Rent or self-host?
| Self-hosted | Rented on Flux | |
|---|---|---|
| Server software | Free from Steam | Included |
| Hardware | A machine on 24/7 with 8 GB spare | Dedicated CPU and RAM in the plan |
| UDP port | You forward it, matched inside and out | Opened and routed for you |
| DDoS protection | Yours to arrange | Included |
| Updates | Re-download and restart, by hand | Revalidated from Steam on every restart |
| Backups | Yours to arrange | In the panel |
| If it stops at 2am | You fix it | Restart from the dashboard, or it is already back |
| Cost | Electricity, bandwidth and a spare box | From $4.19/month |
Self-hosting genuinely is viable here: 8 GB and four cores is an ordinary desktop, and there is exactly one port to forward. If you have the machine and you enjoy running it, run it. The case for renting is that the world stops being your responsibility.
What you are actually buying
- A world that exists when you are not playing — the whole point of a dedicated server over hosting from the game.
- A correctly mapped UDP port. The commonest self-hosting failure is a port forwarded to a different internal number, which drops players to the title screen with no error.
- Updates by restart. The server revalidates its files against Steam on start, so a new build is a restart away.
- Dedicated resources rather than a shared slice, on a network of thousands of independent nodes rather than one datacentre.
What renting does not buy
More than six players. That is worth saying plainly, because slot-priced hosts make bigger numbers look purchasable: a Dragonwilds world holds six, and no host of any kind can sell you a seventh seat. What we also do not do is sell you the six in instalments — every plan here runs the full six, and the tiers differ by the memory behind them.
Deploying one
- Copy your Player ID from the bottom of the in-game Settings menu.
- Pick a plan: 4 GB for two players, 6 GB for four, 8 GB for a full six.
- Choose a region close to your group from 50+ countries.
- Paste the Player ID, name the world, set an admin password, and deploy.
- Give the first boot ten to twenty minutes while the game downloads from Steam, then share the world name.
Why the Flux network specifically
Flux is a decentralized cloud: your server runs on independent nodes spread across 50+ countries rather than in one company's datacentre, which removes the single point of failure that a traditional host has by construction. You still get a normal management panel — files, terminal, backups, settings and restarts — and pay-as-you-go billing with no lock-in.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rent a Dragonwilds server?
From $4.19/month for a two-player world, $5.93 for four players, and $7.13 for a full six-player world. Billing is monthly with no contract.
Is it better to rent or self-host a Dragonwilds server?
Self-hosting is realistic — the server is free and needs 8 GB and one open UDP port. Renting is worth it when you want the world up whether or not your machine is, the port correct without router work, and updates handled by a restart.
Do I need to own the game to run a Dragonwilds server?
Not on the server. The dedicated server downloads from Steam anonymously. You do need the game to play, and your in-game Player ID to set the server's owner.
How quickly can I get a rented Dragonwilds server?
The server is provisioned in about 30 seconds; its first boot then downloads the game from Steam, which usually takes ten to twenty minutes before the world is searchable.
Can I cancel a rented Dragonwilds server?
Yes, at any time from the dashboard. Billing is pay-as-you-go with no contract.