Have you ever thought about launching your own gaming server? Maybe for a small group of pals or to start a whole new community. You've probably encountered VPS hosting if you've followed this rabbit hole. However, will it remain the accepted standard in 2025? Let's begin.
You have much more power and control than with standard shared hosting, where you're basically sharing a room and everything that comes with it with a group of strangers.
For gaming, that means goodbye to the lag and instability shared hosting tends to bring. With a VPS, you have your own share of the server's resources, which equals a smoother ride for you and your players.
I recall the irritation of my previous home-hosted server crashing with only a few players connected, moving to a VPS was like a dream come true.
Also, although a VPS is cheaper than a dedicated server, it will still cost more than dedicated game server hosting, and usually starts at around $10 monthly. And you may still experience some latency depending on the provider network.
However, you can save money by using a dedicated game server provider if you don't want to handle the technical side of things on your own, or if your budget is limited.
Often, control panels are easy to use, and most of these services arrive pre-configured for specific games.
Finally, the best option will always be a function of your requirements and what you are comfortable with. But if you're willing to take the helm and create a really bespoke gaming experience, a VPS is a great option to consider.
An Overview of VPS for Gaming
First of all, we need to understand what is a VPS? Imagine a Virtual Private Server (VPS) as your personal apartment in a big house. You have your own dedicated resources such as CPU, RAM, and storage within a shared physical server.You have much more power and control than with standard shared hosting, where you're basically sharing a room and everything that comes with it with a group of strangers.
For gaming, that means goodbye to the lag and instability shared hosting tends to bring. With a VPS, you have your own share of the server's resources, which equals a smoother ride for you and your players.
I recall the irritation of my previous home-hosted server crashing with only a few players connected, moving to a VPS was like a dream come true.
Why It's a Great Option
So, why is a VPS such a great option for hosting game servers? Here are a few reasons why I'm a huge supporter:- Complete Control: With root access, you're in charge. You can put in whatever mods or plugins you desire, adjust server settings to your heart's content, and make a completely customized gaming environment.
- Performance Boost: Since you have committed resources, you don't have to contend with other users on the server taking all the juice. This translates to less lag and a more stable environment for your players. In addition, many providers now provide fast NVMe SSD storage, which greatly reduces loading times.
- Scalability is Key: Is your server suddenly going crazy in popularity? No worries. With VPS, you can simply scale your resources to accommodate more players without needing to switch to an entirely new setup.
- Improved Security: DDoS protection comes with most VPS providers, which is a godsend when it comes to keeping your server online and protected against attacks.
But Is It All Sunshine and Rainbows?
But if you ask me then I would say that a VPS isn't for every single person. There are several things to remember. To begin with, you'll have to be somewhat tech-savvy in order to install and administer your server. It's not like a one-click installation, so get ready to roll up your sleeves and do some command-line work.Also, although a VPS is cheaper than a dedicated server, it will still cost more than dedicated game server hosting, and usually starts at around $10 monthly. And you may still experience some latency depending on the provider network.
The Verdict
So, is a VPS good enough for your game server in 2025? If you want a high-performance, flexible, and scalable hosting setup, then yes. It gets the best of both worlds between shared hosting's affordability and a dedicated server's brute power.However, you can save money by using a dedicated game server provider if you don't want to handle the technical side of things on your own, or if your budget is limited.
Often, control panels are easy to use, and most of these services arrive pre-configured for specific games.
Finally, the best option will always be a function of your requirements and what you are comfortable with. But if you're willing to take the helm and create a really bespoke gaming experience, a VPS is a great option to consider.
