Windows Game Server
Windows Game Server: A broad, Windows-first control panel for managing dedicated game servers across multiple machines. Ranked #7 of 32 in Game Server Control Panels by our editors (8.6/10); pricing: Free plan; best for windows administrators supporting many games.
At a glance
- Editor score8.6 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forWindows administrators supporting many games
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Supported games7 Days to Die, Abiotic Factor, American Truck Simulator, ARK: Survival Ascended, ARK: Survival Evolved, Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead, Arma 3, Arma Reforger, ASKA, Assetto Corsa, Assetto Corsa Competizione, ASTRONEER, Barotrauma, Beyond The Wire, Black Mesa, Conan Exiles, Core Keeper, Counter-Strike 1.6, Counter-Strike 2, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, Craftopia, Cubic Odyssey, Day of Defeat, Day of Defeat: Source, DayZ, Don't Starve Together, Echoes of Elysium, Eco: Global Survival, Empyrion, Enshrouded, Euro Truck Simulator 2, FrozenFlame, Garry's Mod, Grand Theft Auto V (FiveM), Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced (FiveM), GROUND BRANCH, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Half-Life Deathmatch, Half-Life: Opposing Force, HumanitZ, Icarus, Insurgency: Sandstorm, Killing Floor 2, Last Oasis, Left 4 Dead 2, Last Oasis Classic, Longvinter, Minecraft: Java Edition, Minecraft: Forge, Minecraft: Spigot, Minecraft: Fabric, Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, Mordhau, Motor Town: Behind The Wheel, Myth of Empires, Necesse, Nightingale, Night of the Dead, No One Survived, Nuclear Option, Operation: Harsh Doorstop, Palworld, PixARK, Plains of Pain, Primal Carnage: Extinction, Project Zomboid, RedM, RePoly, Return to Moria, Rising World, Risk of Rain 2, Rust, RuneScape: Dragonwilds, Satisfactory, Schedule I, SCP: Secret Laboratory, SCUM, Shatterline, Smalland: Survive the Wilds, Sons of the Forest, Soulmask, Space Engineers, Squad, Squad 44, Star Rupture, Starbound, Stationeers, Stormworks: Build and Rescue, Sunkenland, Survive the Nights, Sven Co-op, TABG, Team Fortress 2, Team Fortress Classic, Terraria, The Forest, The Front, The Isle, Unturned, V Rising, Valheim, Vein, Voyagers of Nera, Windrose, Wreckfest, Wreckfest 2, Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop, Automobilista 2, Avorion, Blackwake, Colony Survival, Counter-Strike: Source, CryoFall, Factorio, Farming Simulator 25, Hurtworld, Left 4 Dead, Luanti (Minetest), Mindustry, Minecraft NeoForge, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, Multi Theft Auto: San Andreas, Onset, open.mp, OpenRA, OpenRCT2, OpenTTD, Path of Titans, Rising Storm 2: Vietnam, Sapiens, Soldat, Space Station 14, Teeworlds, Titanfall 2 (Northstar), tModLoader, Tower Unite, Trackmania, Unreal Tournament 2004, Urban Terror, Veloren, Vintage Story, Xonotic, Zombie Panic! Source
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- 143 built-in plugins plus a graphical creator for unsupported games
- Multi-machine management with browser dashboard, REST API, and Discord control
- Scheduled compressed and incremental backups with role-based access controls
Where it doesn't
- Deployment is limited to Windows 10 or newer and Windows Server 2019 or newer
- Does not support Linux, Docker, or virtualization deployments
- Some listed games may have limited real-world validation
Our verdict on Windows Game Server
Windows Game Server (WGS) is a free, open-source control panel for installing, launching, monitoring, updating, backing up, and remotely controlling dedicated game servers. It is designed for Windows administrators managing multiple games and machines, with a desktop interface, browser dashboard, REST API, and Discord bot. The product runs directly on Windows 10 or newer and Windows Server 2019 or newer, making it a fit for teams that want centralized server administration without Linux, Docker, or virtualization.
Its strongest differentiator is breadth. WGS includes 143 built-in game server plugins and covers a wide range of titles, including Minecraft variants, Counter-Strike editions, ARK, Rust, Valheim, Terraria, Factorio, and many others. The graphical Plugin Creator extends coverage to unsupported games, while SteamCMD handles dedicated server installation and updates. Mod, plugin, and Steam Workshop management add useful controls for communities that maintain customized servers. Administrators can also manage Windows Firewall rules automatically and apply user accounts with Admin or Viewer roles.
For ongoing operations, WGS combines scheduled compressed and incremental backups with multi-machine management and remote control options. The REST API supports custom administration workflows, while the Discord bot provides another route for server control. Its main trade-off is platform scope: this is a Windows-first, self-hosted application rather than a cross-platform panel. Organizations standardizing on Linux or containerized infrastructure should choose a different tool. WGS is the stronger fit for Windows-based administrators who value broad game coverage, local control, and a free open-source model, particularly when backups, mods, and multi-machine oversight matter.
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Windows Game Server pricing
Windows Game Server fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Supported games | 7 Days to Die, Abiotic Factor, American Truck Simulator, ARK: Survival Ascended, ARK: Survival Evolved, Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead, Arma 3, Arma Reforger, ASKA, Assetto Corsa, Assetto Corsa Competizione, ASTRONEER, Barotrauma, Beyond The Wire, Black Mesa, Conan Exiles, Core Keeper, Counter-Strike 1.6, Counter-Strike 2, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, Craftopia, Cubic Odyssey, Day of Defeat, Day of Defeat: Source, DayZ, Don't Starve Together, Echoes of Elysium, Eco: Global Survival, Empyrion, Enshrouded, Euro Truck Simulator 2, FrozenFlame, Garry's Mod, Grand Theft Auto V (FiveM), Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced (FiveM), GROUND BRANCH, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Half-Life Deathmatch, Half-Life: Opposing Force, HumanitZ, Icarus, Insurgency: Sandstorm, Killing Floor 2, Last Oasis, Left 4 Dead 2, Last Oasis Classic, Longvinter, Minecraft: Java Edition, Minecraft: Forge, Minecraft: Spigot, Minecraft: Fabric, Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, Mordhau, Motor Town: Behind The Wheel, Myth of Empires, Necesse, Nightingale, Night of the Dead, No One Survived, Nuclear Option, Operation: Harsh Doorstop, Palworld, PixARK, Plains of Pain, Primal Carnage: Extinction, Project Zomboid, RedM, RePoly, Return to Moria, Rising World, Risk of Rain 2, Rust, RuneScape: Dragonwilds, Satisfactory, Schedule I, SCP: Secret Laboratory, SCUM, Shatterline, Smalland: Survive the Wilds, Sons of the Forest, Soulmask, Space Engineers, Squad, Squad 44, Star Rupture, Starbound, Stationeers, Stormworks: Build and Rescue, Sunkenland, Survive the Nights, Sven Co-op, TABG, Team Fortress 2, Team Fortress Classic, Terraria, The Forest, The Front, The Isle, Unturned, V Rising, Valheim, Vein, Voyagers of Nera, Windrose, Wreckfest, Wreckfest 2, Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop, Automobilista 2, Avorion, Blackwake, Colony Survival, Counter-Strike: Source, CryoFall, Factorio, Farming Simulator 25, Hurtworld, Left 4 Dead, Luanti (Minetest), Mindustry, Minecraft NeoForge, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, Multi Theft Auto: San Andreas, Onset, open.mp, OpenRA, OpenRCT2, OpenTTD, Path of Titans, Rising Storm 2: Vietnam, Sapiens, Soldat, Space Station 14, Teeworlds, Titanfall 2 (Northstar), tModLoader, Tower Unite, Trackmania, Unreal Tournament 2004, Urban Terror, Veloren, Vintage Story, Xonotic, Zombie Panic! Source |
| Deployment model | Self_hosted |
| Server provisioning | Yes |
| Mods and plugins | Yes |
| Scheduled backups | Yes |
| Managed server limit | Not verified |
| Role access controls | Yes |
| Deployment | Self-hosted, Desktop |
| Platforms | Web, Windows |
| Support | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 3 integrations: SteamCMD, Steam Workshop, Discord |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | wgsserver.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Windows Game Server integrations
Windows Game Server lists 3 integrations on its own site.
- SteamCMD
- Steam Workshop
- Discord
Alternatives to Windows Game Server
- AMPA feature-rich paid panel for managing diverse self-hosted game-server deployments.9.4
- GameCPA flexible, low-cost control panel for operators managing multiple game-server nodes.9.3
- GameServerAppA broad cloud control panel with automation, integrations, and community revenue tools.9.1
See all Windows Game Server alternatives →
Windows Game Server vs the competition
- Windows Game Server vs AMP
- Windows Game Server vs GameCP
- Windows Game Server vs GameServerApp
- Windows Game Server vs WISP
- Windows Game Server vs TCAdmin
- Windows Game Server vs HaruHost
Compare Windows Game Server with any tool side by side →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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