How to Host a CryoFall Dedicated Server (2026 Setup Guide)

To host a CryoFall dedicated server, install the .NET 6 runtime, get the server from Steam (app 1061710, listed as CryoFall Dedicated Server under Tools) or from AtomicTorch's site, and start it with dotnet CryoFall_Server.dll loadOrNew from the Binaries/Server folder. The first run creates SettingsServer.xml, ServerRates.config and ModsConfig.xml in the Data folder, where you set the name, the operator list and public or private. Forward UDP port 6000 and players add your address in the Servers menu.

CryoFall left Early Access in 2021 and is a finished game. The official servers are quieter than they were, which is exactly why groups run their own: your own rates, PvE or PvP, and a wipe schedule that suits you. The good news is that the server is unusually light.

What the server needs

AtomicTorch's own server setup guide gives these figures:

The server runs on Windows, Linux and macOS through .NET, and it does not use more than two CPU cores. A modest machine handles a large community, the harder part is keeping it on around the clock.

Step 1: Install .NET and the server

1. Install the .NET Runtime 6.0 (x64) from Microsoft for your operating system.
2. Get the server files one of three ways:
   • In the Steam client, open Library, switch the filter to include Tools, search for CryoFall Dedicated Server and install it.
   • With SteamCMD: steamcmd +force_install_dir ./cryofall +login anonymous +app_update 1061710 validate +quit
   • As a zip from AtomicTorch, linked from their setup guide.
3. You end up with folders including Binaries, Core and, after first start, Data.

Step 2: First start

Open a terminal in the server folder and run:

dotnet Binaries/Server/CryoFall_Server.dll loadOrNew

loadOrNew loads the existing world if there is one and creates a new one if not, so it is the right command for every normal start. The other options:

Let it finish generating, then stop it cleanly from its console:

stop 60 Server restarting to apply settings

The number is a countdown in seconds and the text is shown to players. Always stop this way rather than closing the window, so the world saves.

Step 3: SettingsServer.xml

Open Data/SettingsServer.xml. The settings that matter on day one:

• server_name: the name in the server list. Make it unique.
• is_public_server: 0 for private, 1 to appear in the Community list for everyone.
• server_operators_list: your in game player name, which makes you an operator with access to admin commands. Add more names separated by commas. Join the server once first so your name exists.
• no_client_mods: set to 1 to stop players using client side mods. Worth it on a PvP server.
• server_port: UDP 6000 by default. Change it only if you run two servers on one IP.

Save, then start the server again with loadOrNew.

The server description and welcome message are not in this file. Set them from the game itself: connect as an operator and open the Current Game menu.

Step 4: Rates and PvE or PvP

Every rate lives in Data/ServerRates.config, and every line starts commented out with #. That catches nearly everyone: changing a number without deleting the # does nothing. The most important switch is PvP, which is off by default, so a fresh server is PvE until you turn it on. Gathering, learning points, crafting speed, decay and the rest are explained key by key in CryoFall ServerRates.config explained.

Step 5: Open the port and connect

CryoFall uses a single port: UDP 6000. There is no separate query port. Forward UDP 6000 to the server PC at home and allow it through the firewall.

To join:

1. Launch CryoFall and open Servers from the main menu.
2. A public server shows in the Community list. For a private server, open the Custom list and add your.ip:6000.
3. Select it and connect.

Local testing works with localhost on the server machine, and other PCs on your network can use its local IPv4 address.

Step 6: Mods and the server icon

Mods are .mpk files in the server's mods folder, listed in Data/ModsConfig.xml to load. The server can also have its own icon: replace Data/ServerIcon.png with a 256 by 256 PNG under 100 KB.

Updating the server

When AtomicTorch releases a patch, clients update and an old server stops accepting them. Before you update, back up the whole Data folder, since that holds your world saves and configs. Then update through Steam or SteamCMD, or with the zip by overwriting only the Binaries and Core folders. Start with loadOrNew and check the world is intact.

Admin basics

Once your name is in the operator list, open the console in game with the tilde key and type commands starting with /. A few to know straight away: /mod.whiteList.enabled 1 with /mod.whiteList.add name for a private group, /kick name 60 for a one hour kick, and /admin.setRaidingWindow to restrict PvP raids to set hours. The full set is in CryoFall server admin commands.

Skipping the hosting chores

A CryoFall server with GamezServers installs the server for you, starts it with loadOrNew, and keeps it updated if you leave auto update on. SettingsServer.xml, ServerRates.config and ModsConfig.xml are in the file manager, so the steps above become text edits and a restart from the control panel, with one click backups before a wipe. It has its own address, so there is no port 6000 to forward. Because CryoFall is so light, most groups fit a small plan, and you can split the bill with up to 10 friends.

FAQ

What port does a CryoFall server use?

UDP 6000 by default, set in SettingsServer.xml. CryoFall uses only that one port, there is no query port.

Why is my private CryoFall server not in the server list?

Private servers never show in the Community list. Players add the address under the Custom list in the Servers menu. Set is_public_server to 1 if you want it listed.

How do I wipe a CryoFall server?

Back up the Data folder, then start the server once with new instead of loadOrNew. That creates a fresh world and replaces the old one.

How much RAM does a CryoFall server need?

Very little. AtomicTorch lists 1.5 GB for 30 players, 2 GB for 100 and about 2.5 GB for 300.