Yes—Hytale is multiplayer. You can open a single-player world to friends for free with the in-game Online Play option and a share code, or run a dedicated server for a persistent world that stays available when its owner is offline. Dedicated servers can be rented from a managed provider or self-hosted on your own hardware.
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The right method depends on how many people will play, whether the world must remain online, how much networking and administration you want to handle, and whether you need server-side configuration or mod support.
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Hytale currently offers two practical ways to play with other people. Friend hosting turns an ordinary single-player save into a session that invited players can join. A dedicated server runs independently of an individual game session and is better suited to an always-available community world.
| Option | Setup effort | Online when the host is offline? | Network reliability | Control and configuration | Ongoing cost | Who maintains it? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-player world opened to friends | Lowest: enable Online Play and share a code | No. The world depends on the host session | Usually easiest, but affected by NAT, firewalls and blocked networks | Basic session controls; limited compared with a dedicated server | Free apart from your own internet and hardware | The player hosting the world |
| Self-hosted dedicated server | High: Java, files, authentication, firewall and router configuration | Yes, while the server machine and service are running | Depends on your connection, router and ISP | Maximum control over server settings, content and administration | Your hardware, electricity and internet costs | You handle hardware, updates, security and backups |
| Managed dedicated hosting | Lowest dedicated-server workload; usually a control panel or one-click installation | Yes, subject to the provider’s service and maintenance windows | Provider hardware and network are designed for remote access | Server controls vary by plan and provider | Recurring fee; current prices depend on region, capacity and billing term | The provider handles hardware, networking and much of the maintenance |
There is no authoritative player-cap figure to rely on, so choose based on the world size, view distance, mods and expected activity rather than an advertised maximum.
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How to play Hytale with friends without a dedicated server
This is the fastest option for a small group that does not need a world to run continuously. Your existing single-player world remains the save, and the game creates a session friends can join.
Host a world and create a share code
- Load the single-player world you want to use.
- Press Esc and select Online Play.
- Turn on Allow Other Players to Join.
- If desired, set a password. You can choose whether the password is included in the generated share code.
- Select Save, copy the generated share code and send it privately to the people you trust.
Join a friend’s world
- Open Hytale and go to Servers.
- Choose Join via Code.
- Paste the host’s share code.
- Enter the password separately if the host did not include it in the code.
- Connect to the world.
Adding one another as Hytale friends can make all available connection methods usable. The connection system attempts a direct route first and uses a relay when a direct path is unavailable.
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Keep the share code private
A share code contains connection information, not merely a display name. Send it only through a private channel to people who should be able to reach the world. If the code is exposed, turn off Online Play, save the setting, and generate a new session before inviting players again. Use a password when the world contains builds or progress you do not want unknown players to alter.
What to do when a friend cannot join
Try the in-game connection before changing router settings. Many sessions work through the direct-or-relay system without manual port forwarding.
Check the host and player’s local settings
- Confirm that Allow Other Players to Join is still enabled after loading the world.
- Regenerate the share code and have the friend paste the new code rather than an older invitation.
- Check the in-game network report for the specific failure reason.
- Allow Hytale through the operating system firewall on the host and joining device.
- Temporarily test from a different network, such as a phone hotspot, to identify a blocked school, work or public network.
Recognize NAT and ISP problems
Double NAT, carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT) and symmetric NAT can prevent an incoming path even when ordinary web browsing works. A school, workplace or public Wi-Fi network may also block the traffic required for the session. If the host cannot accept an outside connection, have another friend host the same world or a copy of it. Swapping hosts is often faster than trying to reconfigure an ISP-controlled router.
Use a private-network fallback
The official multiplayer guidance documents Tailscale as a free personal-use fallback. It creates a private connection between the participating devices, which can bypass some difficult NAT arrangements. Every participant must install and sign in to the service, and you should still share access only with people you trust.
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When you should use a dedicated Hytale server
Move to a dedicated server when the world must be available while the owner is away, when more than a few friends need reliable access, or when you need administrative controls and server-side configuration. A dedicated process also separates server simulation from the host’s normal game session, so closing the game does not have to end the world.
Choose managed hosting when convenience matters
Managed hosting is the simplest dedicated-server route. Hytale Studios lists Nitrado, Apex Hosting, GPORTAL, Shockbyte and Dathost as Launch Verified providers. Their documented responsibilities include networking, hardware, maintenance and 24/7 availability, with one-click installation and updates commonly available.
Launch Verified status does not establish a universal price, performance level or support response time. Check the current plan, server location, memory and CPU allocation, backup policy, upgrade rules, cancellation terms and any partner disclosure before paying. A nearby region generally reduces latency for your group, while additional memory and CPU headroom helps worlds with high view distance, mods or many active entities.
Choose self-hosting when control matters most
Self-hosting gives you direct access to files, startup arguments, logs, backups and configuration. It also makes you responsible for Java, authentication, firewall rules, port forwarding, operating-system updates, DDoS exposure and recovery when the machine or internet connection fails. A home server is not automatically cheaper once electricity, hardware and administration time are included.
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The official server manual lists at least 4 GB of memory and Java 25 as baseline requirements. Both x64 and arm64 systems are supported. Treat 4 GB as a floor, not a guarantee of smooth play under heavy view distance, mods or large content packs.
Files and software you need
- A supported x64 or arm64 machine with at least 4 GB of RAM.
- Java 25 installed and available to the account that will run the server.
- The Hytale Server folder and Assets.zip, obtained through the supported download process. The Downloader CLI/bootstrap flow is another documented way to obtain them.
- A stable internet connection and permission to change local firewall and router settings.
- A plan for backups, updates and who can administer the server.
How to start a self-hosted Hytale server
1. Prepare the server directory
Install Java 25, place the Server files and Assets.zip in an accessible directory, and run the service under a dedicated operating-system account where practical. Keep backups outside the live directory so an update or failed experiment cannot destroy the only copy of the world.
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2. Launch the server
The manual’s example command is:
java -XX:AOTCache=HytaleServer.aot -jar HytaleServer.jar --assets Assets.zipRun it from the directory containing the JAR and asset archive. Watch the console for startup errors, asset-path mistakes or Java-version warnings before attempting an outside connection.
3. Authenticate the server
At the server console, use:
/auth login deviceComplete the device authentication flow shown by the server. Authentication sessions last one hour; the documented system refreshes them automatically five minutes before expiry. For provider automation, the OAuth refresh token has a 30-day time-to-live, so unattended infrastructure must be prepared to authenticate again when that token expires.
4. Confirm the listening address and port
The default bind is 0.0.0.0:5520. Hytale uses QUIC over UDP, so allow and forward UDP 5520 (or the custom port you configure). TCP forwarding is not required for the game connection described in the server manual.
5. Open the firewall and router
- Create an inbound firewall rule for the server executable or for UDP port 5520.
- In the router, forward UDP 5520 to the server machine’s fixed local IP address.
- If you changed the game port, forward that UDP port instead and record it for your players.
- Test from a separate internet connection rather than relying only on a device inside the same home network.
If your ISP uses CGNAT or your router is behind another router, ordinary port forwarding may never expose the service. Ask the ISP for a public address, place the server on a reachable connection, use a managed host, or use a private-network solution for a small trusted group.
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Monitor CPU and RAM separately. Player and entity counts primarily increase CPU work, while the amount of loaded world and the view distance primarily increase RAM demand. Mods and large content packs can raise both.
View distance is the most important tuning control
The server manual recommends limiting maximum view distance to 12 chunks, or 384 blocks, as a performance and gameplay guideline. Hytale’s hardware guidance says that doubling view distance quadruples the amount of world loaded and simulated. Increasing the distance therefore has a nonlinear cost; reduce it before buying hardware when players report lag or memory pressure.
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Plan network capacity
Hytale Team guidance from 2025 lists 2 Mbit/s minimum and 4 Mbit/s recommended at a 192-block view distance. This is a planning baseline, not a promise for every modded world or player count. Leave headroom for other household traffic, backups and updates, and measure the server’s real usage after players explore new areas.
Understand why multiplayer can use fewer local resources
When you join a remote server, the server performs the authoritative simulation. Your computer may therefore use less local CPU and RAM than it would while running the same world in single-player. That does not eliminate client requirements: high view distance, mods and content packs can still increase local rendering and loading work.
Backups, updates and administration
Keep scheduled backups of the world and configuration, and test restoring one before you need it. Apply Hytale and Java updates during a maintenance window, announce downtime to players, and retain the previous working files until the new version starts successfully. Restrict console or file access to trusted administrators, because anyone with those permissions can change the world or authentication state.
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For a home server, use a fixed local IP so a router reboot does not break forwarding. Record the external port, backup location and recovery steps. For managed hosting, verify whether backups, automatic updates, file access and restoration are included or billed separately; those features differ by provider and plan.
Can a Hytale server be monetized?
The Hytale EULA says server listing is discretionary. If you charge players, the server operator is the merchant of record and must clearly disclose prices, renewal terms, limitations and regional restrictions. You must also follow applicable consumer-protection, advertising, tax, payment and minors-protection rules.
A monetized server must not use misleading practices, prohibited paid random-item systems, NFT schemes or speculative-token mechanics. Treat those obligations as part of operating the server, not as optional wording in a store page. Obtain legal and tax advice for your jurisdiction before taking payments.
Which setup should you choose?
Use friend hosting if
- You normally play with a small, trusted group.
- The host is present whenever the world needs to be online.
- You want zero monthly hosting cost and minimal setup.
- You are comfortable regenerating a code or changing hosts if networking fails.
Use self-hosting if
- The world must stay online independently of a player’s game client.
- You already have a suitable machine, public network path and administration experience.
- You need direct control of files, startup arguments, backups and server configuration.
- You can maintain Java, authentication, firewall rules, router forwarding and security.
Use managed hosting if
- You want persistent availability without exposing or maintaining a home server.
- Your group values predictable networking and a provider-managed machine.
- You prefer a control panel, one-click installation and support over maximum low-level control.
- You are willing to pay a recurring fee and verify the plan’s actual resources and policies.
For most occasional co-op sessions, Online Play and a private share code are enough. For a world that functions as a shared destination, a dedicated server is the better fit; choose managed hosting for convenience or self-hosting for control.
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