Co-op is one of the biggest strengths of Valheim. Up to ten players can get together to hunt, build, craft, and survive the realm’s many threats. Plus, it’s even possible to settle and reshape a persistent world by playing on a dedicated server. Best of all, since the Valheim dedicated server requirements are so low, just about anyone with a spare PC can host their own world. Here’s what you need to know to get started.
Valheim | Dedicated server requirements and specifications
If you’ve decided to host your own Valheim dedicated server, you’re in luck: the system requirements aren’t very high. Older PCs or laptops should be able to run the server application easily thanks to its reasonable system requirements. Here’s what you’ll need:
- CPU: Quad-core processor (i5 recommended)
- RAM: 2GB (8GB recommended)
- Storage: 2GB free hard drive space
- Network: 100Mbps minimum (1Gbps recommended)
Since the dedicated server application runs headless, the system itself doesn’t need a graphics card. That means you don’t have to have a spare gaming PC in order to create and host your own server. Setting up a dedicated server can be finicky, however, mainly due to port forwarding and other network requirements. Be sure to check out our Valheim dedicated server setup guide for more details.
Shared hosting server requirements
Of course, you don’t need to host a dedicated server yourself. For a small price, game service providers will maintain a Valheim dedicated server for you. The only catch is that you need to know how much processing power to buy in order for the server to run effectively.
Reports on these hosted server requirements vary wildly. However, one thread on the Valheim subreddit has multiple comments from users trying to play the game with up to ten other players. Based on their suggestions, it seems that smaller servers (with four players or less) can get by with low-scale server packages. Bigger servers will obviously require more robust resources.
To run a Valheim dedicated server from a shared hosting service, aim for these minimum requirements:
- CPU: Two virtual CPUs at 2.8GHz
- RAM: 4GB
- Network: 1Gbps connection or higher
These specifications align closely to the basic requirements for the dedicated server application. However, remote hosting reportedly fills 2GB RAM quickly, hence the four gigabyte recommendation. Otherwise, you’ll want to find the package with the fastest connection possible in order for the smoothest experience.
You won’t need a powerful computer to run a dedicated server for Valheim. A system with a dual-core CPU and 2GB of RAM will do the trick, though you’ll want to step up the memory for remote hosting providers. If you encounter any trouble with your server, here’s what to do if your dedicated server isn’t showing up. We’ve also got a solution for players getting hit with the incompatible version error.
