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Playing with friends? Godlike.Host runs hosted The Forest servers from 10 data-center locations, with free DDoS protection.
The Forest has two multiplayer models. Standard co-op is a host-based peer-to-peer session: one player runs the game and up to eight players join that host. If the host quits, the live session closes, although the host can save the world and host it again later. A separate dedicated-server tool, introduced as an experimental feature in version 0.59, runs the world as an independent process so friends can connect while the original player is offline.
What multiplayer means in The Forest
The Forest is a survival-horror game that can be played alone or cooperatively. In ordinary co-op, the person who starts the multiplayer session is both a player and the session host. The host computer provides the active game session to everyone else; it is not the same as renting or operating a permanently available server.
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The documented cooperative limit is eight players. That eight-player ceiling is stated in the game description reproduced by The Forest Official Wiki, and the dedicated-server configuration uses serverPlayers 8 as its default maximum. Treat eight as the documented limit for the standard setup, not as a guarantee that every platform, mod, or altered server configuration behaves identically.
There is no automatic host migration in the ordinary model. Other players cannot keep entering that same live world after the host leaves because the host’s running game is what keeps the session open. The host can save the multiplayer world, exit, and later load it and host the session again.
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Host-based co-op: how a normal session works
Starting a session
- Open The Forest and choose the multiplayer option.
- Select the option to host a game rather than joining an existing session.
- Choose a new world or load a saved multiplayer world.
- Invite friends or have them find the session through the game’s multiplayer join flow.
- Remain in the game while the group plays; your computer is maintaining the active session.
Everyone shares the host’s world state: terrain changes, buildings, inventory progression and story progress are part of that multiplayer save. Because the host is also running the simulation, the host’s connection and computer performance can affect the experience for the whole group. A friend with a fast connection cannot keep the world available if the host closes the game.
What happens when the host leaves
When the host exits, the ordinary peer-to-peer server closes. Players who were connected are disconnected and cannot continue playing in that live instance. This does not necessarily delete the world. The host should save before leaving, then choose the multiplayer load option the next time the group meets and host the saved world again.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThis arrangement works well when the same person is normally available to start each session. It is less suitable for a group whose members play at different times or expect a world to remain accessible overnight.
Who should use host-based co-op?
- Small groups with synchronized schedules: everyone starts and ends a session together.
- Players who want minimal setup: no separate server download, port configuration or server maintenance is required for the basic workflow.
- Groups comfortable with one regular host: the host controls when the shared world is available and must reload it for the next session.
How many players can join?
The published game description says The Forest supports cooperative multiplayer for “up to 8 player” play. The dedicated-server configuration likewise sets serverPlayers 8 by default. Eight is therefore the documented ceiling for an unmodified standard setup.
The available evidence does not establish identical limits across every platform or modified server. Do not assume that a console edition, a modded installation or a third-party configuration has exactly the same networking behavior without checking that edition’s documentation.
Dedicated servers: what changes
A dedicated server is a separate server process rather than a multiplayer game session hosted inside one player’s active game. The Forest added experimental support for player-created dedicated servers in version 0.59 and provided a downloadable dedicated-server tool. The version notes described the feature as experimental and recommended peer-to-peer play while it was being refined.
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With a dedicated process running, the server can remain online when the person who configured it is not playing. Friends connect to that process, and the world is managed by the server’s save and configuration files rather than by an individual player’s current game session. The machine running the process still has to remain powered, connected and maintained; “dedicated” does not mean the server exists without hardware or administration.
Host session versus dedicated server
| Need | Host-based co-op | Dedicated server |
|---|---|---|
| Fastest setup | Start a multiplayer game and invite friends. | Install the dedicated-server tool, configure it and start the server process. |
| Friends playing while the original host is offline | Not practical; the host session ends when the host leaves. | Suitable if the server process remains online. |
| Administrative controls | Basic options available through the game host. | Configuration for passwords, ports, player count, difficulty, save slots and autosave. |
| Technical maintenance | Low; the host mainly needs to save and reload the world. | Higher; administrators handle networking, updates, the running process and backups. |
| Best fit | A small group that normally plays at the same time. | A group that wants persistent access or independent connection times. |
Setting up a dedicated server
The exact launcher and file layout can vary with the tool version, but the documented Steam-hosted setup revolves around installing the dedicated-server application, editing its configuration and making the configured ports reachable. Plan the server before inviting players so you do not accidentally initialize a new world over an existing save.
1. Install and locate the server tool
Use Steam’s dedicated-server tool for The Forest and identify its installation directory. The server must run on a machine that can stay online for the hours your group expects to play. A separate computer is convenient, but a player’s computer can also run the process if it has enough resources and remains available.
2. Choose the network ports
The Steam-hosted configuration guide documents these defaults:
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| Function | Documented port | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Steam communication | 8766 |
Used for the server’s Steam communication. |
| Game communication | 27015 |
Carries gameplay traffic for connected players. |
| Query | 27016 |
Allows server discovery and status queries. |
Keep the ports consistent between the configuration and the router or firewall rules. A different port can be used only if every related setting and forwarding rule is changed to match.
3. Make the server reachable
Players on the same local network may be able to connect using the server’s internal IP address. Friends connecting over the internet generally need the public address and a router configured to forward the selected ports to the machine running the server. The dedicated-server guide distinguishes the internal server IP from the public address; entering the wrong one is a common reason a server appears to work locally but cannot be reached remotely.
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- Give the server computer a stable local address, or reserve one in the router’s DHCP settings.
- Forward the Steam, game and query ports to that local address.
- Allow the server executable through the operating system firewall.
- Test from outside the home network, not only from the host computer.
Some internet connections use carrier-grade NAT or otherwise do not provide an inbound public address. In that situation, ordinary port forwarding may not be enough; the network provider or a suitable relay solution must supply a reachable path.
4. Configure capacity, passwords and difficulty
The configuration exposes the maximum player count through serverPlayers, which is documented as 8 by default. Set an administrator password and, if desired, a separate server password before publishing the address to friends. Passwords keep strangers out and allow the administrator to distinguish control access from ordinary player access.
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5. Decide whether to start a new world or continue one
The initType setting determines whether the server creates or resumes a world:
Newinitializes a new multiplayer world.Continueloads an existing server save.
Use Continue when bringing an established world back online. Starting with New when you intended to resume can leave players looking at a fresh island instead of the group’s progress, so verify the selected save slot before launching.
6. Select a save slot and autosave interval
The documented server configuration provides five save-slot choices. Assign one slot to the group’s world and keep a written record of it, especially if the same machine hosts more than one campaign. The guide’s example shows a 15-minute minimum/default autosave interval. A shorter interval can reduce lost progress after a crash, while frequent writes may add storage activity; choose a schedule appropriate to the machine and the group’s tolerance for rollback.
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Autosave is not a substitute for backups. Copy the server’s save data while the process is stopped or according to the tool’s safe-save procedure, and retain more than one dated backup so a corrupted or accidentally overwritten save can be recovered.
7. Start, test and share the server
- Start the dedicated-server process and watch its console for configuration or port errors.
- Confirm that it loads the intended save slot and difficulty.
- Connect locally, then test an external connection using the public address.
- Have a second player join and verify that movement, building and saving work.
- Share the address and password only after the test succeeds.
If the server does not appear in the in-game browser, the Steam tutorial documents adding it to Steam server favorites. Favorites can be useful when browser discovery is slow or the server is not listed consistently.
Saving and continuity in both models
Host-based saves
The host owns the practical responsibility for the ordinary multiplayer save. Save before ending a session, and load that multiplayer world the next time you host. Guests should not assume that their local single-player saves or character progress can replace the host’s shared world save.
Dedicated-server saves
A dedicated server uses its own save-slot and autosave configuration. Administrators should confirm that the server is set to Continue for an existing campaign and should back up the save directory before changing configuration, updating the tool or moving the server to another machine.
Common problems and fixes
Friends cannot connect from outside the home
- Check that ports
8766,27015and27016match the configured values. - Forward each required port to the server’s current internal IP, not to an old DHCP address.
- Allow the server through the operating-system firewall.
- Give friends the public address rather than the private address beginning with a local-network range.
- Check for carrier-grade NAT or another upstream router that prevents inbound forwarding.
The server starts with the wrong world
Stop the process, inspect the selected save slot and change initType from New to Continue when resuming an existing campaign. Do not delete save files while troubleshooting; make a backup first.
The ordinary session disappears when the host leaves
That is expected behavior for host-based co-op, not a server failure. Save the world, have the same host load it later, or move the group to a dedicated process if members need to play while that host is offline.
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The server is difficult to find
Use the server’s direct address where supported and add it to Steam server favorites as described in the dedicated-server tutorial. Verify that the query port is open, because a server can be running while remaining absent from a browser that cannot query it.
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Choose host-based co-op when
- Your group is small and usually meets at the same time.
- You want to begin playing without configuring a router or maintaining another process.
- One player is happy to keep the shared save and start each session.
Choose a dedicated server when
- Players need to join at different times while the original host is away.
- You want passwords, explicit difficulty, save-slot selection and autosave controls.
- Someone in the group can maintain ports, updates, backups and an always-on machine.
The dedicated tool was introduced as an experimental feature in version 0.59, and its historical release notes recommended peer-to-peer play while the feature was being refined. Confirm that the tool works with your installed game version before designing a long-running campaign around it.
Platform and compatibility limits
The available documentation establishes the eight-player cooperative capacity and the two hosting models, but it does not verify current platform-by-platform differences, cross-play support or identical behavior between every edition. Do not promise cross-platform joining unless the specific platforms and current version documentation confirm it.
Likewise, dedicated-server availability, browser behavior and configuration names can change as the game or its server tool is updated. Keep a copy of the version-specific documentation with the server configuration, and test after updates before inviting the whole group back.
Bottom line for a new group
Start with host-based co-op if everyone can play together and wants the least technical work. The host starts the session, up to eight players join, and the host saves and reloads the world for the next meeting. Use the dedicated-server tool when persistence matters more than convenience: install the separate process, open and forward the documented ports, configure passwords and save behavior, and keep the server machine online. That is the difference between joining a friend’s current game and joining a world that can exist independently of any one player’s game session.
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