How to Set Up a Sons of the Forest Dedicated Server in 2025

Why Run a Sons of the Forest Dedicated Server?

Sons of the Forest supports cooperative multiplayer for up to 8 players on a dedicated server. Without a dedicated server, your game world only exists when the host player is online. A dedicated server keeps the world running 24/7, preserving your base, items, and progress so any player can join at any time. Kelvin and Virginia continue their routines, trees regrow on schedule, and enemies respawn according to the server’s settings.

System Requirements

The Sons of the Forest dedicated server has moderate hardware requirements:

OS: Windows 10 or newer, Windows Server 2016+, or major Linux distributions
CPU: Quad-core processor at 2.3 GHz or higher (dual-core minimum)
RAM: 8 GB recommended (4 GB minimum)
Storage: 12 GB of free disk space (SSD recommended)
Network: Stable internet connection with port forwarding access

Required Ports

Three ports must be open for the server to function properly:

TCP/UDP 8766 - Game traffic
TCP/UDP 27015 - Steam communication
TCP/UDP 27016 - Steam query (server browser listing)

Forward all three ports through your router and add firewall exceptions on your server machine.

Hosting Options

Option 1: Managed Hosting (Recommended)

A managed hosting provider gives you a Sons of the Forest server without dealing with port forwarding, operating system maintenance, or manual updates. You configure your game settings and play. This is the simplest path for groups that want to focus on the game rather than server administration.

Reactor offers Sons of the Forest server hosting with instant setup, automatic backups, and SFTP access for save file management.

Option 2: Self-Hosted via SteamCMD

You can run the server on your own hardware for free using SteamCMD. This requires a machine that stays powered on, a stable network connection, and willingness to manage updates and troubleshooting yourself.

Self-Hosted Installation Guide

Step 1: Install SteamCMD

Download SteamCMD from Valve’s official site and extract it to a dedicated folder. SteamCMD is a command-line tool for downloading and updating game server files.

Step 2: Download the Server Files

The Sons of the Forest dedicated server can be downloaded anonymously without a Steam account. Run the following command:

steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2465200 validate +quit

App ID 2465200 is the dedicated server application. The files will download to the SteamCMD default directory.

Step 3: First Launch

Run the server executable to generate the default configuration files. The server will create its data directory structure and a default configuration file. Let it finish initializing, then shut it down to configure your settings before players connect.

Step 4: Configure the Server

The primary configuration file is dedicatedserver.cfg in the server directory. Open it with a text editor and adjust the following key values:

{
  "IpAddress": "0.0.0.0",
  "GamePort": 8766,
  "QueryPort": 27016,
  "BlobSyncPort": 27015,
  "ServerName": "My Server",
  "MaxPlayers": 8,
  "Password": "",
  "LanOnly": false,
  "SaveSlot": 1,
  "SaveMode": "Continue",
  "GameMode": "Normal",
  "GameDifficulty": "Normal"
}

Key settings explained:

ServerName: How your server appears in the browser
MaxPlayers: Up to 8 players supported
Password: Leave empty for public, or set a password for private groups
SaveSlot: Which save slot to use (1-3)
SaveMode: “Continue” to resume an existing world, or “New” to generate fresh
GameMode: “Normal,” “Hard,” “HardSurvival,” or “Peaceful”
GameDifficulty: “Normal,” “Hard,” or “HardSurvival” affects enemy aggression and damage

Step 5: Open Ports and Launch

Configure your router’s port forwarding for ports 8766, 27015, and 27016. Add corresponding Windows Firewall or Linux iptables rules. Then launch the server executable again with your configuration in place.

Step 6: Connect

Players can find your server in the in-game multiplayer browser by searching for the server name, or connect directly using the server’s public IP address.

Transferring a Single-Player Save

One of the most useful features of Sons of the Forest servers is the ability to migrate an existing single-player world to multiplayer. Your save files are stored locally in your user profile directory. Copy the save folder to the server’s save directory via SFTP or direct file access, matching the save slot number configured in your server settings.

With Reactor hosting, you can upload your save files through SFTP to transfer your existing single-player progress to a dedicated server.

Server Administration

Adjusting Game Settings

Game difficulty and mode can be set in the configuration file before launch. Mid-game changes to difficulty require a server restart. Some settings like enemy count and respawn behavior are tied to the game mode selection rather than individual configuration values.

Managing Players

The server supports a whitelist to restrict access to approved players only. For private groups, combine a password with a whitelist for additional security.

Keeping Updated

When Endnight Games releases a patch, update your server before players connect. Use the same SteamCMD command to update:

steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2465200 validate +quit

Check the official Steam news page for Sons of the Forest to stay informed about updates. The January 2025 patch was the most recent major update, adding buildable rafts, procedural walls, and over 100 bug fixes.

Multiplayer Tips

Assign roles: Have one player focus on building, another on exploration, and another on combat. Kelvin handles resource gathering effectively when given clear tasks
Build near water: The raft update makes coastal bases more viable for easy water exploration
Use defensive walls: The new procedural wall system makes perimeter defense much faster to set up cooperatively
Share resources: The game does not have a formal trading system, so use communal storage areas in your base

For more on recent game content, check our Sons of the Forest 2025 updates overview.