A licensed Squad dedicated server needs at least 8 GB of RAM, with 4 GB added for each additional game instance. Offworld Industries recommends memory running at 3000 MHz or faster and publishes a tested CPU list. Licensing does not permit virtual machines, VPS or VDS arrangements; use an approved Hosting Partner or eligible self-hosted physical hardware instead.
Those figures apply to the server, not to the game client. Steam lists 8 GB as the minimum and 16 GB as the recommended RAM for playing Squad. Offworld has not published an authoritative CPU, RAM or internet-bandwidth table tied to specific player counts such as 80 or 100.
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Squad server requirements at a glance
| Component or rule | Official requirement or policy | What it means when planning |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 8 GB minimum per server | The policy floor for a licensed server; it is not a player-count guarantee. |
| Additional instances | 4 GB additional RAM per game instance | Add 4 GB for every instance beyond the first when sizing a machine. |
| Memory speed | 3000+ MHz recommended | Choose compatible memory and a motherboard/CPU platform that can run at that speed. |
| CPU | Use a processor on Offworld Industries’ tested list, or obtain prior approval for a comparable unlisted chip | Do not assume that every processor in a listed family qualifies. |
| Hosting model | Virtual machines, VPS and VDS are not permitted for licensing | Use an approved Hosting Partner or approved self-hosted physical hardware. |
| Administration | At least 10 admins per server | This is an operational licensing condition, separate from hardware. |
| License and listing | Approval is discretionary | Licensed servers appear in the primary Server Browser; unlicensed ones appear under Custom Servers. |
The hardware and licensing rules come from Offworld Industries’ current hosting policy, checked October 13, 2026.
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How much RAM does a Squad server need?
The official baseline
Offworld’s policy says each server requires 8 GB of RAM minimum and calls for 4 GB of additional RAM per game instance. Read that as a per-server baseline plus an increment for extra instances, not as a promise that any particular number of players will run well. The policy does not publish a table mapping 40, 80 or 100 players to a RAM figure.
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| Planned game instances on one machine | Policy minimum calculation |
|---|---|
| One instance | 8 GB minimum |
| Two instances | At least 12 GB (8 GB base + 4 GB for the additional instance) |
| Three instances | At least 16 GB (8 GB base + 8 GB for two additional instances) |
| Four instances | At least 20 GB (8 GB base + 12 GB for three additional instances) |
These are policy calculations, not a complete capacity plan. A host also needs memory for its operating system, monitoring, management tools and any other services you run. Offworld does not state how much extra headroom to reserve, so select a machine with capacity beyond the arithmetic minimum rather than treating the number as a performance target.
Memory speed and platform compatibility
The policy recommends memory speed of 3000 MHz or higher. Speed alone does not make a kit compatible: the motherboard, processor generation, firmware and memory configuration must support the selected setting. Check the platform’s qualified-memory documentation, and make sure the installed capacity still satisfies the instance calculation if a module fails or a configuration is reduced.
Which CPU is sufficient for a licensed server?
Offworld Industries maintains a tested-processor list. It identifies these examples as sufficient for hosting; the list is not an unrestricted approval of every chip with a similar name. Processor models and policy wording can change, so check the live hosting policy before buying hardware or submitting an application.
| Processor group | Tested examples named by Offworld |
|---|---|
| Intel Core i7 | 10700K/KF, 13700K/KF, 14700K/KF, 14900K/KF |
| Intel Core i9 | 10900K/KF, 11900K/KF, 12900K/KF, 13700K/KF, 13900K/KF |
| Intel Xeon | W-1290P and E-2388G (5 GHz) |
| AMD Ryzen 7 | 5700X, 5800X, 7700X, 9700X, 9900X, 9950X |
| AMD Ryzen 7 X3D | 5700X3D, 5800X3D, 7800X3D |
| AMD Ryzen 9 | 5900X, 5950X, 7900, 7900X, 7950X |
| AMD Ryzen 9 X3D | 7900X3D, 7950X3D, 9950X3D |
| AMD Epyc | 4545p |
If your processor is not listed, the policy says it may be considered with prior approval when its performance is comparable. The license holder remains responsible for providing adequate performance. A retailer’s claim that a CPU is the newest, fastest or part of a familiar series is not a substitute for checking the tested model and obtaining approval where necessary.
Choosing between listed processors
Start with the number of game instances, then verify the exact model rather than only the brand or generation. A single-instance community server has a different workload from a host running several instances, but Offworld does not publish a per-instance core-count or clock-speed formula. Avoid presenting a particular CPU as guaranteed for an 80-player server when no official player-count benchmark exists. For an unlisted processor, secure written approval before committing to it for a licensed deployment.
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Which hosting arrangements are allowed?
Approved Hosting Partner
Offworld directs communities toward an Offworld Hosting Partner as one legitimate route. Partner status and the physical arrangement behind a plan should be verified against the current policy. A provider’s use of the word dedicated does not, by itself, prove that the underlying server meets Offworld’s licensing rules; ask whether your licensed instance runs on eligible physical hardware and whether the provider’s current approval covers that service.
Approved self-hosted hardware
The other path is self-hosting on approved physical hardware that you control or operate. This gives your community responsibility for the CPU model, memory capacity, operating-system maintenance, security, backups, monitoring and network operations. It can be a good fit when you already have staff who can maintain a machine, but it does not remove the application, administration or hardware obligations in the policy.
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|---|---|---|
| Licensing eligibility | Confirm the provider is currently recognized and that the plan uses an eligible physical arrangement. | Confirm the exact hardware and obtain approval where the CPU is not listed. |
| Hardware selection | Limited to the provider’s offered configurations. | You select the listed CPU, compatible 3000+ MHz memory and capacity for your instances. |
| Operations | The provider may handle hardware and facility work; define what support is included. | Your team handles maintenance, security, replacement parts and availability. |
| Scaling instances | Request a larger plan or separate machine and recalculate RAM. | Add capacity while preserving the 8 GB base plus 4 GB per additional instance rule. |
| Community workload | Useful when you lack people to run infrastructure. | Requires a team able to administer the server and meet the minimum-admin condition. |
Why a VPS or virtual machine is not a licensing shortcut
Offworld’s policy prohibits virtual machines, VPS and VDS for licensed servers. That excludes a virtualized plan even when the advertised RAM and CPU appear to meet the numerical requirements. Ask a host how the instance is provisioned before you rely on its licensing eligibility; do not infer approval from a dedicated-looking control panel or a guaranteed-vCPU label.
Licensing, browser visibility and administrator requirements
Meeting the hardware floor does not automatically produce a licensed listing. Offworld can reject an application at its discretion, and its policy requires a minimum of 10 admins per server. A licensed server is shown in the primary Server Browser. An unlicensed server is placed under Custom Servers, so players may encounter a different discovery path even when the game process itself runs.
Plan the administrative roster before applying. Count people who can actively moderate and maintain the server, document who has access, and make sure the roster remains viable after holidays or staff turnover. Hardware procurement, administrator planning and the licensing application are separate gates; passing one does not guarantee the others.
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What CPU and internet connection are needed for an 80-player server?
CPU for 80 players
No official Offworld table specifies a CPU, core count or clock speed for an 80-player server. The policy supplies tested processor models, not player-count guarantees. Therefore, the defensible answer is to select a tested model, size RAM using the instance rule, and ask Offworld or the approved provider to confirm any player-count expectation for your exact configuration. Do not convert community estimates into an official requirement.
Internet connection for 80 players
The reviewed policy does not state a minimum internet connection, bandwidth figure, port list or tick-rate guarantee for an 80-player licensed server. Any exact Mbps number would be an estimate rather than an Offworld requirement. Before deployment, ask a prospective Hosting Partner for the network capacity, traffic policy, DDoS protection, public-address arrangement and service-level terms that apply to your plan. For self-hosting, have your network administrator validate upstream capacity and resilience for the expected concurrent load, but label those figures as your own engineering targets.
Do Steam’s PC requirements apply to the server?
No. Steam’s store listing gives requirements for the player client. It currently lists 8 GB RAM minimum and 16 GB recommended for playing Squad, as shown on the Squad Steam page. Those numbers describe a player’s computer and do not replace Offworld’s per-server licensing rule.
| Use case | RAM figures | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Playing Squad on a PC | 8 GB minimum; 16 GB recommended | Valve/Steam store listing, checked October 13, 2026 |
| One licensed dedicated server instance | 8 GB minimum | Offworld Industries hosting policy |
| Additional server instances | 4 GB additional per instance | Offworld Industries hosting policy |
Offworld’s Squad 10.6 release notes, dated October 1, 2026, say that changes reduced the minimum requirements to play the game and that a World Partition change should improve average memory use by about 1 GB depending on hardware and graphics settings. Those are client/game-performance notes, not a revised dedicated-server sizing rule. Use the hosting policy for server capacity.
Quick Recap
A practical planning sequence
- Count instances. Decide how many separate game instances the machine will run. Apply the 8 GB base and add 4 GB for each additional instance.
- Check the exact CPU model. Match the processor against Offworld’s current tested list. If it is absent, request prior approval for a comparable model before deployment.
- Specify compatible memory. Select enough physical RAM for the calculation plus your operating system and services, and choose a platform capable of the recommended 3000+ MHz memory speed.
- Choose an eligible hosting path. Use a currently recognized Hosting Partner or approved self-hosted physical hardware. Exclude VM, VPS and VDS offers for a licensed server.
- Prepare administration. Build a roster of at least 10 admins and assign moderation, maintenance and security responsibilities.
- Apply and verify listing status. Licensing is discretionary. After approval, confirm that the server appears in the primary Server Browser; otherwise, determine whether it is operating as an unlicensed Custom Server.
- Document unknowns. Record player-count targets, network capacity and performance objectives as deployment-specific tests or provider commitments, not as official requirements unless Offworld publishes them.
Common planning mistakes and how to avoid them
- Using the client specification: 16 GB recommended for a player PC is not the server policy. Keep the two tables separate in procurement documents.
- Counting only the first instance: Every additional instance adds 4 GB under the policy. Recalculate whenever you add another server process.
- Approving a whole CPU family: The list names exact tested models. Check the complete model number, including suffixes such as K, KF or X3D.
- Assuming virtualization is acceptable: VM, VPS and VDS hosting is prohibited for licensed servers regardless of advertised specifications.
- Treating 10.6 as a server update: The approximately 1 GB memory-use note concerns game/client performance and depends on hardware and graphics settings.
- Promising an 80-player result: Offworld does not publish player-count-specific CPU, RAM or bandwidth tables. State what is official and obtain configuration-specific confirmation for the rest.
- Ignoring the license gate: Adequate hardware and 10 admins do not guarantee approval; Offworld retains discretion over applications and listing.
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