Sons of the Forest dedicated server guide

Sons of the Forest is the sequel to the hit survival horror game The Forest. A dedicated server lets your group explore the island, build bases and fight mutants 24/7 without the host needing to be online.

Requirements

• RAM: 4 to 8 GB. The world is detailed and uses significant memory.
• CPU: 2 to 4 cores. AI pathfinding for mutants is CPU-intensive.
• Storage: 10 to 15 GB.
• Ports: 8766 and 27016 UDP (default).

Installation

1. Select Sons of the Forest in the game panel, or install via SteamCMD (app ID 2465200) on a VPS.
2. Edit dedicatedserver.cfg:

   {
     "IpAddress": "0.0.0.0",
     "GamePort": 8766,
     "QueryPort": 27016,
     "ServerName": "My SotF Server",
     "MaxPlayers": 8,
     "Password": "yourpassword",
     "SaveSlot": 1,
     "GameMode": "Normal",
     "Difficulty": "Normal"
   }
   

3. Start the server.

Game modes

• Normal: standard survival with mutants and hunger.
• Hard: more aggressive enemies, less loot.
• Hard Survival: permadeath. When you die, you restart.
• Peaceful: no enemies. Focus on building and exploration.
• Creative: unlimited resources, no survival mechanics.

Save management

The server auto-saves regularly. Saves are stored in numbered slots (1 to 5). You can switch between save slots in the configuration. To upload an existing save from singleplayer, copy the save folder to the server via SFTP.

Performance tips

• Large bases with hundreds of structures increase memory usage and save size.
• The game loads more mutant AI as players spread across the map. Groups staying together reduce CPU load.
• Schedule restarts every 12 to 24 hours for optimal performance.

How many players can join?

The official maximum is 8 players. This is a design choice by the developers. Performance is best with 4 to 6 players.

Does SotF support mods?

Modding support is community-driven through tools like BepInEx. Server-side mods exist for tweaking spawn rates, building limits and difficulty. Client-side mods are also available.

Can I transfer a singleplayer world?

Yes. Copy your singleplayer save folder to the server's save directory. The format is compatible between singleplayer and dedicated server.

Sons of the Forest servers run on KVM VPS plans or game plans at HostValues.