Conan Exiles Enhanced is the biggest technical leap the game has taken since launch: a free upgrade that moves the survival sandbox from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5. Funcom announced it on April 23, 2026 and rolled it out worldwide on May 5, 2026. If you run — or are thinking about running — a community server, Enhanced changes a few things that matter, from RAM requirements to which version your players connect to. This guide breaks down what actually changed and what it means for hosting.
What Is Conan Exiles Enhanced?
Enhanced is a full engine upgrade to Unreal Engine 5, delivered free to anyone who already owns Conan Exiles. Rather than replacing the original outright, Funcom ships it as a separate Enhanced (UE5) edition that sits alongside the original Legacy (UE4) build, so players and server owners can choose which version to run. The headline upgrade is UE5’s Lumen real-time global illumination — torches now bounce light off cave walls, sunlight filters through the jungle canopy, and firelight washes over armour in a way the old renderer never managed.
It is not just a coat of paint. The upgrade also shrinks the install dramatically — from roughly 120 GB down to around 40 GB — thanks to reworked asset packaging, and it ships a revamped UI. For the full list of server-side technical changes, our team also maintains a Conan Exiles Enhanced server documentation page.
The Biggest Gameplay Changes
- Merged maps. For the first time, The Exiled Lands and The Isle of Siptah are travelable on the same server — no character switching, no separate save files, no restart to move between worlds. This is a genuine first for Conan Exiles and a big draw for community servers.
- Multiple characters per account. Another long-requested feature: you can finally create more than one character on a single account.
- UE5 visuals. Lumen lighting, sharper materials, and better environmental detail across both maps.
- Smaller footprint. The client install drops by roughly two-thirds, which also speeds up updates and reduces disk pressure on servers.
What Enhanced Means for Your Server
This is where Enhanced matters most if you host. UE5’s Lumen (and the broader renderer) is more memory-hungry than UE4, so the resource bar moves up. The key planning numbers:
| Consideration | Legacy (UE4) | Enhanced (UE5) |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Unreal Engine 4 | Unreal Engine 5 (Lumen) |
| Recommended server RAM | Lower baseline | Funcom recommends 16 GB minimum |
| RAM usage vs UE4 | Baseline | Roughly 15–25% higher |
| Maps | One map per server | Exiled Lands + Siptah on one server |
| Mods | Existing UE4 mods | Mods must be updated for UE5 |
The practical takeaway: budget more RAM than your old UE4 server used. If you were comfortable on a smaller plan before, Enhanced’s higher baseline means you should size up — 16 GB is the figure Funcom points to. On a managed host you can spin up a Conan Exiles Enhanced (UE5) server with the right resources already provisioned and toggle between Enhanced and Legacy without rebuilding from scratch.
Enhanced vs Legacy: Which Should You Run?
Because both editions are supported, you have a real choice. Run Enhanced if you want the UE5 visuals, merged maps, and multiple characters, and you can provide the extra RAM. Stick with Legacy if your community depends on mods that have not yet been updated for UE5, or if you are running on tighter hardware — mod authors need time to port their work to the new engine, so check that the mods your server relies on have Enhanced-compatible versions before you switch. Once your version is settled, our server settings guide covers the configuration that applies to both editions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Conan Exiles Enhanced free?
Yes. Enhanced is a free upgrade for anyone who already owns Conan Exiles. It launched on May 5, 2026 as a separate UE5 edition alongside the original Legacy (UE4) build.
Do I need a more powerful server for Enhanced?
Generally yes. UE5’s Lumen rendering pushes RAM usage up by roughly 15–25% over UE4, and Funcom recommends a minimum of 16 GB for Enhanced servers. If you are migrating an existing UE4 server, plan for the higher baseline.
Can I play the Exiled Lands and Siptah on the same server now?
On Enhanced, yes — both maps are travelable on a single server without switching characters or restarting. This was not possible on the Legacy (UE4) version, where each server ran a single map. To learn the two worlds, see our Exiled Lands and Siptah maps guide.
Ready to play?
Run your own Conan Exiles server with XGamingServer
Spin up an always-on Conan Exiles server your friends can join in minutes — no port-forwarding, no tech headaches.
