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Godlike.Host offers hosted The Forest servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
The Forest normally supports up to eight players in a hosted co-op game. To run a larger group, use The Forest Dedicated Server and set serverPlayers in Server.cfg or pass -serverplayers <maxPlayers> at launch. Community mods advertise higher limits, including 20 or 32 players, but those are unofficial and may become unstable or incompatible after game updates.
What is The Forest multiplayer max player count?
The practical limit for a standard, player-hosted co-op lobby is eight participants, including the host. This is the number most groups should plan around when they click Multiplayer, create a game, and invite friends through Steam. The limit is not a setting exposed in the ordinary in-game lobby, so changing graphics options, difficulty, or save slots will not create additional places.
Eight is also the documented default for the official dedicated-server configuration. The Steam Community Dedicated Server Tutorial, updated January 23, 2019, describes the parameter -serverplayers <maxPlayers> and states that its default is 8. In the generated configuration file, the equivalent entry is serverPlayers 8.
A dedicated server can therefore be configured for a value above eight, while a modded installation can use a community-made player-cap modification. Neither approach guarantees that every gameplay system will behave like an eight-player session. More simultaneous inventories, building actions, enemies, dropped items, voice traffic, and save activity increase the work for the host and the network.
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Which multiplayer method should you use?
| Method | Typical player count | Setup | Reliability and administration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal hosted co-op | Up to 8, including the host | Create a multiplayer lobby and invite through Steam | Fastest option; the host must be online and carries the session state |
| Official dedicated server | 8 by default; administrator chooses a value in the server configuration | Install the dedicated-server tool, edit Server.cfg or launch parameters, and forward ports |
Persistent server process, password and save management, and explicit restart control; values above eight are not universally guaranteed |
| Community player-cap mod | Depends on the mod; listings advertise up to 20 or 32 | Install the mod and follow its current loader and compatibility instructions | Unofficial; game-version compatibility and whether all players need matching files must be checked |
Choose ordinary co-op for a small group that plays at the same time. A dedicated server is the more controllable route for a persistent world, a group that plays on different schedules, or a host who wants to set a specific cap. A mod is a last resort when the group is willing to troubleshoot community software and accept that an update may disable it.
How the eight-player co-op lobby works
In a normal session, one player creates the game and acts as the host. The host’s machine runs the session simulation and maintains the active save. Other players connect to that session through Steam. The lobby’s practical ceiling is eight total players, not eight guests plus the host.
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If a ninth friend cannot see a join slot, that is expected behavior rather than a router fault. Port forwarding cannot enlarge a standard lobby because the cap is part of the session mode. Moving the same save to a dedicated server changes how the session is hosted and exposes the server-player setting.
What happens when the host leaves?
A player-hosted game depends on the host remaining connected. If the host closes the game or loses the connection, everyone may be disconnected or the session may end. A dedicated server runs as a separate process, so players can leave and return without transferring hosting duties to one of the group.
Raise the limit with The Forest Dedicated Server
The supported configuration route is the official dedicated-server tool distributed through Steam. The steps below use the Windows path shown in the Steam tutorial.
1. Install the dedicated-server tool
- Open Steam and select Library.
- Change the library filter to Tools.
- Install The Forest Dedicated Server. If you administer the machine without the Steam client, SteamCMD can be used instead, provided the server files are installed in the normal Steam tool directory.
Install it on a machine that can remain powered on for the hours your group expects to play. The machine does not need to run the graphical game client at the same time, but it does need a stable network connection and enough CPU, memory, and storage headroom for the server and its save files.
2. Start it once to generate the configuration
Launch the dedicated server once and allow it to finish initial setup. The first run creates the configuration file used by the server. The Steam tutorial places that file at:
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C:UsersUSERAppDataLocalLowSKSTheForestDedicatedServerdsServer.cfgReplace USER with the Windows account that runs the server. If you cannot find the file, start the server under the account you intend to use, stop it cleanly, and check that account’s AppDataLocalLow directory. AppData is commonly hidden in File Explorer, so entering the path in the address bar is often quicker.
3. Set the player count in Server.cfg
Open Server.cfg in a plain-text editor. Find the line:
serverPlayers 8Change 8 to the maximum number of connected players you intend to permit, then save the file. Keep the setting as a simple integer and do not add quotation marks. For example, a group targeting ten total players would use:
serverPlayers 10The configuration establishes the server’s requested cap; it does not make the ordinary Steam-hosted lobby larger. Players must connect to the dedicated-server entry after the server restarts.
4. Or override the file from the launch shortcut
The same Steam tutorial documents the launch parameter:
-serverplayers <maxPlayers>Replace the placeholder with the desired number, such as:
-serverplayers 10The guide explicitly states that command-line parameters overwrite matching entries defined in the configuration file. This makes a shortcut useful when you operate several instances, want a visible per-instance setting, or need to test a temporary value without editing the file. If the shortcut says -serverplayers 12 while Server.cfg says serverPlayers 10, the launch argument wins for that start.
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5. Forward the required network ports
Forward all three ports listed by the official guide from your router to the computer running the server:
| Port | Protocol | Purpose in the server setup |
|---|---|---|
| 8766 | TCP and UDP | Steam/game server traffic documented by the guide |
| 27015 | TCP and UDP | Steam/game server traffic documented by the guide |
| 27016 | TCP and UDP | Steam query/server discovery traffic documented by the guide |
Create the forwarding rules for the server computer’s local IP address, and allow the same traffic through the computer’s firewall. A DHCP reservation or static local address prevents the rules from pointing at the wrong machine after a reboot. Forwarding only one port can produce a server that appears in a list but fails when players try to join.
6. Restart and test
- Stop the dedicated server after saving the setting.
- Start it again so the new player cap and any launch overrides are loaded.
- Confirm that the server is visible to the intended players.
- Have two or three remote players join before scheduling a full session; this separates a basic connectivity problem from a high-player-count stability problem.
- Invite the remaining players only after the save loads correctly and each test player can move, build, and save.
Changing Server.cfg while the process is running does not reliably apply the new value. Always perform a clean restart after configuration changes.
How high can you set serverPlayers?
The official tutorial documents eight as the default but does not promise a universal maximum value for larger configurations. You can request a number above eight, yet the result depends on the server build, hardware, network, and the behavior of the connected clients. Treat every value above eight as a compatibility test rather than a guaranteed supported mode.
Increase in small steps. If eight is stable, test ten; if ten works, test twelve or another number appropriate to your group. Keep a backup of the save before each experiment. A cap of 20 does not mean that the server has been validated for 20 players, and a larger number can make a failure harder to diagnose because several variables change at once.
Why a higher cap can become unstable
- Simulation load: additional players create more movement, combat, inventory, construction, and world-state events for the server to process.
- Upload bandwidth: the server must send state updates to every connected client. A home connection with a high download rate but limited upload can still become the bottleneck.
- Latency and packet loss: distant players or busy Wi-Fi links may experience rubber-banding before the host sees an obvious CPU problem.
- Save pressure: more simultaneous changes increase the cost of saving and the consequences of a crash during a save.
- Client differences: one player’s slow computer or unstable connection can affect that player’s experience even when the server itself remains responsive.
Community mods that advertise larger groups
Community modifications offer another route, but they are separate from the official server setting. Thunderstore’s MultiplayerUnlimiter listing, shown as version 0.1.1 with 15.6K downloads at the 2026 crawl, advertises play with up to 20 others instead of eight and says it can configure the maximum allowed players. The Forest Wiki’s mod list describes MP Cap Remover as enabling host games with up to 32 players.
Those figures are claims made by community listings, not guarantees in the Steam dedicated-server documentation. Before using one, check the mod page’s current game-version notes, required loader, installation steps, and known issues. Determine whether the host alone needs the modification or whether every participant must install the same files. Mixed versions can prevent joining, desynchronize gameplay, or cause crashes.
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Safer mod-testing procedure
- Record the exact game version and mod version that the group will use.
- Copy the dedicated-server save or host save to a separate backup location.
- Install the mod on a test profile rather than the only installation used for your main world.
- Start with a small number of players and verify joining, inventory, building, combat, sleep, and saving.
- Increase the group size gradually; do not invite the full advertised count on the first launch.
- Keep an unmodded backup so you can return to the supported configuration if the mod stops working after an update.
A modded host game and a modded dedicated server are not automatically interchangeable. Follow the instructions for the exact mode you intend to run.
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Use a password and a private listing
A higher cap makes an accidentally public server more disruptive: strangers can consume slots, alter the world, or trigger performance problems before your group arrives. Set a strong password in the server configuration, share it privately, and avoid publishing the address in open forums. Give the server a recognizable name so invited players select the correct entry.
Choose one save and back it up
Decide which save slot is the group’s canonical world. Before changing the cap, installing a mod, or accepting a major game update, copy the save directory to a dated backup location. A second copy on another drive protects against a failed update or a damaged local disk; it does not replace testing that the backup can actually be loaded.
Plan restarts
Dedicated servers still need maintenance. Announce a restart window before applying configuration changes or updates, stop the process cleanly, and allow the save operation to finish. If the server is operated on a home PC, prevent sleep mode and schedule operating-system reboots outside the group’s normal play period.
Monitor the real bottleneck
- If everyone experiences delayed actions at once, inspect server CPU use, memory pressure, and upload saturation.
- If only one or two people lag, compare their latency, Wi-Fi quality, and route to the server.
- If players are kicked during discovery or cannot join at all, recheck the local firewall, router forwarding, and whether the server is listening on the intended machine.
- If the server starts but the old cap remains, look for a launch shortcut overriding
Server.cfg.
Troubleshooting the player limit
A ninth player cannot join a normal lobby
This is the expected eight-player ceiling for ordinary host co-op. Create or migrate the world to a dedicated server and configure serverPlayers; do not spend time adding router rules to the original lobby.
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- Confirm that the process is the dedicated-server tool, not the regular game executable.
- Open the
Server.cfgbelonging to the Windows account that launches the server. - Check spelling and capitalization: the documented entry is
serverPlayers. - Inspect the shortcut or service command for
-serverplayers; a command-line value overrides the file. - Stop and restart the server after every change.
The server is not visible or players time out
- Give the server computer a stable local IP address.
- Verify forwarding for TCP and UDP on 8766, 27015, and 27016.
- Allow the dedicated-server executable through the operating-system firewall on the appropriate network profile.
- Check that another application is not already using those ports.
- Test from a player outside the host’s home network; a local test can succeed even when internet forwarding is wrong.
The server crashes or becomes unplayable above eight
Lower the cap to the last stable value, remove mods from the test, and restore the pre-change save if necessary. Then add players one at a time while watching CPU, memory, upload usage, and latency. If only a modded configuration fails, reproduce the problem without the mod before reporting it to the mod author.
Players have different mod versions
Record the host’s game and mod versions, then make every participant match them exactly where the mod’s instructions require it. A player who has an extra or older file can fail to connect even though the server’s port forwarding is correct.
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Cost and hosting choices
Self-hosting avoids a separate server subscription but uses your own computer, electricity, upload bandwidth, router, and time. It works well when one member has a reliable always-on machine and can administer firewall and backup settings.
Paid dedicated hosting trades that administration for a recurring fee. Compare a provider’s current slot allowance, whether it supports The Forest’s dedicated-server build, included backup and restart controls, geographic location, and bandwidth policy. Slot counts and prices change, so verify them on the provider’s current page before committing; the player-cap setting itself does not establish what a commercial host permits.
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| Question | Self-hosted machine | Paid dedicated host |
|---|---|---|
| Up-front equipment | Uses an existing PC or server; no separate rental required | Usually no new hardware, but recurring service charges apply |
| Network work | You configure router forwarding, firewall rules, and a stable local address | Provider supplies the public endpoint; you still configure the game |
| Persistence | Available while the machine and connection remain online | Designed for an always-on process, subject to the provider’s maintenance |
| Control | Full access to files, launch parameters, saves, and backups | Control depends on the provider’s panel and permitted files |
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Choosing a sensible cap
Set the cap to the largest group that will actually play, not the highest number a listing mentions. For a regular eight-person group, leave the documented default in place. For nine to roughly a dozen trusted players, test a dedicated server at the group’s target count and keep a lower fallback. For a much larger experiment, use a separate save, a private password, and a staged test with no irreplaceable progress.
- Prefer the official setting when predictable administration and save safety matter more than maximum headcount.
- Consider a mod only when every participant accepts unofficial software and the group can maintain matching versions.
- Reduce the cap when combat, building, or saving becomes delayed; more slots are not useful if the world is frustrating to play.
Frequently overlooked details
Does the host count toward the limit?
Yes. The eight-player figure for normal co-op is a total session size, so it includes the player who created the lobby.
Can a router upgrade increase the normal lobby cap?
No. Better networking equipment may reduce latency or packet loss, but it does not change the game’s ordinary lobby limit. Use a dedicated-server configuration or a compatible community mod for a larger group.
Will changing the cap delete my save?
Changing the player-count value is a server configuration change, not a save reset. Nevertheless, make a backup before editing configuration files or installing modifications because a crash, mistaken path, or incompatible update can damage a world independently of the cap.
Is a advertised mod count guaranteed?
No. “Up to 20” or “up to 32” describes the capability claimed by the relevant community listing. Actual stability depends on the game version, mod loader, host mode, hardware, network, and whether all clients use the required files.
Bottom line
Plan on eight total players for a normal The Forest co-op lobby. For more, install the dedicated-server tool, generate Server.cfg, set serverPlayers or override it with -serverplayers <maxPlayers>, forward TCP/UDP ports 8766, 27015, and 27016, and restart before testing. Community mods can advertise higher counts, but they require version matching, backups, and a willingness to trade official support for additional capacity.
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