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How to Change Max Players on an Arma Reforger Server

Edit the case-sensitive game.maxPlayers value in the JSON file referenced by -config, save valid JSON, and restart the dedicated server. This guide explains the 1–128 range, the old playerCountLimit name, and the difference between total capacity and faction limits.
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Change the server-wide player cap in the dedicated server’s case-sensitive JSON configuration. Inside the game object, set maxPlayers to a value from 1 to 128, then start the server with -config pointing to that file and restart the process. The documented default is 64 players.

The setting you need

maxPlayers controls the total number of players allowed on an Arma Reforger dedicated server. It is not a per-team setting and it does not belong on the command line itself; it is a property in the JSON file loaded by the server at startup.

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Item What it controls Where it is set Documented detail
maxPlayers Global server capacity JSON configuration, inside game Valid values are 1–128; default is 64
playerCountLimit Legacy name for the global capacity setting Older configuration files Renamed to maxPlayers in update 0.9.8.73
-config Tells the dedicated server which JSON file to load Startup arguments Must point to the file containing your setting
-playerLimits Maximum players allowed for each faction Startup arguments Separate from the global capacity

These names are case-sensitive. A spelling or capitalization error can leave the server using another value, the default, or an invalid configuration.

Find the JSON file used by the server

Changing the right file matters as much as changing the right key. A dedicated server can have several JSON files in its installation or data directories, but only the file supplied through the startup argument is loaded for that launch.

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  1. Locate the command, script, service definition, or control-panel setting that starts your Arma Reforger dedicated server.
  2. Find the -config argument in that startup definition. Its following value is the path to the active JSON configuration file.
  3. Open that exact file in a text editor that does not add rich-text formatting. Keep a backup before editing.
  4. Check that the file is valid JSON before saving. JSON requires double quotes around property names and string values, commas between properties, and no trailing comma after the final property in an object.

The official hosting documentation defines the relationship between the dedicated-server executable and the JSON file through -config. If you edit a different file and leave the startup argument unchanged, the running server will not receive your change.

Set maxPlayers in the game object

Add or change the property under game. A minimal valid example is:

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{
  "game": {
    "maxPlayers": 48
  }
}

Replace 48 with the capacity you want, provided it is within the documented range. If your existing file already contains other settings, retain them and add the property in the same object rather than replacing the entire file. For example:

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{
  "game": {
    "maxPlayers": 48,
    "otherGameSetting": true
  },
  "anotherSection": {
    "setting": "value"
  }
}

The additional names in that second example are illustrative only; keep the settings that already exist in your own configuration and do not copy unknown properties into a production file. The important details are the lowercase, exact spelling of maxPlayers, its placement inside game, and the numeric value without quotation marks.

Choose a numeric value, not a string

Use 48, not "48". The former is a JSON number; the latter is text. Likewise, do not write words such as "sixty-four", add a percent sign, or place comments inside the JSON. Standard JSON does not support comments.

Keep the file syntactically valid

  • Use paired braces around objects.
  • Put a comma between sibling properties.
  • Do not leave a comma after the final property in an object.
  • Save the file using the same filename and location referenced by -config.
  • Preserve a known-good backup so you can restore the previous configuration if the server fails to start.

Make the server load the new value

The setting is read when the dedicated server starts. Editing the file while the process is running does not apply the new capacity to that process.

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  1. Stop the dedicated server cleanly using the method provided by your operating system, service manager, or hosting panel.
  2. Confirm that the process has exited before changing the file. A second copy of the server can otherwise keep the port or data files occupied.
  3. Save the JSON configuration and check that the startup definition still includes -config followed by the intended path.
  4. Start the dedicated server again with the same launch definition.
  5. Allow the server to finish loading before testing a connection. If it does not start, restore the backup and inspect the JSON for syntax, path, and capitalization errors.

For a manual launch, the relevant argument has the form -config serverconfig.json; use the actual filename and path from your installation. Do not assume that naming a file serverconfig.json makes it active—the startup argument determines which file is read.

Check that the change took effect

Use checks that match how you administer the server:

  • Review the launch definition and verify that -config points to the file you edited.
  • After restarting, connect with enough test clients or coordinate a scheduled test to confirm that the server accepts players up to the selected capacity.
  • If a server browser or administration panel reports a capacity, compare it after the restart rather than while the old process is still running.
  • If the reported capacity does not change, stop testing connections and return to the troubleshooting sequence below: active file, exact key, valid JSON, and complete restart.

A successful save alone is not proof that the running process loaded the value. The process must be started with the edited file.

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maxPlayers versus -playerLimits

These options solve different problems:

Question Use Example effect
How many players can the server hold in total? game.maxPlayers in JSON A value of 48 sets the server-wide ceiling to 48.
How many players may join each faction? -playerLimits startup parameter Limits team or faction membership without changing the server-wide ceiling.

If the goal is to raise a 32-player server to 48 total connections, change maxPlayers. If the goal is to prevent one faction from becoming too large, investigate -playerLimits instead. Setting faction limits does not increase the total capacity, and increasing the global capacity does not by itself impose equal faction sizes.

Replace the obsolete playerCountLimit key

Older guides and configuration files may use playerCountLimit. Bohemia Interactive’s 0.9.8.73 update renamed that parameter to maxPlayers. For current configuration files, use the new name.

  1. Open the active JSON file identified by -config.
  2. Search for playerCountLimit, including the exact capitalization.
  3. Rename the property to maxPlayers while preserving its numeric value.
  4. Ensure there is only one global capacity property in the game object.
  5. Save and restart the server.

Do not keep both names as a workaround. The current parameter is maxPlayers; duplicate or obsolete properties make it unclear which value the server can interpret and can lead to troubleshooting the wrong setting.

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When a managed host provides the configuration

A managed host may expose the same JSON setting through a text editor, advanced configuration field, or startup-parameter form. The underlying distinction remains the same: the provider’s service must launch the dedicated server with a configuration file containing game.maxPlayers.

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If the panel has a JSON editor

  1. Open the server’s advanced or configuration-file editor.
  2. Find the game object and add or edit maxPlayers.
  3. Save the configuration through the panel.
  4. Use the panel’s restart or stop/start control so the service reloads the file.

If the panel has a player-count field

Use the field only if its documentation states that it writes the global server capacity. Some panels expose faction balancing separately. If the field is capped below the documented game range, that is a provider-specific restriction rather than a change to the game’s configuration syntax; ask the host which value it writes and whether it controls maxPlayers or -playerLimits.

If the panel overwrites manual edits

Make the change in the panel’s persistent configuration interface, not only in a generated file. If a restart restores the previous value, the service is probably regenerating the JSON from a template. Preserve the exact key name and request the provider’s supported method for setting it.

Troubleshooting common failures

Symptom Likely cause What to check
The server still shows the old capacity The wrong file was edited or the process was not restarted Follow -config to the active file, then perform a full stop and start.
playerCountLimit appears to do nothing The file uses the pre-0.9.8.73 name Rename it to maxPlayers.
The server fails to launch after saving Invalid JSON syntax or a damaged path Restore the backup, validate braces, commas, quotes, and the -config path, then reapply one change at a time.
The value is ignored Incorrect capitalization, wrong nesting, or a quoted number Use numeric maxPlayers inside game, with exact case.
Players can join one faction but not another A faction limit is being enforced Review -playerLimits; it is independent of total capacity.
A hosting panel restores the previous value The panel regenerates the configuration Edit the persistent panel setting or ask the provider how its template maps to maxPlayers.

Capacity decisions and operational cautions

The documented setting permits a server-wide value from 1 through 128, with 64 as the default. Pick a value that matches the number of simultaneous players you intend to support, then test the complete mission, mod set, and administration workflow at that level. The configuration range describes what the parameter accepts; it does not establish the CPU, memory, network, or provider resources available on your particular machine.

  • Increase the value in deliberate steps when diagnosing performance or connection issues, so you can identify which change caused a problem.
  • Keep a record of the previous value and the file path used by -config.
  • Schedule restarts so players are warned before the new capacity becomes active.
  • When reducing capacity, plan for the effect on a server that is already populated; the new ceiling is applied by the restarted process.
  • Treat any limit imposed by a managed host as separate from the game’s documented parameter range.

Authoritative terminology

The Bohemia Interactive Community Server Config reference describes maxPlayers as the setting to “set the maximum amount of players on the server.” Its current reference documents the 1–128 range and 64 default, while the Server Hosting reference documents the -config startup link. Bohemia Interactive’s 2023 update notes record the rename from playerCountLimit to maxPlayers in version 0.9.8.73. The Startup Parameters reference lists -playerLimits as the separate faction-limit option.

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