How to Host a V Rising Server in 2026 (Windows Dedicated Server Guide)

The most flexible way to host a persistent V Rising world in 2026 is Stunlock Studios’ free dedicated-server application. For the current 1.1.x PC instructions, that server build runs on Windows. You can install it on a Windows computer you control, configure the world and network ports, and leave it running for friends or a community. If you do not want to maintain Windows, firewall rules, updates and restarts, rent a managed server instead.

This guide follows the official PC dedicated-server process, explains which settings belong in which file, and separates server-list discovery from direct-IP connections so you can diagnose the problems that most often prevent friends from joining.

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Choose between self-hosting and a managed server

Both routes produce a persistent V Rising world, but they shift responsibility in different directions. Self-hosting gives you direct access to the executable, save files and JSON configuration at no software charge. A rental provider supplies the online Windows environment and usually exposes a control panel, while you pay an ongoing fee and work within that provider’s controls.

Stunlock’s November 27, 2024 hosting article names POCKETHOST as a rental option, but it does not establish current prices, performance rankings or a guarantee of service quality. Compare current plans and terms directly before paying. The official material also publishes no minimum CPU, memory, storage or player-count benchmark, so do not buy a particular PC on the assumption that it is officially certified.

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What you need for the official PC server

• A Windows computer for the server. Stunlock’s current 1.1.x PC instructions describe Windows as the available dedicated-server platform.
• The free V Rising Dedicated Server tool from Steam’s Tools section, or SteamCMD with dedicated-server AppID 1829350.
• Permission to create files in the installation directory and in your Windows user profile.
• A stable internet connection if players outside your home network will connect.
• Access to Windows Firewall and, for most home connections, the router’s port-forwarding page.
• A backup location for world saves before you migrate or alter them.

You do not need to purchase another copy of V Rising to obtain the dedicated-server application; the official instructions describe the server tool as free. The game build and settings are version-sensitive, so check Stunlock’s current “V Rising Dedicated Server Instructions for v1.1.x (PC)” whenever a new server version is released.

Install the dedicated-server files

Steam Tools installation

1. Open Steam and switch the Library filter to Tools.
2. Find V Rising Dedicated Server and install it to a folder with enough free space and a path you can easily back up.
3. Open that installation folder and locate VRisingServer.exe, the example startup batch file and the server’s StreamingAssets/Settings directory.

Running VRisingServer.exe is the simplest initial launch. It proves that the files can start before you spend time changing gameplay rules or router settings.

SteamCMD installation

SteamCMD is useful when you want a repeatable update script or a server installation separate from your normal Steam library. Use the anonymous SteamCMD account and the dedicated-server AppID:

steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 1829350 validate +quit

Place that command in an update script appropriate for your SteamCMD installation. Stop the V Rising server before running the script so files are not replaced while the process is using them. The AppID identifies the dedicated-server tool, not the playable client.

Create a durable startup script

The installation includes start_server_example.bat. Stunlock’s instructions warn that editing the supplied example directly can cause your changes to be lost when the server updates. Copy it first and give the copy a name such as start_my_server.bat; edit only your copy.

1. Copy the example batch file in the same folder as VRisingServer.exe.
2. Open the copy in a text editor.
3. Set a custom server name and any command-line options you need, including -persistentDataPath if you want data outside the default profile directory.
4. Save the copy and launch that file for normal operation.

Keeping your script separate from the shipped example protects the name and launch arguments from an update replacing the vendor-provided file. Do not assume a script written for an earlier game build will remain correct; compare it with the new example after updating.

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Understand the two JSON configuration files

V Rising separates hosting mechanics from gameplay rules. Mixing the files is a common reason a change appears to have no effect.

ServerHostSettings.json: hosting and network behavior

ServerHostSettings.json contains host-level values such as the server name, ports and save selection. The shipped defaults are in the installation’s StreamingAssets/Settings directory. Stunlock’s Windows instructions describe local overrides in:

%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowStunlock StudiosVRisingServerSettings

Edit the corresponding local file rather than treating the shipped default as your permanent working copy. If the file is not present in the override directory, start the server once or copy the appropriate example according to the current official instructions, then make your changes there.

ServerGameSettings.json: rules of the world

ServerGameSettings.json controls gameplay rules and presets. This is where you preserve or change the world’s rule set, rather than in the host file. Keep a backup before changing a mature world: a malformed JSON file or an accidental reset can prevent the server from loading the intended settings.

Use persistent data paths for separation

The -persistentDataPath launch argument relocates the server’s settings and saves. Stunlock recommends using a persistent-data path generally and says it is necessary when multiple servers on one machine need separate data. Give each instance its own directory, for example one path for a private friends’ world and another for a community test world. Do not point two live servers at the same save directory.

A separate persistent path also makes backups and migrations clearer: the settings and the Saves directory stay together instead of being mixed with another installation’s data.

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Set the game and query ports

The host settings file identifies two UDP ports with different purposes:

The numbers 27015 and 27016 are examples, not mandatory universal values. If you change either setting, use the new value consistently in Windows Firewall and your router rule. Avoid assigning the same port to two servers on one public address.

Open Windows Firewall and your router

Allow the server on the Windows host

1. Start VRisingServer.exe once so Windows can identify the program and create any initial files.
2. When Windows Defender Firewall prompts you, allow the server on the network profiles appropriate for your setup. If no prompt appears, create inbound UDP rules for the configured Port and, for server-list discovery, QueryPort.
3. Confirm that the rule applies to the network profile your machine is actually using.

Exact menu names can vary slightly between Windows releases. The important check is that inbound UDP traffic reaches the server process on the values in ServerHostSettings.json.

Forward ports on the home router

1. Give the Windows host a stable local address, preferably through a DHCP reservation in the router.
2. Open the router’s port-forwarding section.
3. Create a UDP rule from the configured game port to the Windows host’s local IP address.
4. Add a second UDP rule for the query port if you want the server to appear in the public server list.
5. Save the router configuration and restart networking equipment only if the router requires it.

Router interfaces differ by manufacturer, so use that manufacturer’s current documentation for the exact clicks. Stunlock’s networking guidance distinguishes the two connection methods:

• Server-list discovery: both the configured game port and query port must be allowed through the host firewall and forwarded on the router.
• Direct connection: forwarding the game port alone is sufficient.

If your internet provider uses carrier-grade NAT, incoming forwarding may not work even when the router rule is correct. In that case, ask the provider whether you have a reachable public IPv4 address or use a managed host instead.

Launch the server and let it appear

1. Close any previous server process.
2. Run your copied startup batch file, or launch VRisingServer.exe with the required arguments.
3. Wait for the console to finish loading before attempting to join.
4. Give a newly started server a few minutes to appear in the in-game list. Stunlock notes that listing is not always immediate.
5. If it does not appear, have a player try a direct connection using the host’s external IP address and configured game port.

Do not use the host’s private address, such as a typical 192.168.x.x address, for friends outside your network. Players on the same home network may need the local address, while internet players need the public address and the game port.

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Keep the installation updated and restart it

Update only while the server is stopped

With SteamCMD, rerun your download or update script while the V Rising server is offline. SteamCMD verifies the installation and downloads the current files. Updating a running process can leave a mixed installation or fail to replace files that are in use.

After an update, compare your copied startup script with the newly shipped example. This catches new arguments or changed defaults without surrendering your custom server name and persistent-data path.

Schedule regular restarts

Stunlock’s dedicated-server instructions say, “we recommend doing this on a daily basis.” Treat that as the studio’s operational recommendation, not as a published performance benchmark. Choose a low-population period, announce the restart to players, stop the process cleanly, apply updates if needed and start the copied script again.

Some hosting services update only when the server restarts, so a schedule matters even when you rent the machine. Keep the restart window consistent enough that players know when the world may be briefly unavailable.

Migrate an existing client world

Moving a solo or locally hosted world is possible, but make a complete backup first. Keep the original folder unchanged until the dedicated server has loaded and you have verified the world.

1. In the V Rising client, open Load Game and locate the session you want to move.
2. Use the in-game option or path information provided there to identify the session’s save folder.
3. Exit the game and copy the entire save folder to a separate backup location.
4. Copy the selected save into the server’s persistent-data location at <PersistentDataPath>/Saves/v4/.
5. Set the server’s save-name value in ServerHostSettings.json to the name of that folder.
6. If you want to preserve the save’s existing settings, clear the game-settings preset rather than forcing a new preset over the migrated world.
7. Start the server and verify the world, characters and progression before deleting or changing the backup.

Cloud synchronization can restore a client save after you remove files outside the game. If the old version keeps returning, disable or carefully manage cloud synchronization while performing the migration, then confirm which copy is authoritative.

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Add administrators and use the console

For a PC server, Stunlock’s hosting guidance uses an adminlist.txt file in the server’s Settings folder. Add the player’s Steam ID to that file, one ID per line, and keep the file inside the persistent Settings location used by the running instance. The in-game console must also be enabled before administrative commands can be used.

1. Stop the server before editing the administrator file.
2. Open the active persistent-data Settings directory, not a different installation’s default folder.
3. Create or edit adminlist.txt and add the correct Steam ID.
4. Save the file and restart the server.
5. Enable the game console in the client’s options, connect as the listed administrator and use only commands appropriate to your role.

Verify the Steam ID carefully. Granting administrator access to the wrong account can affect every player and world setting.

Troubleshoot the problems players actually see

The server is not in the list

• Confirm the server process is running and has finished loading.
• Check that the configured UDP game port and UDP query port are allowed in Windows Firewall.
• Check that both ports are forwarded to the correct local Windows IP address.
• Wait several minutes after a fresh launch; listing can be delayed.
• Try a direct external-IP connection. If that works, the world is reachable and the remaining issue is discovery or query-port configuration.

Friends cannot connect directly

• Verify that the game Port, rather than only the query port, is forwarded.
• Confirm friends are using your external IP address and the configured game port.
• Check whether your internet provider places the router behind carrier-grade NAT.
• Ensure Windows Firewall is permitting the server on the active network profile.

Your script changes disappeared

You probably edited start_server_example.bat itself. Copy the example to a separately named batch file and place your arguments in that copy. Updates may replace the shipped example.

A migrated world does not load as expected

• Stop the server and restore the backup if necessary.
• Confirm the save is under the active persistent path’s Saves/v4/ directory.
• Make the save-name setting exactly match the folder name.
• Check that a game-settings preset is not overwriting the migrated world’s rules.
• Check cloud synchronization if the client keeps restoring an older save.

A second server uses the wrong world or settings

Give each instance a unique -persistentDataPath. If two launch scripts point to the same path, they can read the same settings and save files, making one server appear to change the other.

When renting is the better choice

Choose a managed server when you do not have a Windows PC that can remain online, cannot configure router forwarding, or do not want to own daily updates, backups and restarts. Before ordering, verify the provider’s current answers to these questions:

• Which V Rising game version is supported, and how quickly are updates applied?
• Can you download and restore the complete save folder?
• Can you edit both ServerHostSettings.json and ServerGameSettings.json?
• Can you choose the game and query ports, or are they assigned automatically?
• How are scheduled restarts handled?
• Can you add Steam IDs to adminlist.txt and enable the console?
• What happens to your files if you cancel?

Stunlock’s hosting article identifies POCKETHOST as a service option, but availability, pricing and controls can change. Treat the provider’s current terms as authoritative rather than assuming that a feature documented for one host exists everywhere.

If you would rather not run Windows yourself, Godlike.Host offers V Rising server hosting with its own Pterodactyl-based game panel, SFTP access, up to three free backups a day with restore, free DDoS protection and 24/7 support by live chat or ticket. See the current plans for what fits your group.

A practical maintenance checklist

• Before every update, stop the server and copy the persistent-data directory.
• Run the SteamCMD update process only while the server is offline.
• Compare the new example startup script with your renamed copy.
• Check that the server name, persistent-data path and ports still match your intended setup.
• Restart at a predictable low-population time; Stunlock recommends daily restarts.
• Test a direct connection after router or firewall changes.
• Periodically restore a backup to a separate test path so you know your backups are usable.
• Recheck the current Stunlock 1.1.x documentation after major game updates because file paths, settings and platform support can change.

Bottom line

For a Windows player comfortable with files, firewall rules and router administration, the free dedicated-server tool provides the most control: install AppID 1829350, run a copied startup script, separate host and gameplay JSON files, forward the correct UDP ports and back up the persistent-data directory. Rent a managed server when keeping a Windows machine online and maintaining the network is more work than your group wants to own. In either case, treat the current Stunlock instructions as the source of truth whenever V Rising changes version or configuration defaults.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

V Rising Standard - PC Steam [Online Game Code]

$34.99

Bestseller No. 2

V Rising : COMPLETE GUIDE: Everything You Need To Know About V Rising Game; A Detailed Guide

$12.99

Bestseller No. 3

Gamewright - Forbidden Desert Cooperative Survival Adventure Board Game for 2-5 Players – Family Strategy for Ages 10+

$38.85

Bestseller No. 4

Dark Legacy: The Rising - Earth Vs Wind Starter Set

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$7.27

Bestseller No. 5

V Rising (Original Game Soundtrack)

$9.49

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.