Portal Knights server hosting for your crew
Keep your Portal Knights world open so your friends can build and explore without waiting for the host. The official dedicated server takes four players and controls access with user groups and passwords.
- Official Portal Knights dedicated server
- Four players in the same world
- Admin, user and guest groups with passwords
- Bring your own world from the game
- Players
- Up to 4 per world
- Port
- 16365 UDP
- Config
- server_config.json
- User groupsEach group has its own password and rights to log in, kick players and change the world.
- Admins, users and guests
- Universe size
- Small, Normal or Large
- Server
- Windows, ships with the game
Options
- User groups
- Passwords
- Universe size
- World import
- Several servers
Game facts from the developer’s dedicated server guide on the Portal Knights Steam forum and the Steam store page, checked in October 2026.
- DDoS protection
- 20 game server locations
Portal Knights plans are being prepared
Tell us whether you bring a world and how many servers you need, and our team will reply with the options. Or open a ticket and we will let you know when the plans are online.
How much does a Portal Knights server need?
A Portal Knights world holds four players, so the size of your universe matters more than the player count.
Find your size
| Feature |
Duo
Up to 2 players
|
Recommended Full world
Up to 4 players
|
Two worlds
Two servers, each with its own config
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Memory (RAM)Working memory for the world, the players and every mod. Leave headroom: memory use grows as players explore. | 2 GB | 2 GB | 4 GB |
| CPU coresThe game simulates the world mostly on one thread, so fast cores matter more than many cores. | 1–2 | 2 | 3–4 |
| Disk spaceRoom for the game files, the world and its backups, plus updates and mods. | 10 GB | 10 GB | 15 GB |
| Universe sizeuniverseSize in server_config.json: Small, Normal or Large. Larger universes hold more islands. | Small or Normal | Normal or Large | Per server |
| Typical use | Two friends on a new world | A full crew of four | Two groups or two worlds |
-
Duo
Up to 2 players
- Memory (RAM)Working memory for the world, the players and every mod. Leave headroom: memory use grows as players explore.
- 2 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 game files, the world and its backups, plus updates and mods.
- 10 GB
- Universe sizeuniverseSize in server_config.json: Small, Normal or Large. Larger universes hold more islands.
- Small or Normal
- Typical use
- Two friends on a new world
-
Recommended
Full world
Up to 4 players
- Memory (RAM)Working memory for the world, the players and every mod. Leave headroom: memory use grows as players explore.
- 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 game files, the world and its backups, plus updates and mods.
- 10 GB
- Universe sizeuniverseSize in server_config.json: Small, Normal or Large. Larger universes hold more islands.
- Normal or Large
- Typical use
- A full crew of four
-
Two worlds
Two servers, each with its own config
- Memory (RAM)Working memory for the world, the players and every mod. Leave headroom: memory use grows as players explore.
- 4 GB
- CPU coresThe game simulates the world mostly on one thread, so fast cores matter more than many cores.
- 3–4
- Disk spaceRoom for the game files, the world and its backups, plus updates and mods.
- 15 GB
- Universe sizeuniverseSize in server_config.json: Small, Normal or Large. Larger universes hold more islands.
- Per server
- Typical use
- Two groups or two worlds
Keen Games publishes no server hardware figures; these starting points are our estimate for a four-player world.
Access, worlds and settings
Everything is set in server_config.json, which the server creates at its first start.
User groups
Admins, users and guests each get a password and rights: may log in, may kick players, may change the world.
Bring your world
Copy your world from the game’s save folder into the server’s savedata folder.
Universe size
Choose Small, Normal or Large for new worlds with universeSize.
Several servers
Start the server with -config and -log to run more than one world, each with its own port and save folder.
Your own backups
The server does not sync with Steam Cloud, so keep copies of the save folder yourself.
Set up your Portal Knights server
Four steps to an island that is always there.
-
Decide on your world
Start a new universe or bring the world you already play, and pick a size from the table above.
-
Pick a location
Choose the one closest to your players from our 20 game server locations.
-
Set groups and passwords
In server_config.json, give the server a name and set passwords and rights for admins, users and guests.
-
Share address and password
Give your friends the server’s IPv4 address and the password of their user group.
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Frequently asked questions
How many players can join a Portal Knights server?
Four. The dedicated server lets four players play in the same world, the same as online co-op in the game.
Which port does the server use?
UDP 16365 by default, set with port in server_config.json. Players connect with the server’s IPv4 address.
Where does the server come from?
The developers ship it with the game: dedicated_server.zip in the game’s installation folder. It contains pk_dedicated_server.exe, which creates its config, log and save folder at the first start.
Can I bring my existing world?
Yes. Copy the world files from the game’s save folder into the server’s savedata folder. Only the world is stored on the server; characters stay with the players.
How do I control who can join?
With the admins, users and guests groups in server_config.json. Each group has a password and settings for logging in, kicking players and changing the world.
Which settings does server_config.json hold?
The server name, IPv4 address, port and save folder, the universe size (Small, Normal or Large), whether the console window is hidden, and the three user groups. Save the file as ASCII or UTF-8.
Can I run more than one world?
Yes. Start each server with its own config and log file using -config and -log, and give each config its own port and save folder.
Is the world backed up by Steam Cloud?
No. The server is not connected to Steam Cloud, so copy its save folder to a safe place regularly.
What should I do after a game update?
Install the new dedicated_server.zip from the updated game and keep your save folder and server_config.json, so the server stays on the same version as the players.
Ready to open your portal?
Tell us about your world and your crew, and we will help you pick the right Portal Knights server.