Dedicated server

Online games need somewhere to run the official version of each match. With dedicated servers, that job is done by machines set up specifically for it, typically in data centres run by the game’s publisher or a hosting company. Players connect to the server; nobody’s console or PC is responsible for hosting the match.

The alternative: peer-to-peer and player hosting

Some games instead use peer-to-peer connections, where players’ devices connect directly, or make one player the host. These approaches cost the publisher less, but they have drawbacks. The quality of the match can depend on the host’s home broadband. The host may gain a small advantage from having no delay. If the host leaves, the match may stop or pause while it moves to another player. Peer-to-peer can also expose more information about players’ connections.

Benefits of dedicated servers

• More consistent performance, since servers sit on fast, reliable connections.
• Fairer matches, because no player is the host.
• Better resistance to cheating, as the server can check what players are doing.
• Support for large player counts and higher tick rates.

The trade-off is cost, which is one reason dedicated servers are most common in popular competitive and live-service games.

Community and private servers

Some games let players rent or run their own dedicated servers, with custom rules and their own moderators. These are popular in sandbox and survival games, where a group of friends can keep a shared world running permanently. A server run by friends, with access limited to invited players, can be a good way to play online with fewer strangers.

One long-term consideration

Games that rely entirely on official servers can stop working online when those servers are switched off. Games that allow player-run servers often stay playable for much longer, which is worth weighing up when buying for the long term.