Subsistence server hosting for your wilderness community
Run the official Subsistence dedicated server with the rules you choose: hunter raids, base decay, PvP damage and offline protection. Add Workshop mods since Alpha 68 and keep up to five save profiles on one server.
- Official dedicated server, up to 32 players
- Hunter raids, base decay and offline protection settings
- Steam Workshop mods since Alpha 68
- Admin panel, console commands and a remote API
- PlayersSet MaxPlayers in UDKDedServerSettings.ini. The developer asks hosts to be gentle with player counts.
- 1–32 (MaxPlayers)
- PortsPort and QueryPort in UDKEngine.ini. Each server needs its own pair.
- 7777 game · 27015 query (UDP)
- Config
- UDKDedServerSettings.ini
- Version
- Alpha 68 (September 2026)
- Mods
- Steam Workshop (Mods= line)
- Server OS
- Windows (Linux only through Wine)
Server settings
- Hunter raids
- Base decay
- Offline protection
- PvP damage
- Five save profiles
- Steam Workshop
Game facts from ColdGames’ official dedicated server guide and update notes, checked in October 2026.
- DDoS protection
- 20 game server locations
Subsistence plans are being prepared
Tell us your player count, PvP or PvE and the mods you plan, 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 Subsistence server be?
Players, their bases and the hunters that raid them decide the load.
Find your size
| Feature |
Small group
Up to 4 players
|
Recommended Community
Up to 12 players
|
Full server
Up to 32 players
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Memory (RAM)Working memory for the world, the players and every mod. Leave headroom: memory use grows as players explore. | 4 GB | 6 GB | 8 GB |
| CPU coresThe game simulates the world mostly on one thread, so fast cores matter more than many cores. | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Disk spaceRoom for the game files, the world and its backups, plus updates and mods. | 10 GB | 15 GB | 20 GB |
| Hunter raidsHuntersEnabled and HunterAttacks control the AI raids on bases; more raids mean more AI for the server to run. | Optional | On | On, frequent attacks |
| Typical use | Friends sharing one base | A PvE community with several bases | A public PvP server |
-
Small group
Up to 4 players
- 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.
- 2
- Disk spaceRoom for the game files, the world and its backups, plus updates and mods.
- 10 GB
- Hunter raidsHuntersEnabled and HunterAttacks control the AI raids on bases; more raids mean more AI for the server to run.
- Optional
- Typical use
- Friends sharing one base
-
Recommended
Community
Up to 12 players
- Memory (RAM)Working memory for the world, the players and every mod. Leave headroom: memory use grows as players explore.
- 6 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.
- 15 GB
- Hunter raidsHuntersEnabled and HunterAttacks control the AI raids on bases; more raids mean more AI for the server to run.
- On
- Typical use
- A PvE community with several bases
-
Full server
Up to 32 players
- Memory (RAM)Working memory for the world, the players and every mod. Leave headroom: memory use grows as players explore.
- 8 GB
- CPU coresThe game simulates the world mostly on one thread, so fast cores matter more than many cores.
- 3
- Disk spaceRoom for the game files, the world and its backups, plus updates and mods.
- 20 GB
- Hunter raidsHuntersEnabled and HunterAttacks control the AI raids on bases; more raids mean more AI for the server to run.
- On, frequent attacks
- Typical use
- A public PvP server
ColdGames publishes no server hardware figures and asks hosts to keep player counts moderate; these are starting points.
Rules, mods and admin tools
The official server guide covers every setting below; run the server once to create the files.
UDKDedServerSettings.ini
Server name, password, admin password, player limit, difficulty, hunters, PvP damage, base decay and offline protection in one file.
Workshop mods
Since Alpha 68, add Workshop IDs to the Mods= line. The server downloads them, and joining players are asked to subscribe.
Server Stats panel
Log in with the admin password to kick, ban, unban and teleport, and use console commands such as ListPlayers and ListBases.
Offline protection
Bases can be protected while their owners are away; protection starts 10 minutes after every base member logs off.
Five save profiles
ProfileId switches between up to five saves on one server, for example a test world next to your main one.
HTTP admin API
Turn on the HTTP admin API in UDKWeb.ini to read the server status or send server messages from outside the game.
Set up your Subsistence server
Four steps to a wilderness that waits for you.
-
Pick a size
Choose the column for your player count; hunter raids and mods add load.
-
Pick a location
Choose the one closest to your players from our 20 game server locations.
-
Set your rules
Set the name, password, admin password, difficulty, hunters and base decay in UDKDedServerSettings.ini.
-
Invite your players
Players find the server in the server browser, where dedicated servers are marked as such.
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Frequently asked questions
Is there an official Subsistence server?
Yes. ColdGames has offered a free dedicated server since Alpha 54 in September 2020. It installs with SteamCMD as app 1362640 with an anonymous login and runs on Windows.
Which ports does the server use?
Port=7777 for the game and QueryPort=27015 for the Steam server list, both in UDKEngine.ini. The query port is UDP. On a machine with several addresses, choose one with -multihome.
How many players can join?
MaxPlayers in UDKDedServerSettings.ini accepts 1 to 32. The developer asks hosts to be gentle with high counts.
Which settings can I change?
Run the server once to create the files. UDKDedServerSettings.ini holds ServerName, Password, AdminPassword, MaxPlayers, Difficulty, HuntersEnabled, HunterAttacks, PvPDamage, NumPlayerOfflineHoursBeforeBaseDecay and OfflineBaseProtection.
How do I use admin rights?
Join with the admin password from the server list, or from the console with start, the address and ?password=. The Server Stats panel then offers kick, ban, unban and teleport, and console commands such as ListPlayers, ListBases and BanPlayerBySteamId.
Can I use mods?
Yes, since Alpha 68 in September 2026. Add Workshop IDs or the IDs of local mods to the Mods= line. The server downloads Workshop mods, joining players are asked to subscribe, and modded games turn achievements off.
Can I bring our co-op save?
Yes. With the server stopped, copy the SaveData folder of your co-op game to the server’s UDKGame folder. Moving a single-player save is not covered by the official guide.
What are save profiles?
ProfileId picks one of up to five saves on the same server. A ban applies to all five profiles, and the Banned tab lifts it again.
How do base decay and offline protection work?
NumPlayerOfflineHoursBeforeBaseDecay sets how long a base survives without its owners; the developer suggests 120 hours for public servers. Offline protection starts 10 minutes after every base member has logged off.
Does the server run on Linux?
The official server runs on Windows. Community projects run it on Linux under Wine, which ColdGames does not support.
Ready to survive the wilderness together?
Tell us your player count and rules, and we will help you pick the right Subsistence server.