Running a 24/7 Sons of the Forest dedicated server means your island survives even when you log off, your base keeps building, and your friends can drop in any time without waiting for the host. Endnight Games ships a free standalone server tool that you install through SteamCMD and configure with a single JSON file. This guide walks through every step: installing the server, editing dedicatedserver.cfg, opening the right ports, understanding the eight-player cap, and getting it running on both Windows (native) and Linux (via Wine).
Sons of the Forest left Early Access and hit its 1.0 full release on February 22, 2024, and it has continued to receive patches through 2025 (a major content update added buildable rafts and a procedural wall system in January 2025, followed by a Unity security patch in October 2025). There is no announced end of support, so a server you stand up today stays current.
Quick facts before you start
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Game | Sons of the Forest (1.0 since Feb 22, 2024) |
| Developer / Publisher | Endnight Games Ltd / Newnight |
| Game Steam App ID | 1326470 |
| Dedicated-server SteamCMD App ID | 2465200 (anonymous login) |
| Server executable | SonsOfTheForestDS.exe |
| Launch script | StartSOTFDedicated.bat |
| Config file | dedicatedserver.cfg (JSON) |
| Max players | 8 (hard game cap) |
| Native platform | Windows only (Linux via Wine) |
Step 1: Install the server with SteamCMD
The dedicated server is a separate download from the game itself, distributed under SteamCMD App ID 2465200. It supports anonymous login, so you do not need to own the game on the account that downloads the server files. After installing SteamCMD, run the following from the SteamCMD prompt:
login anonymous
force_install_dir C:\sotf-server
app_update 2465200 validate
quitThe validate flag verifies file integrity and re-downloads anything corrupt or missing — keep it in your update command so patches apply cleanly. Re-running the same app_update 2465200 validate line is also how you update the server whenever Endnight ships a new build.
Step 2: Launch the server
Inside the install folder you’ll find SonsOfTheForestDS.exe (the actual server process) and a Windows batch launcher named StartSOTFDedicated.bat. The batch file is the intended entry point — double-click it (or run it from a command line / scheduled task) and it starts the server executable for you. On first launch the server generates its config file and save data, then begins listening on its ports.
Older community guides sometimes reference a file called startdedi.bat; that is not the current official name. The launcher that ships with the live server tool is StartSOTFDedicated.bat.
Step 3: Configure dedicatedserver.cfg
All server settings live in dedicatedserver.cfg, a JSON file generated on first launch. Because it’s JSON, formatting matters — keep the quotes and commas intact or the server will fail to parse it. Here are the verified default contents:
{
"IpAddress": "0.0.0.0",
"GamePort": 8766,
"QueryPort": 27016,
"BlobSyncPort": 9700,
"ServerName": "Sons Of The Forest Server (dedicated)",
"MaxPlayers": 8,
"Password": "",
"LanOnly": false,
"SaveSlot": 1,
"SaveMode": "Continue",
"GameMode": "Normal",
"SaveInterval": 600
}What each of the key fields does:
- ServerName — the string shown in the in-game server browser. Make it descriptive so players can find you.
- MaxPlayers — integer, capped at 8. This is the game’s co-op ceiling, not a server-tool limit (more on that below).
- Password — leave empty for an open server, or set a string (up to roughly 40 characters) for a private/whitelisted experience.
- GamePort — default 8766 (UDP), the main game-traffic port.
- QueryPort — default 27016 (UDP), used by the server browser to query status.
- BlobSyncPort — default 9700 (UDP), used for syncing larger blob data like the world save to joining clients.
- SaveSlot — integer of 1 or higher; pick a slot to keep separate worlds isolated.
- GameMode — the difficulty/ruleset (see the table below).
- LanOnly — boolean; set to
trueto hide the server from the public internet browser and restrict it to your local network.
The verified valid GameMode values are:
| GameMode value | What it does |
|---|---|
| Normal | Standard survival balance (the default) |
| Hard | Tougher enemies and resource pressure |
| HardSurvival | The hardcore-style mode (note the exact string is HardSurvival, not “Hardcore”) |
| Peaceful | Build and explore with reduced hostility |
| Creative | Unrestricted building / experimentation |
| Custom | Reads the CustomGameModeSettings block for granular rules |
If you want the hardcore-style ruleset, use "GameMode": "HardSurvival" — the literal string “Hardcore” is not a confirmed valid value. Setting "GameMode": "Custom" tells the server to read the CustomGameModeSettings block, where you can fine-tune individual rules.
Step 4: Open the firewall ports
For players to reach your server from the internet, forward (or allow through your firewall) the three UDP ports defined in the config:
- 8766/UDP — GamePort
- 27016/UDP — QueryPort
- 9700/UDP — BlobSyncPort
If you change any port in dedicatedserver.cfg, change the matching firewall/port-forward rule too. A server that starts cleanly but never appears in the browser is almost always a closed QueryPort or BlobSyncPort.
Why is max players capped at 8?
This is the single most-searched question about Sons of the Forest hosting, so let’s be blunt: the maximum is 8 players, and it’s a hard cap built into the game’s co-op netcode — not a limit the server tool imposes. Setting MaxPlayers higher than 8 in the config will not add slots; 8 is the ceiling Endnight designed co-op around. You can set it lower (for a smaller private group), but never higher.
Running on Linux (via Wine)
There is no native Linux build of the Sons of the Forest dedicated server. Windows is the only native platform. To host on a Linux box (Ubuntu, Debian, etc.), you force SteamCMD to download the Windows files and then run the executable under Wine, typically headless via xvfb-run so it has a virtual display.
Force the Windows platform during the SteamCMD download:
steamcmd +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows \
+login anonymous \
+force_install_dir /home/sotf/server \
+app_update 2465200 validate \
+quitThen launch the Windows executable through Wine with a virtual framebuffer:
xvfb-run wine /home/sotf/server/SonsOfTheForestDS.exeThis Wine approach is what most Linux host guides and the community Docker images rely on. It works, but it adds a translation layer that can complicate updates and troubleshooting. If you’d rather skip the Wine wrangling, a managed Sons of the Forest server rental gives you a ready-to-run instance with the ports pre-opened, automatic updates, and the config exposed in a control panel — no SteamCMD or Wine setup on your end.
After it’s running: console and admin
For in-game administration and testing, Sons of the Forest has a developer console. During active gameplay (not in your inventory, map, pause menu, or a text box) you type the word cheatstick — the letters appear in the top-left corner — and then press F1 to open the console. From there you can run commands like save to force a save, godmode on, or killallenemies. For the full command reference and how the console behaves on a dedicated server, see our deep dive on using the developer console for your Sons of the Forest server.
If you’re sizing a machine, note the game’s published recommended spec is a Core i7-8700K / Ryzen 5 3600X with 16 GB RAM — a server instance is lighter than a play client, but RAM headroom matters with eight players in a heavily built world. We break the full numbers down in the Sons of the Forest system requirements guide. And if you’re curious about the studio behind it, our Endnight Games studio profile covers the team that built The Forest and its sequel. For step-by-step panel walkthroughs specific to our platform, head to the Sons of the Forest documentation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sons of the Forest dedicated server App ID?
The dedicated server tool is SteamCMD App ID 2465200 and supports anonymous login. The game itself is App ID 1326470, but you download the server separately and don’t need to own the game on the SteamCMD account.
How many players can join a Sons of the Forest server?
Eight. MaxPlayers is capped at 8 because that’s the game’s hard co-op limit. You can lower it for a smaller group, but raising it above 8 does nothing.
Which ports does the server use?
Three UDP ports by default: GamePort 8766, QueryPort 27016, and BlobSyncPort 9700. Forward all three. If the server starts but doesn’t show in the browser, check QueryPort and BlobSyncPort first.
Can I run the server on Linux?
Yes, but only via Wine — there’s no native Linux binary. Force the Windows platform in SteamCMD with +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows, then run SonsOfTheForestDS.exe under Wine, usually headless with xvfb-run.
What are the valid GameMode values?
Normal, Hard, HardSurvival, Peaceful, Creative, and Custom. The hardcore-style mode is the string HardSurvival — “Hardcore” is not a confirmed value. Using Custom activates the CustomGameModeSettings block.
How do I update or change the difficulty later?
To update, re-run app_update 2465200 validate in SteamCMD. To change settings, stop the server, edit the relevant value in dedicatedserver.cfg (keeping the JSON valid), and restart. The server is still actively patched through 2025 with no announced end of support, so keep it updated.
With the server installed, the config tuned, and your three UDP ports open, you’ve got a persistent island ready for up to eight survivors. Stand it up yourself with SteamCMD, or skip the setup entirely with a managed instance — either way, your world keeps running between sessions.
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