What Are Dedicated Game Servers?

Dealing with lag, slow loading times, or dropped games can quickly turn any online gamer’s experience into an unpleasant one. 

Thankfully, there is a tool that online gamers can use to eliminate these issues entirely during online multiplayer games: a dedicated gaming server.

A dedicated server in gaming is a private, fully remote server that can host games for the server admin (a player who sets up the dedicated server) and all remote clients who connect to the server. Using this type of private game server, gamers gain access to a reliable, stable, and fast connection to even the most memory-intensive online multiplayer games, all without having to share server resources with other websites or applications.

If you’re new to the concept of dedicated hosting, this guide is here to help by uncovering the power of dedicated gaming servers. We’ll also compare dedicated gaming servers to traditional online multiplayer game hosting models.

In addition, we will help you decide if a private game server is right for you, as well as teach you how to choose a dedicated gaming server hosting provider. 

How dedicated servers compare to other hosting models

Dedicated game servers differ from the two common hosting models: client-server and peer-to-peer.

Many online multiplayer games default to one of two different hosting models—client-server hosting or peer-to-peer (P2P) hosting. In most cases, both can cause a lag-ridden or non-customizable gaming experience. But these issues can be remedied by taking a more active role in managing a gaming server. 

Client-Server Hosting Model

Client-server hosting uses shared servers run by game publishers that manage multiple games simultaneously.

While this configuration works for most players, it lacks control and leaves players vulnerable to server issues the main host could experience. 

P2P Hosting Model

Peer-to-peer hosting relies on one player’s computer to host the game for all other players.

It is crucial that the host’s device has enough memory, processing power, bandwidth, and a solid Internet connection to keep the entire game running smoothly for all clients. If the host player has a weak device or a poor Internet connection, the game will experience lag, glitches, or crashes.

Dedicated servers eliminate these limitations by providing exclusive resources to a single game.

How dedicated game servers work

A dedicated game server handles all game processing tasks on a remote machine with exclusive resources.

Here’s what dedicated servers manage:

• Client devices only handle rendering and user inputs.
• Dedicated servers manage player locations and activities.
• They synchronize game states across all connected players.
• Server hardware handles physics calculations and game rules.
• CPU and RAM process game logic without requiring graphics cards.

Client device management vs dedicated gaming server management

It’s important to note that dedicated gaming servers do not run the game engine, so they do not require a graphics card (GPU) to render anything. Instead, these private game servers utilize high amounts of CPU and RAM to assist client devices with what to render and when. This means that client devices still manage aspects of the game like graphics, sound, and game controls.

Private game server hosting: At-home vs managed

While you can learn how to make an at-home game server, managed dedicated gaming server hosting makes the process seamless, secure, and much more affordable. 

For example, when a professional hosting provider hosts your private game server, you don’t have to worry about hardware costs, server cooling, server monitoring, or security risks. In addition, you gain access to higher bandwidth options, which ultimately provide a better gaming experience.

Benefits of a dedicated gaming server

A few of the most common benefits of hosting online multiplayer games on a dedicated gaming server include:

Control

Dedicated servers provide root access for complete customization. When hosting with a dedicated gaming server, the server admin gains total control over the gaming experience, including:

• Defining the operating system. 
• Choosing the processor and amount of RAM. 
• Setting bandwidth speeds.
• Establishing the game configuration and rules.
• Determining who can enter the game (dedicated gaming servers can be private or public).
• Booting players who break the rules or have a high ping rate. 

For the highest level of control, some gamers opt for bare metal server hosting. With bare metal, gamers can fine-tune server settings to minimize latency, maximize performance, and create a fully optimized gaming environment tailored to their exact preferences.

Performance

Exclusive CPU and RAM allocation eliminates resource competition.

Because they have advanced hardware, high levels of RAM and CPU, and strong Internet connections, dedicated gaming servers enhance overall game performance for every player involved. These servers ensure there is never any lag, glitches, lost data, or crashes during gameplay. 

And, as mentioned earlier, high-ping players can be removed from a session by the server admin to keep things running smoothly and fairly for all players.

Reliability

Enterprise-grade hardware ensures 99.9% uptime availability.

Dedicated gaming server hosting solutions provide 24/7 server monitoring, which means the game is always available to players. Most dedicated server providers feature backup generators to ensure game availability in case the local grid goes down. 

Advanced cooling systems maintain optimal temperatures during peak loads.

Security

Isolated environments prevent DDoS attacks and cheating.

Security is an important aspect of hosting on a dedicated gaming server. Fortunately, many hosting providers invest a great deal of resources into advanced cybersecurity measures such as:

• Robust firewalls. 
• Distributed denial of service (DDoS) protection. 
• Scheduled backups. 

The server admin also controls who can log into the game, making it easy to identify unknown remote clients trying to gain access.

Popular titles that benefit from a dedicated server

Memory-intensive games with high player counts require dedicated server resources. A dedicated gaming server offers many advantages that other hosting options cannot provide to typical online game players. This is especially true for those who play online games featuring high workloads, such as if you wanted to create a dedicated Minecraft server.

Games that benefit most from dedicated servers:

FPS games:

• Counter-Strike
• PUBG
• Killing Floor

Survival games:

• Minecraft
• Ark
• Valheim
• 7 Days to Die

Strategy games:

• DOTA 2
• Arma

Sandbox games:

• Ragnarok
• Terraria
• Factorio

When is a dedicated gaming server better than a VPS?

A VPS allocates a portion of server resources while dedicated servers provide exclusive access to all hardware.

Virtual private server (VPS) hosting is a virtual server environment within a dedicated server. When using a VPS to host a video game, a server admin is granted access to a dedicated portion of the server’s resources.

A VPS with 10GB RAM might allocate only 2GB to your game. Dedicated servers provide the full 16GB+ required for modern multiplayer games. In essence, a VPS is much like renting out a portion of a private game server. 

For many, opting for VPS is a sufficient solution that provides a better gaming experience than hosting on a fully shared server. However, if you’re an avid online gamer who wants enough processing power to handle high workloads, a dedicated server is the right choice.

When to choose each option:

• Choose dedicated for: 20+ concurrent players, competitive gaming, mod-heavy servers.
• Choose VPS for: Small player counts, testing environments, budget constraints.

Quick setup guide

Setting up your dedicated game server doesn’t have to be complicated. Follow these steps to get your server running smoothly:

• Calculate requirements: Base RAM + (2GB × expected players).
• Select server location: Choose closest data center to majority players.
• Configure security: Enable DDoS protection and whitelist admin IPs.
• Install game server: Use one-click installers or manual configuration.
• Test performance: Run stress tests before launching publicly.

For detailed instructions on manual setup, check out our guide on how to make a game server.

When is a dedicated gaming server not the best choice?

While a dedicated gaming server comes with numerous advantages in terms of performance and other areas, it also comes at a higher price than other hosting solutions like shared or VPS cloud servers. This remains true regardless of whether you set up your own dedicated server at home or rent one from a hosting provider. 

Opting for a dedicated server setup at home means you’ll need to invest in expensive hardware and equipment, as well as higher energy bills if you plan to make your server available to the public. Running a physical server also means the server admin is responsible for cybersecurity and hardware and software maintenance, which means a high level of technical ability is required.

If you plan on renting a dedicated gaming server from a hosting provider, many of the back-end costs of running a physical server are eliminated. However, the monthly fees for these servers are typically higher than other hosting solutions, and security add-ons like DDoS protection can add to costs as well.

Justifying these higher server costs is easy for avid gamers, gaming communities, and developers of all sizes. But for less tech-savvy beginners or those who don’t play often, less expensive hosting solutions are likely a better, more wallet-friendly option.

How to choose a dedicated gaming server provider

Follow these essential criteria when selecting your dedicated gaming server provider:

1. Game compatibility: Verify support for your specific game and required specifications.
2. Hardware specifications: Minimum 16GB RAM, SSD storage, modern CPU architecture.
3. Network location: Data centers within 50ms latency of your player base.
4. Uptime guarantee: Accept nothing less than 99.9% uptime SLA.
5. Security features: Built-in DDoS protection and hardware firewalls.
6. Scalability options: On-demand resource upgrades without migration.

If you’re looking for a private game server provider you can trust, Liquid Web can help you take your online gaming experience to the next level. With fully customizable dedicated server hosting—as well as real-time monitoring and 100% Power and Network Uptime Guarantees—you gain access to a managed dedicated server solution that will support your gaming needs at a price you can afford. 

Plus, with add-on services like server backups and DDoS protection, you can rest assured your data stays protected. 

Learn more about our dedicated gaming server hosting solutions today.