Game & server hosting guides
Honest comparisons, server explainers and hosting guides — written by the team behind 10,000+ servers.
Setting up your own Lifesteal SMP server: plugins, heart rules and PvP
Steal hearts on a kill, lose them permanently on death and get heartbanned at zero: Lifesteal is the SMP format of the moment. Here's how to build your own on Paper, from plugins and heart rules to spawn protection and moderation.
31 Aug 2026
Minecraft server at home vs renting: the honest trade-off
Running a Minecraft server on your own PC is perfectly doable, as long as you know what you're getting into. We explain how home hosting works, do the honest maths on power costs and tell you when renting is the smarter choice.
31 Aug 2026
GTA 6 and FiveM in 2026: why your server still has a future
Plenty of people are putting their FiveM plans on hold because GTA 6 is coming. No need: the game launches on console only, with no PC version and no roleplay platform. RP therefore stays on FiveM — and the hype is more likely to pull new players towards GTA RP.
31 Aug 2026
DayZ Badlands lands 15 October: how to prep your server for Nasdara
DayZ Badlands arrives on 15 October with Nasdara: 267 km² of desert, the biggest official map ever. Here is how to prepare your server for the move, from map choice and loot economy to mods and the question of whether your plan can take it.
31 Aug 2026
The best Minecraft modpacks of 2026 to play with friends
Which modpack should you pick for your friend group in 2026? We line up ten options, from light vanilla+ packs to All the Mods 10 — ranked by how well they suit groups, with concrete RAM advice per pack for your server.
31 Aug 2026
Valheim mods on your server: BepInEx without the hassle
BepInEx turns your Valheim server into exactly the game your group wants. Here's how to install mods, know which ones your players need themselves and survive a game update without a broken server.
24 Aug 2026
Updating your FiveM server: artifacts, txAdmin and resources
Your players' FiveM client updates itself automatically — your server doesn't. Here's how to update artifacts and resources without wrecking your server, and when it's smarter to wait.
24 Aug 2026
A Terraria server with TShock: plugins and management
TShock turns your Terraria server into a manageable community server with accounts, permissions and plugins, while players simply join with vanilla. Here's how to claim your superadmin, protect your spawn and make sure your world survives any griefer.
24 Aug 2026
Proximity voice chat on your server: installing Simple Voice Chat
With Simple Voice Chat you only talk to players standing nearby — perfect for roleplay and survival with friends. Here's how to install the mod, open the UDP port and set up groups and distances.
24 Aug 2026
Modding your Rust server with Oxide and Carbon: installing plugins
With Oxide or Carbon you shape your Rust server into exactly what you want: from gather rates to kits and clans. Here's how to install plugins, set up permissions and survive the monthly forced wipe.
24 Aug 2026
Pterodactyl on your own VPS: your own game panel
With Pterodactyl you run your own game panel on a VPS: free, open source and entirely yours. But self-hosting also means updates, backups and security. Here's what you need — and here's when you're better off not doing it.
24 Aug 2026
Promoting your Minecraft server: how to find players in 2026
Your server is up, but it stays quiet. Here's how to find players in 2026 via server lists, Discord and short videos — and how to make the first ten minutes count, so new players actually stay.
24 Aug 2026