Quake 3 Arena server hosting on ioquake3
Keep a classic arena shooter online for your friends or your clan. The server runs ioquake3, the maintained open-source engine, with the game files from your own copy of Quake 3 Arena.
- ioquake3 dedicated server (ioq3ded)
- Free for all, tournament, team deathmatch and CTF
- Team Arena game types with the mission pack
- RCON, map rotation and address bans
- Playerssv_maxclients sets the slots; the engine accepts up to 64 connections.
- 8 by default, up to 64
- PortSet with net_port. RCON uses the same port; a second server on the same address takes 27961.
- 27960 UDP
- Server
- ioquake3 (ioq3ded)
- Game filesThe server needs pak0.pk3 from a bought copy plus the pak1–pak8 patch files in the baseq3 folder.
- pak0.pk3 from your own copy
- Game types
- FFA · Tournament · TDM · CTF
- Mods
- Mod folders with fs_game
Game types
- FFA
- Tournament
- TDM
- CTF
- Team Arena
- ioquake3
- RCON
Game facts from the ioquake3 project’s server admin guide and source code and the Steam store, checked in October 2026.
- DDoS protection
- ٢٠ game server locations
Quake 3 Arena plans are being prepared
Tell us your game type, slot count and any mod you play, and our team will reply with the options. Or open a ticket and we will let you know when the plans are online.
How big should a Quake 3 Arena server be?
Quake 3 is light on today’s hardware. Slot count and custom maps matter more than anything else.
Find your size
| Feature |
Duels
Up to 8 slots
|
Recommended Team
Up to 16 slots
|
Large arena
Up to 32 slots
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Memory (RAM)The engine reserves a fixed memory block (com_hunkMegs, 128 MB by default); the rest is headroom for maps and mods. | 1 GB | 1 GB | 2 GB |
| CPU coresThe game simulates the world mostly on one thread, so fast cores matter more than many cores. | 1 | 1–2 | 2 |
| Disk spaceRoom for the engine, the pak files, custom maps and demos. | 2 GB | 3 GB | 5 GB |
| Slots (sv_maxclients)How many players and spectators the server accepts. The default is 8. | 8 (default) | 16 | 32 |
| Typical use | Duels and small free for all | Team deathmatch and CTF | Big public free for all or Team Arena |
-
Duels
Up to 8 slots
- Memory (RAM)The engine reserves a fixed memory block (com_hunkMegs, 128 MB by default); the rest is headroom for maps and mods.
- 1 GB
- CPU coresThe game simulates the world mostly on one thread, so fast cores matter more than many cores.
- 1
- Disk spaceRoom for the engine, the pak files, custom maps and demos.
- 2 GB
- Slots (sv_maxclients)How many players and spectators the server accepts. The default is 8.
- 8 (default)
- Typical use
- Duels and small free for all
-
Recommended
Team
Up to 16 slots
- Memory (RAM)The engine reserves a fixed memory block (com_hunkMegs, 128 MB by default); the rest is headroom for maps and mods.
- 1 GB
- CPU coresThe game simulates the world mostly on one thread, so fast cores matter more than many cores.
- 1–2
- Disk spaceRoom for the engine, the pak files, custom maps and demos.
- 3 GB
- Slots (sv_maxclients)How many players and spectators the server accepts. The default is 8.
- 16
- Typical use
- Team deathmatch and CTF
-
Large arena
Up to 32 slots
- Memory (RAM)The engine reserves a fixed memory block (com_hunkMegs, 128 MB by default); the rest is headroom for maps and mods.
- 2 GB
- CPU coresThe game simulates the world mostly on one thread, so fast cores matter more than many cores.
- 2
- Disk spaceRoom for the engine, the pak files, custom maps and demos.
- 5 GB
- Slots (sv_maxclients)How many players and spectators the server accepts. The default is 8.
- 32
- Typical use
- Big public free for all or Team Arena
ioquake3 publishes no server hardware figures; these starting points follow from the engine’s small footprint. Large custom maps and mods add memory and disk.
Game types, mods and maps
ioquake3 runs the original game and its mods; your server.cfg decides the rules.
ioquake3 server
The open-source engine builds a dedicated server for Windows, Linux and macOS. Original 1.32c clients can still join through its legacy protocol.
Your own game files
Copy pak0.pk3 from your copy of Quake 3 Arena into baseq3, together with the pak1–pak8 patch files. Steam and GOG sell the game with Team Arena.
Every game type
g_gametype 0 is free for all, 1 tournament, 3 team deathmatch and 4 capture the flag. Team Arena adds One Flag CTF, Obelisk and Harvester.
Mods and downloads
Load a mod folder with fs_game. sv_allowDownload and sv_dlURL let players fetch missing maps, also over HTTP.
Map rotation
Chain maps with variables in server.cfg, for example set m1 "map q3dm1; set nextmap vstr m2", and start with vstr m1.
Bans and filters
Ban addresses with banaddr, or use the addip list; with g_filterBan 0 that list becomes an allow-list.
Set up your Quake 3 Arena server
Four steps from your game files to the first frag.
-
Bring your pak files
Upload pak0.pk3 from your copy of the game; the patch files pak1–pak8 go into the same baseq3 folder.
-
Pick a location
Choose the one closest to your players from our ٢٠ game server locations; ping decides arena fights.
-
Write your server.cfg
Set sv_hostname, g_gametype, fraglimit, timelimit, rconpassword and your map rotation.
-
Connect
Open the console and type connect with the address and port 27960, or find the server in the browser.
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Frequently asked questions
Which server software runs Quake 3 Arena?
We use ioquake3’s dedicated server, ioq3ded. ioquake3 is the open-source continuation of the Quake 3 engine; it is maintained for Windows, Linux and macOS and still plays the original game.
Do I need my own copy of the game?
Yes. ioquake3 is only the engine: the server needs pak0.pk3 from a bought copy of Quake 3 Arena and the pak1–pak8 patch files in the baseq3 folder. The game is sold on Steam and GOG.
How many players can join?
sv_maxclients sets the slots. The default is 8 and the engine accepts up to 64, but most maps play best with far fewer: duels with 2, team modes with 8 to 16.
Which port does the server use?
UDP 27960, set with net_port. RCON works over the same port. If you run a second server on the same address, give it 27961.
How do I choose the game type and limits?
Set g_gametype (0 free for all, 1 tournament, 3 team deathmatch, 4 capture the flag) together with fraglimit, timelimit and capturelimit in your server.cfg. The defaults are a fraglimit of 20 and a capturelimit of 8.
Can I run Team Arena?
Yes. Start the server with fs_game missionpack to use the Team Arena game types One Flag CTF, Obelisk and Harvester. Steam and GOG copies lack the mission pack’s pak3.pk3, which comes with the ioquake3 patch data.
How do I manage the server remotely?
Set rconpassword in server.cfg. Players with the password can type rcon commands in the console, for example kick, clientkick, map or banaddr. Bans are stored in serverbans.dat.
Can players with the original game join?
Yes. ioquake3 clients use protocol 71, and players with the original 1.32c version can still connect through the legacy protocol 68.
Will my server appear in the server browser?
Run it with dedicated 2 and it reports to the master servers, so players find it in the browser. With dedicated 1 it stays unlisted and players join with the address.
How do I make the server private?
Set g_password; players then need it to join. To let only known addresses in, add them with addip and set g_filterBan 0.
What does sv_pure do?
With sv_pure 1, players may only load the pk3 files the server has, which keeps everyone on the same maps and models. Turn on sv_allowDownload so players can fetch files they are missing.
Ready to reopen the arena?
Tell us your game type and slot count, and we will help you pick the right Quake 3 Arena server.