Frequently asked questions

We're in a closed beta right now, so we're letting people in a group at a time. That way we can keep things running smoothly and give everyone a hand getting set up. Join the waitlist with your email and we'll let you know as soon as a spot opens up for you.

Not really, but we'll be straight with you: the first setup is a little hands-on. You'll spend around half an hour getting your computer ready by following our step-by-step guide. You don't need any server or Linux experience going in, just a willingness to follow along. Once it's set up, everything is point-and-click from your dashboard.

Yes, it's free while we're in beta. No credit card, no trial that quietly turns into a bill. Later on we'll add paid plans, but we'll tell you well ahead of time and it'll cost less than renting a server.

It depends a bit on the game. Something like Palworld is fairly light, while ARK is one of the heavier games to host, so it sets the high bar. Either way, this isn't a job for an ancient netbook. You'll want a reasonably modern laptop or desktop, and more memory always helps, especially for ARK and for bigger groups.

Yep, a wired connection is the way to go. Plug your server computer into your router with an ethernet cable instead of running it on WiFi. It keeps your server steady and your friends' games smooth, and it's a one-time plug-in. We don't support WiFi for the server, so it's worth running that cable before you start.

Yes. Your friends can join no matter how your home internet is set up. There is nothing to change on your router and no need to call your internet provider.

Right now it's ARK: Survival Ascended, ARK: Survival Evolved, Palworld, and Minecraft (Bedrock Edition). The two ARKs are separate games with their own maps and mods, so pick whichever one your group actually plays. You can run more than one game on the same computer too, as long as it has the memory to go around. One honest note on Minecraft: friends on a PC, phone, or tablet can join from anywhere, but consoles like Xbox and Switch can't join yet, and we're working on a way in for them. Next on our list are Minecraft Java and Valheim, and beyond those there's a long list of games we can support over time, so even if yours isn't here yet, there's a good chance it can be added later.

Once your server is up, you share its connection details with your friends and they join it from inside the game, the same way they would hop on any other server.

Yes. Server Reforged only manages the game services on the computer you choose, nothing else on your network. Your computer stays in your home the whole time, and you can stop and remove everything whenever you want.

Of course. It's your computer and your hardware, so you can shut things down or remove Server Reforged anytime.