As the gaming industry expands, there’s significant demand for private gaming server hosting. Small businesses that offer this type of hosting can meet this growing demand. For those who take gaming seriously, a private gaming server that hosts your favorite games is the way to get the best performance possible.
Whether you want to directly offer this type of hosting or prefer to serve as a hosting reseller for these servers, there are numerous opportunities.
Key takeaways:
- What a gaming server host is
- The costs of private gaming servers
- How hosted gaming servers work
- What games require private gaming servers
What Is a Gaming Server Host?
A gaming server host is a physical or virtual server that hosts the server-side copy of a game. This allows players from various locations to connect to the hosted server to play together in the same virtual world. Most people prefer playing games online with other people. For some games, this means collaborating to progress, and in others, it equals competing. And in some games, it can mean both.
To play most games online, everyone must connect to one centralized server that controls the experience and ensures all the players are synchronized properly. Usually, the game creators set up multiple servers that allow people worldwide to connect and play together. While this is a great option, those who take gaming more seriously want a private server already set up and accessible.
What are the benefits of a private gaming server?
There are various benefits to playing games on a private server, including extremely fast response (low ping) times and the ability to run modifications (mods) for the games. The specific advantages depend on what game you’re playing but generally include the following:
- Faster response times: A properly managed game server has low ping times, which means actions taken by players are reflected in the game more quickly. Even improvements of fractions of seconds in online gaming can have a dramatic impact on the gameplay experience.
- No waiting in queues to play: Public servers for some games require that players wait in line before they join the next game. With a private server, you can always start a game immediately.
- Exclusive access to the game: If you run a private gaming server, you control who can access it. You don’t have to play your favorite games with jerks who ruin it for everyone. Also, you can make sure that you’re only playing with your friends or your team, which is essential for effective strategies.
- Direct control: If you run your own server, you control every aspect, including what games are available, what mods are allowed, and much more.
- Ability to make mods: Gaming mods are extremely popular but impossible on most public servers. If you want to get involved with modding your favorite games, you need access to a private server.
How much does a private gaming server cost?
Most people can get a good entry-level private gaming server for around $10 per month. Prices go up from there depending on your specific needs. The cost to set up a hosted gaming server varies based on what type of server you need, where you’re located, and many other factors.
Most gamers would love a private gaming server but assume it would be too expensive. While buying and hosting a gaming server in your home is costly, signing up for a privately hosted gaming server is highly affordable. Additionally, you can rent access to the server and make monthly money if you’re looking for an extra income stream.
What types of server options exist?
A growing number of top web hosting companies offer a full dedicated server setup or a virtual private server (VPS), depending on your needs. These options allow you to access your private gaming server anytime and enjoy your favorite games.
Typically, opting for a hosted gaming server over building one in your home saves you money and gives you a better performance. When you have a server in your home, everyone you play with needs to connect through your internet connection. While home internet can be fast, it rarely has the same response times as a hosting company. Also, the hosted server is often more centrally located, giving everyone equal response times for a fair gaming experience.
How Do Hosted Gaming Servers Work?
Most games that allow online play have two pieces: the actual game installed on the player’s local PC and the server-side option. The program on the server is made with the functionality to allow people to connect to it to coordinate the game. This server also generates the gaming world and feeds it out to all the players so that everyone’s playing in an identical environment.
When playing with multiple players from different locations, everyone’s connected to this server rather than directly to each other. The server then communicates with the local game versions on each player’s computer to update what is happening.
What is an example of the server in action?
If player one clicks a button to shoot their gun at a target, the server takes the data that shows where and when they shot and processes it to determine the outcome ― what they hit, the effectiveness and any repercussions of the hit, and so on. Then, the server distributes that information to all the other player systems.
When everything’s functioning properly, the server accepts and distributes this type of data in tiny fractions of a second. This occurs a thousand times per minute to ensure that even though the players may be hundreds of miles away from each other, they’re all immersed in the same gaming environment.
What Games Require Private Gaming Servers?
Almost no games strictly require a private server to play. If one offers multiplayer online gameplay, the company that made the game (or a third party) offers access to their servers to allow people to play. Most popular games have private gaming servers and an option to take gameplay to the next level. Some of the most popular games played on private servers include:
- ARK: Survival Evolved
- Call of Duty (multiple versions)
- Counter-Strike
- Farming Simulator
- Fortnite
- Minecraft
- Space Engineers
- Rust
- World of Warcraft
These are only a few of the most popular options. There are hundreds of games on thousands of private servers, which are growing constantly.
Do You Need a Private Gaming Server?
Only you can make this decision; for many people, the answer is yes. If you answer yes to some of the following questions, you can benefit greatly from signing up for a hosted private gaming server:
- Do you take gaming seriously?
- Are you on an esports team?
- Are low ping times important to you?
- Do you enjoy adding mods to your favorite games?
- Are you tired of waiting in queues for an available game?
- Do you regularly play your favorite games with the same group of friends?
Since they’re so affordable for an entry-level option, and even premium servers are inexpensive, this is a small investment considering all its advantages.
Gaming Server Hosting FAQs
What do you need to build a gaming server?
Intel recommends a minimum of: a solid-state drive (SSD), a 64-bit Windows operating system (or Linux, with compatible games), a minimum of 8GB RAM (though 16 and up is preferred), and a central processing unit (CPU) with a minimum 2.5GHZ clock speed.
What is the difference between a server and a host?
A server is a piece of hardware or software that can provide a service to other devices, while a host is a device — like a computer, tablet, laptop, or smartphone — that connects to a computer.
Is reselling private gaming server hosting a good idea?
Running a web hosting reseller service has long been a great way to make money, and this specific type of hosting offers many opportunities. Resellers often find the best way to boost their sales is to offer niche-focused hosting solutions. The online gaming niche is large, people are passionate about the hobby. Setting up a reseller service for privately hosted gaming servers may be an excellent opportunity.
