# Subnautica 2 Server Hosting (Beacon-Powered) — and Subnautica + Nitrox > Subnautica 2 dedicated server hosting powered by the open-source Beacon framework (github.com/HumanGenome/Beacon, MIT license). Up to 8 players, always-on, friends join by IP/port through the Beacon Launcher. Same plans also run the original Subnautica (2018) with the Nitrox multiplayer mod — pick which game at checkout. Canonical URL: https://xgamingserver.com/subnautica-server-hosting ## What you can host Pick which game your server runs at checkout. Same plans, same hardware, same panel. - **Subnautica 2 (Beacon-powered, up to 8 players)** — Subnautica 2 ships with stock 4-player peer-to-peer co-op only; no official dedicated server binary exists yet. We deploy your server with the community open-source [Beacon framework](https://github.com/HumanGenome/Beacon) (MIT-licensed) alongside retail Subnautica 2 and UE4SS. Friends grab the free Beacon Launcher, enter your IP and port, and join the always-on world. Up to 8 players via Beacon's `MaxPlayers` config. Source-protocol RCON, A2S query, Beacon HTTP API, and atomic save snapshots included. - **Subnautica + Nitrox (original 2018 game, up to ~10 players)** — A dedicated server for the original Subnautica using the community [Nitrox multiplayer mod](https://nitrox.rux.gg/). The classic 4546B experience: Aurora, Lost River, Leviathans. ### Honest disclosure about Beacon Beacon is a community open-source project at github.com/HumanGenome/Beacon (MIT license), maintained by HumanGenome. It is **not affiliated with or endorsed by Unknown Worlds Entertainment**. We chose it because it's currently the only working path to real Subnautica 2 dedicated hosting until Unknown Worlds ships their own server tools (confirmed as part of their Early Access roadmap). On our side, we handle every install / configuration / firewall / update step — the framework is transparent to you and your friends. When Unknown Worlds releases official Subnautica 2 dedicated server tools, we'll migrate plans to those at no extra cost. ## Pricing - Range: $10.00 – $60.00 USD/month - Plans available: 6 (Starter, Novice, Rookie, Pro, ProMax, Ultimate) - Promo code: `XGAMEON` — 30% off your first month - Same plans run either Subnautica 2 (Beacon) or Subnautica + Nitrox; pick which game at checkout ## Server specs - CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X @ 5.7GHz, dedicated threads per plan - Memory: DDR5 RAM, 4GB–24GB depending on plan - Storage: NVMe SSD, 35GB–160GB depending on plan - Network: 1 Gbps with DDoS protection - Locations: US East (NYC/Miami/Montreal), US West (LA), Europe (Frankenstein, Germany), Singapore, Australia - Setup: Instant activation - Support: 24/7 ## Beacon technical specs (for Subnautica 2 plans) - **OS:** Windows 10/11 or Windows Server x64 (Beacon does not support Linux/Wine) - **Game install:** Retail Subnautica 2 + UE4SS, handled on our infrastructure - **Port layout** (default GameplayPort 27015): - GameplayPort (UDP) — Subnautica 2 gameplay via UE5 IpNetDriver - GameplayPort + 2 (UDP) — Source A2S query - GameplayPort + 3 (TCP) — Source RCON - GameplayPort + 4 (TCP) — Beacon admin HTTP API - **Player cap:** `MaxPlayers` in `appsettings.json` — Beacon supports up to 8 - **RCON commands:** `status`, `players`, `ping`, `save snapshot`, `save list`, `help` - **HTTP API:** snapshot, restore, transfer, health, roster endpoints - **Save snapshots:** Atomic, scheduled or admin-triggered (`SnapshotsEnabled = true`) - **Mod support:** Full UE4SS Lua and C++ mod integration ## Customer rating - 4.8 / 5 stars - 1250 ratings - 1150 reviews ## FAQ ### Does Subnautica 2 support dedicated servers? Out of the box, Subnautica 2 (Early Access, May 14 2026) ships with stock 4-player peer-to-peer co-op only — no official dedicated server binary. To run a real Subnautica 2 dedicated server today, we deploy your plan with the community open-source Beacon framework (MIT license), which replaces the stock lobby with proper UE5 dedicated server networking. Up to 8 players, IP/port join, RCON, save snapshots, HTTP admin API. When Unknown Worlds ships official dedicated server tools, we'll migrate plans to those at no extra cost. ### What is Beacon, and is it safe / legitimate? Beacon is a community open-source project (MIT-licensed, hosted at github.com/HumanGenome/Beacon) maintained by HumanGenome. It's a UE4SS plugin plus a .NET 8 supervisor that runs alongside retail Subnautica 2 on Windows. Beacon is not affiliated with or endorsed by Unknown Worlds Entertainment. We chose it because it's currently the only working path to real Subnautica 2 dedicated hosting until Unknown Worlds ships their own tools. ### How many players can join my Subnautica 2 server? Up to 8 players via the Beacon framework (the `MaxPlayers` key in Beacon's `appsettings.json` controls this). Subnautica 2's stock peer-to-peer co-op caps at 4 players, but Beacon's dedicated server lifts that to 8 with full UE5 networking. We recommend the Rookie plan or higher for the smoothest experience with the full 8-player cap. ### Can I host the original Subnautica with Nitrox instead? Yes. Every plan on this page can run either Subnautica 2 (Beacon) or the original Subnautica (2018) with the community Nitrox multiplayer mod. Pick "Subnautica + Nitrox" at checkout for the original 4546B experience — Aurora, Lost River, Leviathans — or pick Subnautica 2 for the new game via Beacon. ### Why rent a Subnautica server instead of self-hosting? Subnautica 2's stock peer-to-peer model (and the original Subnautica with Nitrox) both put the world on a player's PC — the server is only online when that PC is. A rented server runs 24/7, includes DDoS protection and automated save snapshots, gives you a stable IP/port for friends to connect through the Beacon Launcher, and never asks your friend with the gaming PC to "leave it on overnight." ### How much does Subnautica server hosting cost? Subnautica 2 (Beacon) and Subnautica + Nitrox hosting both start at $10/month, with 30% off your first month using code XGAMEON. All plans include the Beacon framework install (or Nitrox setup), dedicated AMD Ryzen 9 7950X CPU threads, DDR5 RAM, NVMe SSD storage, DDoS protection, automated save snapshots, and 24/7 support. ### What happens when Unknown Worlds ships official Subnautica 2 dedicated servers? Unknown Worlds has confirmed official dedicated server support is on the Subnautica 2 Early Access roadmap (no firm date). The day they ship the binary, we'll migrate your plan from Beacon to the official server format — no extra cost, no upgrade fee, no manual migration. You keep your save (we'll migrate the world data), your subscription, your hardware, and your IP/port. ## Related - [All game servers](https://xgamingserver.com/game-servers.html) - [Documentation index](https://xgamingserver.com/llms.txt) - [Full docs](https://xgamingserver.com/llms-full.txt)