Introduction to Gaming Server Hosting

*Notice*

This column was written by Michael LevanduskiAs, Web-hosting Industry Expert at Digital.com and originally posted on Digital.com.

We've gained permission to re-post it here. Please do not re-post this blog without inquiring permission from Digital.com.

You can find the original column here.

As the gaming industry continues to grow, there's significant demand for private gaming server hosting. Small businesses that offer this type of hosting can meet this growing demand.

For those who take gaming seriously, a private gaming server that hosts your favorite games is the way to get the best performance possible.

Whether you want to directly offer this type of hosting or you want to serve as a hosting reseller for these servers, there are numerous opportunities.

Key Takeaways

A gaming server host is a physical or virtual server that hosts the server-side copy of a game, this allows players from various locations to connect to the hosted server so that they can join the same virtual world and play together.
There are a variety of different benefits to playing games on a private server, including low ping times and the ability to run mods for the games.
The specific cost to set up a hosted gaming server varies based on what type of server you need, where you're located, and many other factors.

What Is a Gaming Server Host?

Source: DreamHost

A gaming server host is a physical or virtual server that hosts the server-side copy of a game. This allows players from various locations to connect to the hosted server so that they can join the same virtual world and play together.

In today's modern gaming world, most people prefer playing games online with other people. For some games, this means collaborating to progress in the game and, in others, it means competing ― in some games, it can mean both. To play most games online, everyone who plays together needs to connect to one centralized server that controls the experience and ensures all the players are synchronized properly.

In almost all cases, the creators of the game set up multiple servers that allow people from around the world to connect and play together. While this is a great option for some people, those who take gaming more seriously want to have a private server already set up and accessible.

What Are the Benefits of a Private Gaming Server?

Source: Techengage.com

There are a variety of different benefits to playing games on a private server, including low ping times and the ability to run mods for the games. The specific advantages depend on what game you're playing but, in general, include the following:

Faster response times: A properly managed game server has extremely fast response (low ping) times, which means actions taken by players are reflected in the game more quickly. Even improvements of fractions of seconds in online gaming can have a dramatic impact on the gameplay experience.

No waiting in queues to play: Public servers for some games require that players wait in line before they join the next game. With a private server, you can always start a game immediately.

Exclusive access to the game: If you run a private gaming server, you control who can access it. This means no more playing your favorite games with jerks who ruin it for everyone. It also means you can make sure that you're only playing with your friends or your team, which is essential for effective strategies.

Direct control: If you run your own server, you have control over every aspect of it, including what games are available, what modifications are allowed, and much more.

Ability to make modifications (mods): Gaming mods are extremely popular but aren't possible on most public servers. If you want to get involved with modding your favorite games, you need access to a private server.

How Much Does a Private Gaming Server Cost?

Most people can get a good entry-level private gaming server for around $10 per month. The prices go up from there depending on your specific needs. The specific cost to set up a hosted gaming server varies based on what type of server you need, where you're located, and many other factors.

Most gamers would love to have their own private gaming server but assume that it would be too expensive. While buying and hosting a gaming server in your own home is quite costly, signing up for a private hosted gaming server is highly affordable.

Additionally, you can rent out access to the server and make money every month if you're looking for an extra income stream.

A growing number of the top web hosting companies are starting to offer options for gaming servers. You can either have a full dedicated server setup or choose a virtual private server (VPS), depending on your needs. Both of these options allow you to access your own private gaming server any time you want and enjoy your favorite games.

In most cases, opting for a hosted gaming server over building one in your home isn't only going to save you money, but also give you better performance. This is because when you have a server in your home, everyone you play with needs to connect through your internet connection.

While home internet can be fast, it rarely has the same response times that you could get from a hosting company. In addition, the hosted server is often more centrally located, giving everyone equal response times for a fair gaming experience.

How Do Hosted Gaming Servers Work?

Most games that allow online play have two pieces to them. The actual game, which is installed on the player's local PC, and then the server-side option.

The program that's installed on the server is made with the functionality to allow people to connect to it in order to coordinate the game. This server also generates the gaming world and feeds it out to all the players so that everyone's playing in an identical environment.

When playing with multiple players from different locations, everyone's connected to this server rather than directly to each other. The server then communicates with the local versions of the game on each player's computer to update what is happening.

For example, if player one clicks a button to shoot their gun at a target, the server takes the data that shows where and when they shot and processes it to determine the outcome ― what they hit, the effectiveness of the hit, any repercussions of the hit, and so on. Then, the server distributes that information out to all the other player systems.

Source: HostInger

This happens extremely quickly. When everything's functioning properly, the server accepts and distributes this type of data in tiny fractions of a second. The server does this a thousand times per minute to ensure that even though the players may be hundreds of miles away from each other, they're all immersed in the same gaming environment.

Allowing Private Gaming Server When Developing a Game

If you are a software developer who creates games, you want to make sure to add the ability to run your game on a private server available. Most serious gamers love having the ability to set up their own server so that they can have greater control over the gaming experience.

For games where online play is already possible, adding the option for privately hosted servers only require that you release the server-side software that's already developed.

This lets gamers or small businesses who run gaming servers install it and access it as needed.

Is Reselling Private Gaming Server Hosting a Good Idea?

Running a web hosting reseller service has been a great way to make money for a long time, and this specific type of hosting offers many great opportunities.

Resellers often find that the best way to boost their sales is to offer very niche-focused hosting solutions. The online gaming niche is quite large, and people who are interested in it are passionate about their hobby.

Setting up a reseller service for privately hosted gaming servers may be an excellent opportunity.

What Games Require Private Gaming Servers?

Source: Liquidweb.com

Almost no games strictly require a private server to play. If a game offers multiplayer online gameplay, the company that made the game (or a third party) offers access to their servers to allow people to play. Most popular games, however, do have private gaming servers and an option for those who want to take their gameplay to the next level. Some of the most popular games that are played on private servers include:

Minecraft
World of Warcraft
ARK: Survival Evolved
Call of Duty (multiple versions)
Space Engineers
Farming Simulator
Rust
Counterstrike
Fortnite

These are only a few of the most popular options. There are hundreds of games on thousands of private servers available, and that number is growing constantly.

What To Do Next

Do you need a hosted private gaming server? Only you can make this decision but, for many people, the answer is yes. If you answer yes to some of the following questions, you can benefit greatly from signing up for a hosted private gaming server:

Do you take gaming seriously?
Are you on an esports team?
Are low ping times important to you?
Do you enjoy adding mods to your favorite games?
Are you tired of waiting in queues for an available game?
Do you regularly play your favorite games with the same group of friends?

Given the fact that they're so affordable for an entry-level option, and even premium servers aren't that expensive, this is a small investment when you consider all the advantages it provides.