Do you need a dedicated server for Dragonwilds?
Dragonwilds supports co-op two ways. You can host a world from your own game, which is free and takes no setup — but that world only exists while you are playing it, and everyone else is dropped the moment you stop. A dedicated server runs on its own: Ashenfall stays up around the clock, anyone in the group can log in on their own schedule, and nobody's progress depends on one particular person being online.
If two of you always play at the same time, hosting from the game is fine. If you have a group of four to six who keep different hours — and six is as large as a Dragonwilds world gets — a dedicated server is what you want.
What the server needs
The dedicated server is a native build downloaded from Steam. Its appetite is predictable, because it scales with the number of people in the world rather than with the size of the world itself: roughly 2 GB of RAM as a baseline, plus 1 GB for every player.
| Resource | Minimum | Recommended (6 players) |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 4 cores | 4+ modern cores |
| RAM | 4 GB (2 players) | 8 GB |
| Storage | 10 GB | 20 GB+ SSD/NVMe |
| Network | One UDP port, reachable | Low-latency uplink |
| Players | — | 6 (the game's own ceiling) |
Six is the most players a Dragonwilds world holds, and leaving Early Access at 1.0 does not raise it. It is the same six whichever plan you rent here — we do not sell player slots, so the figure on each plan is a guide to what its memory carries comfortably rather than a limit we impose. Our full breakdown is on the Dragonwilds server requirements page.
Option A — Install the server yourself with DepotDownloader
The dedicated server is published on Steam and can be downloaded anonymously, so no game licence is needed on the machine that runs it. This is the free route if you already have a spare PC or VPS that can stay powered on. You own updates, backups, firewall rules and uptime.
1. Download the server files
Fetch the dedicated server from Steam application 4019830. DepotDownloader is the usual tool for this on Linux because it needs no Steam login and pulls a specific platform's files; SteamCMD works too. Point it at an empty folder and let it validate — the download is several gigabytes and the first one takes a while.
2. Start it once to generate the configuration
The server keeps its settings in DedicatedServer.ini, under the Unreal save tree at RSDragonwilds/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/ (LinuxServer becomes WindowsServer on a Windows host). The file has one section that matters — [/Script/Dominion.DedicatedServerSettings] — holding OwnerId, AdminPassword, WorldPassword, ServerName and DefaultWorldName.
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| OwnerId | Your Player ID. Makes that account the owner — required, and the server exits without it |
| AdminPassword | Typed on the in-game Server Management screen to gain admin powers |
| WorldPassword | Join password. Leave empty for a world anyone can enter |
| ServerName | The server's display name |
| DefaultWorldName | The world created on first start — and the name players search for |
3. Open one UDP port
Dragonwilds needs a single UDP port — 7777 by default — forwarded to the server machine and allowed through its firewall. There is no separate query port and no TCP port to open.
4. Launch it and keep it running
Run the server binary with the port and the player cap on the command line, then keep the process alive with a systemd unit or a screen/tmux session so it survives a disconnect or a reboot. To update, re-run the download against the same folder and restart — the server does not patch itself.
Option B — Deploy a managed Dragonwilds server on Flux
A managed host removes every step above except deciding what to call your world. On the Flux decentralized cloud the server is provisioned automatically, the UDP port is opened and routed for you, DDoS protection is included, and the game files are revalidated against Steam on every start — so a restart is all it takes to move onto a new build.
- Create a free account with Google, email, or a Flux (ZelCore / SSP) wallet.
- Pick a plan sized for your group: 4 GB for two players, 6 GB for four, 8 GB for a full six.
- Choose a server region close to your group from 50+ countries.
- Paste your Player ID, name the world, set an admin password, and deploy.
The server itself is provisioned in about 30 seconds, but its first boot then downloads the whole game from Steam before the world comes up — usually ten to twenty minutes. That is normal and the dashboard shows the progress. Later restarts are much quicker, because only changed files are fetched.
After setup: tell your friends the world name
Dragonwilds has no server browser you can paste an address into. Players open the Worlds screen, go to the Public tab, and search for the world by name — exactly as you typed it, capital letters and all. Share the name in the form you set it, not a description of it, and if you set a join password share that too.
From there, the owner account can ban and unban anyone whether they are online or not, and anyone who enters the admin password on the Server Management screen can ban regular players who are currently connected. There is no remote console: administration happens inside the game.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a RuneScape: Dragonwilds dedicated server?
Download Steam application 4019830 anonymously with DepotDownloader or SteamCMD, set OwnerId (your in-game Player ID) and AdminPassword in DedicatedServer.ini, forward one UDP port using the same number inside and out, and launch the server binary. Alternatively, deploy a managed Dragonwilds server on Flux and skip the installation entirely.
Is the Dragonwilds dedicated server free?
The server software is free and downloads from Steam without a licence, but you still need hardware that runs 24/7, plus bandwidth, updates and backups. Managed hosting on Flux starts at $4.19/month and removes that maintenance.
Which port does a Dragonwilds server use?
One UDP port — 7777 by default, and 27777 on servers deployed here. There is no query port and no TCP port. The internal and external port must match, or players are kicked back to the title screen as they join.
Can I run a Dragonwilds server on Linux?
Yes. There is a native Linux build of the dedicated server, which is what managed hosts including Flux run. No Proton or Wine layer is involved.
Why will my server not start?
By far the most common cause is a missing Player ID: with OwnerId unset the server logs an error and exits before the game binary is reached. Copy the Player ID from the bottom of the in-game Settings menu and set it again.