula.
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Choose a hosting model before buying hardware
Factorio supports three practical arrangements. Compare them by uptime, administration and network responsibility, not just by advertised CPU and RAM.
Host from the computer you are playing on
The normal game client can host a multiplayer session while its owner plays. This is the quickest route for a small group: install the game, load or create a world, and invite the other players. The drawback is availability. The host computer must remain on and connected, and the session is tied to the host player’s presence unless you deliberately leave the game running. Its CPU, memory and network connection are shared with the player’s desktop workload.
Run a self-managed dedicated server
A dedicated server runs separately from the graphical client, often on a spare PC, virtual machine or rented Linux instance. It can stay online when no administrator is playing, and you control the operating system, Factorio version, mods, saves, backups and settings. You also own the operational work: patching, user permissions, firewall rules, port forwarding, monitoring and recovery.
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Use managed Factorio game hosting
A managed provider supplies the machine and a control panel or support workflow. This can remove most operating-system administration and may simplify backups, version changes and network exposure. You still need to verify the provider’s current CPU and RAM policy for your workload, its backup and restore process, server location, mod support and access to save files. The available official sources do not establish a provider comparison, price table or universal resource tier, so do not choose on an unverified “players per plan” claim.
| Question | Client-hosted session | Self-managed dedicated server | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Must the host computer stay online? | Yes, while the session is hosted | Yes, but it can be a separate always-on machine | Usually the provider keeps the service online |
| Who manages OS and Factorio updates? | The player hosting the game | You | The provider may handle infrastructure; confirm who controls Factorio and mod updates |
| Who handles saves, mods and settings? | The host player | You, including backups | Depends on the control panel and support policy |
| Who handles firewall and port forwarding? | The host network owner | You or your network administrator | Often simplified by the provider, but verify inbound access and protections |
| Best fit | Occasional play with a small, trusted group | Persistent worlds and owners comfortable administering a server | Players who value convenience over hands-on control |
What the headless server does
Factorio provides a free Linux x64 headless package without graphics and audio. Wube’s FAQ also says that the normal Windows game package from the download page can be used as a headless server. The download page displayed stable version 2.0.77 when checked on October 13, 2026; version labels change, so match the server and clients to the release you actually deploy.
Headless mode does not initialize graphics, works without a display, starts faster and uses less memory than graphical operation. It starts with the save file you supply, has no in-game character, pauses when no players are connected by default unless you change that behavior, saves when it exits and continues to autosave normally. These properties make it suitable for an always-on service, but they do not remove the need for adequate CPU, memory, storage and network capacity.
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Starting a dedicated server
The official command interface starts a server with --start-server and requires a save file. If you do not have one, use --create to create a save, then start the server with that file. Exact executable paths differ between Windows and Linux installations, so treat the following as the command structure rather than a distribution-specific service file.
- Install a matching Factorio build. Download the Linux headless package or the Windows game package, and record the exact version. Clients and server should use compatible versions, and the required mods and mod versions must match.
- Create or select a save. Generate a world with
--createwhen starting from scratch, or place an existing save where the server can read it. Keep an untouched backup before changing mods or upgrading the game. - Start the server. Launch the executable with
--start-serverfollowed by the save file. Add the settings, port, bind-address, RCON, whitelist, banlist, admin-list or console-log options only when you have a specific administrative need. - Configure visibility and access. Server settings can define a name, description, tags, maximum players, browser visibility (public, LAN or hidden), authentication and a game password. A public listing requires credentials. Authentication tokens are sensitive because the settings file is plain text; restrict file permissions and do not paste tokens into support tickets or public logs.
- Make the network reachable. Decide whether players connect over a LAN or the internet. Configure the host firewall and, where necessary, router port forwarding. The Wiki setup guide explicitly leaves firewall and port-forwarding configuration to the administrator, so test connectivity from a network outside the server’s LAN.
- Operate it as a service. For a persistent Linux installation, create a separate operating-system user such as
factorio, keep the game and save directories owned by that account, and arrange a service manager to start and stop the server cleanly. A separate user limits the damage a compromised process could do. - Test the complete cycle. Join with a client, load the intended mods, disconnect all players to confirm the pause behavior, reconnect, stop the process cleanly and verify that the save and autosave files are present before inviting the whole group.
Linux prerequisites and deployment cautions
The Wiki guide states that Factorio currently needs glibc 2.31. Its example notes that CentOS/RHEL 7 ships glibc 2.17, which does not meet that requirement without separately compiling a newer glibc. The guide’s step-by-step commands are based on older CentOS/RHEL installations, so they are not certification for every current distribution. Check the chosen operating system and the exact Factorio build before deployment; upgrading a distribution is generally safer than replacing a core C library manually.
- Use a supported x64 Linux release whose glibc satisfies the build’s requirement.
- Create a dedicated service account and avoid running the server as root.
- Plan directories for the executable, saves, mods, logs and backups rather than treating the published 3 GB client figure as a complete storage plan.
- Define how updates are tested: copy the save, apply the new server version and mods to the copy, then switch production only after a successful join test.
- Document the listening port, bind address, firewall rule and router forwarding so you can reproduce the setup after a machine replacement.
RAM and CPU planning without made-up numbers
Start with the published PC figures as a floor for evaluating a very small machine, then leave headroom for the operating system, the server process, logs, backups and any other services. An 8 GB machine is not automatically an “8 GB server”; the official 8 GB value is the recommended PC game requirement.
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CPU performance is particularly important to the simulation, but the supplied official sources do not quantify how a particular processor behaves with a particular factory. A modern processor meeting or exceeding the published clock and core references is a reasonable starting point for a small private world, not a promise of a target UPS or player count. If the map is heavily modded, the factory is mature, or many players connect at once, measure the actual instance and increase resources when monitoring shows contention.
Variables to record during a trial
- Number of connected players and the busiest expected time.
- Mod names and versions, including overhaul mods that alter simulation work.
- Save age and factory complexity, rather than only map dimensions.
- CPU utilization and whether one simulation thread is saturated.
- Memory use, swap activity and free disk space while autosaves run.
- Network latency and upload capacity for the farthest players.
These observations let you make a workload-based decision without pretending that an official benchmark exists. Keep the server and clients on the same release and mod set while testing; otherwise a change in software may look like a hardware improvement or regression.
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The FAQ’s 3 GB figure is the minimum disk space for the PC game. A dedicated installation also needs room for the executable, downloaded mods, active and older saves, autosaves, logs and at least one off-machine backup. An SSD is an optional storage choice for the installation and saves, not a published requirement or a guaranteed simulation-speed upgrade.
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Back up before every version or mod change, retain more than one generation, and periodically copy a backup away from the server. Test restoring a save on a separate directory; a backup that has never been restored is only an assumption. Preserve the server settings file as well, but protect it because it may contain authentication credentials in plain text.
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- Use LAN visibility for local play; use public listing only when you intend the server to be discoverable.
- Set a strong game password and restrict the admin list and whitelist to trusted accounts.
- Open only the required server port in the host firewall and router.
- Keep the operating system and Factorio build patched, while testing updates against a copied save.
- Do not expose RCON or authentication tokens unnecessarily, and treat the plain-text settings file as secret material.
- Choose a server location with low latency and sufficient upstream bandwidth for the whole group.
How many players can a server support?
Wube’s FAQ says, “The game has a very robust multiplayer system, allowing for up to 500 players in a single game.” That is a statement about the game’s multiplayer capability, not a claim that a minimum-specification computer can run 500 players smoothly. No hardware profile, map condition or mod set is attached to that number. For a real community, test the intended save and mods at a representative peak rather than selecting hardware from the 500-player headline.
Quick Recap
A practical decision path
- For occasional sessions with friends, start by hosting from the client you already use.
- If the world must remain available when no one is playing, move the save to a dedicated machine or instance.
- If you can administer Linux or Windows, self-host and retain control of versions, mods, backups and network policy.
- If operating-system maintenance and port forwarding are the main obstacles, evaluate managed hosting, checking its current resource limits, location, backup process and save/mod access.
- Whichever model you choose, benchmark the actual save and mod set before expanding the player list.
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