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The most reliable way to host V Rising in 2026 is to run Stunlock Studios’ free dedicated-server application on a Windows PC, or rent a managed server if you do not want to maintain Windows, updates, firewall rules and backups. The current official dedicated-server instructions target the 1.1.x PC build. The server application is separate from the game client, so you do not need to buy another game copy to download it.
Self-hosting gives you direct control over files and settings but requires an always-on Windows machine and network administration. Rental hosting removes most of that maintenance for a recurring fee. This guide covers both choices, then walks through installation, configuration, port forwarding, updates, save migration, administration and the failures most often mistaken for game problems.
Choose between self-hosting and a managed server
There are two practical routes supported by Stunlock’s hosting material. You can install the free dedicated-server software on a Windows computer you control, or rent a managed instance from a hosting provider. The official material does not establish which route is cheaper or faster, and rental prices and terms change, so check current offers before committing.
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| Decision factor | Self-host on Windows | Managed rental |
|---|---|---|
| Up-front cost | No dedicated-server software charge; you supply a suitable Windows host and network connection. | Usually no server hardware purchase, but the provider charges a recurring rental fee. |
| Ongoing work | You install updates, restart the process, maintain backups and diagnose firewall or router issues. | The provider handles the operating environment and usually supplies a control panel, while you still manage game settings and community rules. |
| Control | Direct access to launch scripts, JSON files, save folders and logs. | Control depends on the provider’s panel, file access and support policy. |
| Availability | Your PC, power and internet connection must remain available whenever players want to join. | The host supplies the always-on infrastructure, subject to its maintenance and outage policy. |
| Networking | You may need to allow the executable in Windows Firewall and forward UDP ports on your router. | The provider normally exposes the required ports; you configure the server through its service interface. |
Stunlock’s “How to Host a Server” article names POCKETHOST as a rental option. That mention is not a quality ranking, price guarantee or performance test. Compare current storage, backup, player-slot, update and cancellation terms yourself.
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What you need before installing
- Windows: Stunlock’s current 1.1.x dedicated-server instructions state that the server build is Windows-only. A Linux or macOS host is not covered by those instructions.
- An always-on machine: The documentation does not publish a minimum CPU, memory or storage requirement, nor hardware benchmarks for a particular player count. Choose a machine with enough headroom for the operating system and any other services you run, then monitor it after launch.
- Administrative access: You need permission to install the files, create firewall rules and edit the server’s data directories.
- A reachable network: Home hosting may require router port forwarding and a public address that friends can reach. Carrier-grade NAT or a provider firewall can prevent inbound connections even when Windows is configured correctly.
- A backup location: Keep copies of the persistent-data folder before changing settings, updating, or moving a world from the client.
Use the current Stunlock instructions whenever the game moves beyond the documented 1.1.x build. File names, defaults and supported launch options are version-sensitive.
Install the official dedicated-server application
Steam Tools installation
- Open Steam and switch the Library filter to Tools.
- Find V Rising Dedicated Server and install it like a free tool. The dedicated server is distributed separately from the playable client.
- Record the installation folder. You will return to it when copying the startup example and launching
VRisingServer.exe.
SteamCMD installation
SteamCMD users obtain the same application by using dedicated-server AppID 1829350 in SteamCMD’s app-download workflow. Keep the installation in a folder for which the account running the service has read and write permission. Do not run a second copy from a temporary download directory if you intend to preserve saves and settings between updates.
Create a launch setup that survives updates
Copy the supplied batch file
The installation includes start_server_example.bat beside the server executable. Stunlock describes running VRisingServer.exe as the simplest start, but the example batch file is a safer starting point for a named, repeatable server.
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- Make a copy of
start_server_example.batin the same installation folder. - Give your copy a durable name, such as
start_my_vrising_server.bat. - Edit the copy for your server name and any launch options you need. Leave the original example untouched.
- Start the copied file and watch the console for errors. Stop the process cleanly before changing JSON settings.
Stunlock warns that an update can replace the supplied example script. Editing your renamed copy prevents an update from silently removing your custom launch settings. If you run several worlds on one PC, assign each process its own data location with the -persistentDataPath launch argument.
Configure hosting and gameplay in the correct files
Understand the two JSON files
ServerHostSettings.json controls how the server is hosted: its name, ports and related host behavior. ServerGameSettings.json controls gameplay rules such as the world’s rule set. Changing one does not substitute for changing the other.
Stunlock’s defaults are shipped in the installation’s StreamingAssets/Settings directory. On Windows, local overrides are stored under %USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowStunlock StudiosVRisingServerSettings. Use those override files, or the persistent-data location selected with -persistentDataPath, rather than repeatedly editing shipped defaults that an update may replace.
Set a server name and ports
In the host settings, Port is the UDP port used for game traffic and QueryPort is the UDP port used by Steam server-list features. The current instructions show 27015 and 27016 as example values. They are not mandatory values: if you change either number, every firewall rule, router rule and connection instruction must use the value actually configured.
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Keep JSON syntax exact. A missing quote, comma or brace can stop the server from loading its settings. Make one change at a time, retain a known-good backup and read the startup console after each edit.
Separate multiple servers
Running two worlds on one machine requires more than different names. Give each process different game and query ports, and give each process a separate -persistentDataPath. That keeps saves, settings and logs from being mixed together. Forward the corresponding ports independently if players will connect from outside your network.
Open the network paths players actually use
Windows Firewall
- Start the server once so Windows can identify the executable, or create an inbound rule for the server program and its configured UDP ports.
- Allow the configured
Portand, when you want list visibility, the configuredQueryPort. - Apply the rule to the network profile used by the host. Avoid exposing unrelated services while troubleshooting.
Router forwarding
On the router, forward UDP traffic from the public side to the Windows computer’s local IP address. Router menus differ by manufacturer, so use that manufacturer’s current port-forwarding instructions. Reserve a stable local address for the host if your router supports DHCP reservations; otherwise a reboot can send the rule to the wrong computer.
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These are different network paths:
- Server-list visibility: forward and allow both the configured game port and query port.
- Direct connection: forwarding the configured game port is sufficient according to Stunlock’s instructions.
A new server may take a few minutes to appear in the list. During that delay, players can try the host’s external IP address and game port directly. Do not give players the computer’s private address, such as a typical home-LAN address, unless they are on the same local network.
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Start the world and verify it before inviting everyone
- Confirm that the Windows host has the intended persistent-data path and that the settings files contain the server name and ports you selected.
- Run your copied batch file or
VRisingServer.exe. - Leave the console open long enough to confirm that the process remains running and creates its data folders.
- From another network, test list discovery or a direct connection. Testing only from the host can hide router and public-address problems.
- Have one friend join, create or load the world, and verify that the save persists after a clean stop and restart.
If players can connect directly but cannot see the server in the list, the game port is probably reachable while the query port is not. Check the query rule in both Windows Firewall and the router rather than changing gameplay settings.
Keep the installation current without losing your work
Update only while stopped
Stop the server before downloading an update. With SteamCMD, Stunlock says rerunning the download process while the server is offline verifies and updates the installation. Updating a live process can leave files locked or produce a mixed version.
- Announce a maintenance window and stop the server cleanly.
- Back up the persistent-data folder, especially the
Savesdirectory and your JSON overrides. - Run the Steam or SteamCMD update process.
- Check that your renamed startup script still exists; do not rely on the vendor-supplied example file.
- Start the server and inspect the console before reopening it to players.
Schedule restarts
Stunlock recommends regular restarts and states, “we recommend doing this on a daily basis.” Plan the restart during a low-population period, warn players, stop the process cleanly, then start it again. Some hosting services apply updates only when their instance restarts, so a scheduled restart also gives rented servers a chance to receive pending files.
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A client save is valuable data. Make a full copy before moving anything, and keep that copy outside the folder you are modifying.
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- Use the game’s Load Game menu to identify the session you want to move.
- Close the game and locate the selected client-save folder.
- Copy the folder, rather than cutting the only original, into
<PersistentDataPath>/Saves/v4/on the dedicated server. - Set the server’s save name to the copied folder’s name.
- If you want the world to retain its existing rules, clear the server’s game-settings preset as described in Stunlock’s instructions.
- Start the server and verify the world with one trusted player before deleting any old copy.
Cloud synchronization can restore a client save after you remove files outside the game. Disable or account for that synchronization while performing the move, and do not treat a failed first launch as proof that the backup is unnecessary.
Grant administrator access
- Enable the game console on the PC client used by the administrator.
- In the server’s Settings folder, add the administrator’s Steam ID to
adminlist.txt. - Save the file, restart the server and have the administrator reconnect.
Keep the admin list limited to people who need operational access. Treat it like a password file: back it up privately, remove former staff and avoid posting Steam IDs publicly.
Troubleshoot by symptom
| Symptom | Most useful checks | Corrective action |
|---|---|---|
| The process closes immediately | Read the console for a JSON parse error, invalid path or port conflict. | Restore the last known-good settings file, correct one change at a time and ensure another server is not using the same ports. |
| The server runs but is absent from the list | Wait several minutes, then check both configured UDP ports in Windows Firewall and the router. | Forward the query port as well as the game port. Use a direct external-IP connection while list discovery is being fixed. |
| Friends cannot connect directly | Confirm the game port in the settings file, the host’s local IP, the router destination and the Windows rule. | Forward the configured game port to the correct computer and test from outside the home network. |
| An update removed a launch customization | Check whether you edited the original start_server_example.bat. |
Restore your renamed copy, then keep all future edits there. |
| A moved world does not appear | Check the exact Saves/v4 location, folder name and server save-name value. |
Copy the original save again, clear the game-settings preset when preserving client rules and start with the backup intact. |
| A second server loads the first server’s world | Compare both launch commands and their persistent-data paths. | Assign a unique -persistentDataPath, ports and save location to each process. |
What self-hosting costs in practice
The dedicated-server application itself is free. Your real self-hosting costs are the Windows computer, electricity, internet service and your time. Because Stunlock does not publish minimum hardware requirements or player-count benchmarks in the cited instructions, do not buy a machine on the promise of a particular population. Start with hardware you already own when possible, observe CPU, memory, disk and network behavior, and upgrade only when your measurements show a need.
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Quick Recap
Version, security and maintenance checklist
- Confirm that the server build and client build are compatible before opening the world.
- Keep the executable, Windows and router firmware patched, but schedule game updates while the server is stopped.
- Back up saves and settings before every migration or update.
- Use a stable host address and document the configured game and query ports.
- Do not expose administrative files, save archives or remote-management services to the public internet.
- Record the exact launch arguments and persistent-data path so another trusted person can recover the server.
- Recheck Stunlock’s current 1.1.x documentation whenever a game update changes settings, paths or networking behavior.
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