Space Engineers Dedicated Server: Setup, Requirements, Ports, Mods and Admin

A Space Engineers dedicated server is a copy of your world that runs on its own machine, with no graphics, so the crew can keep building while the host is offline. To set one up, install the free Space Engineers Dedicated Server tool (Steam app 298740) on a Windows PC with 6–10 GB of free RAM, create or load a world in it, and open UDP port 27016. Below: requirements, setup, the config file, mods, admin, Torch, Linux and crossplay, then fixes for the problems that come up most.

Can you host a dedicated server in Space Engineers?

Yes. Anyone who owns Space Engineers on Steam gets the dedicated server for free, and the server doesn’t need its own game license to run. It works differently from a player-hosted game. There, one player’s PC is client and server at once, and the world goes offline when they quit. A dedicated server runs the world headless on a separate machine, 24/7.

	Player-hosted game	Dedicated server
Who runs the world	One player’s PC, while they play	A separate machine, around the clock
World online when the host logs off	No	Yes
Performance	Depends on the host’s PC and upload	No rendering or effects, so Keen says less lag
Players	What the host’s PC can carry; PlayStation lobbies are capped at 4 (PS4) or 8 (PS5)	Set by MaxPlayers; Keen recommends 16
Programmable Block scripts for console players	Not in locally hosted games	Yes, on dedicated servers

Multiplayer works in both Creative and Survival. Rather not keep a Windows PC running for it? Space Engineers server hosting gives you the same dedicated server without the hardware.

Space Engineers dedicated server requirements

Keen’s official minimum for a Space Engineers dedicated server is a 3.2 GHz CPU with 3 logical cores, 6 GB of RAM and 5 Mbps of bandwidth. The recommended spec is a 4.5 GHz CPU and 10 GB of RAM. It runs on Windows with .NET 4.8 or newer and the Visual C++ 2013 and 2017 redistributables, and a public server should have a static IP address.

Server specs	Keen minimum	Keen recommended
CPU	3.2 GHz, 3 logical cores	4.5 GHz, 3 logical cores
RAM	6 GB	10 GB
Bandwidth	5 Mbps	5 Mbps or more
OS and software	Windows, .NET 4.8+, Visual C++ 2013 and 2017 redistributables. Admin rights only if you run it as a service.
Network	A static public IP if people outside your network will join

Is Space Engineers CPU heavy?

Yes. The server simulates physics for every ship, station, rotor and piston in the world, and when the CPU falls behind, simulation speed drops for everyone. That’s why Keen’s spec talks in clock speed: a fast CPU matters more than a big one. RAM grows with the world too. Every grid and every asteroid or planet the crew has touched stays in it, so plan 8–12 GB for a world you mean to keep.

How to set up a Space Engineers dedicated server

Setting up a Space Engineers server takes four steps. Download the server with Steam or SteamCMD, start SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe, configure a world in its Server Manager window, and press Save & start. The first start creates the instance folder and its config file. Everything below assumes Windows; Linux comes further down.

Step 1: Download the dedicated server

• With Steam: in your Library, switch to Tools, search for Space Engineers Dedicated Server and install it.
• With SteamCMD, if the machine has no Steam client. The same command updates the server later:

  steamcmd.exe +login anonymous +force_install_dir C:\SEDS +app_update 298740 +quit

Step 2: Open the Server Manager

1. Run SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe. It sits in the DedicatedServer64 folder, usually ...\steamapps\common\SpaceEngineersDedicatedServer\DedicatedServer64.
2. For a normal foreground server, pick Local/Console. To run it as a Windows service, start the tool as Administrator, click Add new instance and give it a name that’s unique on the system. Each instance needs its own port.
3. Click Continue to server configuration. Click Connect to Steam if you want to pick mods and admins from your Steam lists.

Step 3: Create a world or load a save

Choose New game to generate a world from a scenario, or Saved worlds to load one. To move a save from your own game to the dedicated server, copy its folder from %AppData%\SpaceEngineers\Saves on your PC into %AppData%\SpaceEngineersDedicated\Saves (Local/Console) or C:\ProgramData\SpaceEngineersDedicated (service instances). The scenario and the asteroid amount can only be set when the world is created.

Step 4: Fill in the server settings and start it

• General: server name, world name, port (27016 by default), password, Steam Group ID, Remote API and description.
• Users: admins, banned players and reserved slots, by 64-bit Steam ID.
• Mods: active mods (more below).
• MotD: a message every player sees on joining.
• Maintenance: auto-restart and auto-update.

Press Save & start. The Console tab shows the server’s output while it loads the world.

Run it as a service, with auto-restart

A service keeps running when you close the window and starts again after a reboot. Auto-restart and auto-update on the Maintenance tab only work while the Server Manager stays open. Without it, open the server’s Windows service, go to Recovery, and set the first, second and subsequent failures to Restart the Service. Then add a Task Scheduler task that checks the server is running. To stop the server cleanly and save the world, use taskkill /IM SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe. Adding /f kills it without saving.

How to update a Space Engineers dedicated server

Run the same SteamCMD command (app_update 298740), or let Steam update the tool, with the server stopped. Players on a newer game version can’t join a server still on an old one. Back up the world first: updates and new mods are when saves get hurt.

Space Engineers server config: where the settings file is

Everything the Server Manager shows is stored in SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg, an XML file in the instance’s data folder. That’s %AppData%\SpaceEngineersDedicated for the Local/Console instance, or the instance’s own folder under C:\ProgramData\SpaceEngineersDedicated for a service. The Edit config button opens it. Each world also keeps a Sandbox_config.sbc with its own copy of the settings in its save folder.

A shortened example. The real file has many more lines:

<MyConfigDedicated>
  <SessionSettings>
    <GameMode>Survival</GameMode>
    <InventorySizeMultiplier>3</InventorySizeMultiplier>
    <AssemblerSpeedMultiplier>3</AssemblerSpeedMultiplier>
    <RefinerySpeedMultiplier>3</RefinerySpeedMultiplier>
    <MaxPlayers>8</MaxPlayers>
    <AutoSaveInMinutes>5</AutoSaveInMinutes>
    <TotalPCU>100000</TotalPCU>
    <BlockLimitsEnabled>PER_PLAYER</BlockLimitsEnabled>
    <ExperimentalMode>false</ExperimentalMode>
  </SessionSettings>
  <LoadWorld>C:\ProgramData\SpaceEngineersDedicated\MyInstance\Saves\MyWorld</LoadWorld>
  <IP>0.0.0.0</IP>
  <SteamPort>8766</SteamPort>
  <ServerPort>27016</ServerPort>
  <GroupID>0</GroupID>
  <ServerName>My Space Engineers Server</ServerName>
  <WorldName>MyWorld</WorldName>
  <PauseGameWhenEmpty>false</PauseGameWhenEmpty>
</MyConfigDedicated>

Space Engineers server settings explained

Setting	What it does
GameMode	Survival or Creative.
OnlineMode	PUBLIC, FRIENDS, PRIVATE or OFFLINE.
MaxPlayers	Max players at once. Keen recommends 16; the -maxPlayers argument overrides it.
InventorySizeMultiplier / BlocksInventorySizeMultiplier	Engineer inventory size, and the inventory of blocks such as cargo containers.
AssemblerSpeedMultiplier, RefinerySpeedMultiplier, WelderSpeedMultiplier, GrinderSpeedMultiplier	How fast production, welding and grinding run.
AutoSaveInMinutes / MaxBackupSaves	How often the world saves, and how many backups it keeps.
TotalPCU / BlockLimitsEnabled	The world’s performance budget (100,000 PCU by default), applied GLOBALLY, PER_FACTION, PER_PLAYER or NONE.
MaxGridSize / MaxBlocksPerPlayer	Caps on blocks per ship or station (100–50,000) and per player (300–100,000). Off by default.
MaxFloatingObjects	Loose items and debris before the oldest are deleted. Default 56; more than 64 isn’t recommended.
ViewDistance / SyncDistance	How far players see (15 km by default) and how far the server syncs objects. Lower is lighter.
ProceduralDensity	Asteroid density in procedurally generated space. It only applies to new worlds.
EnvironmentHostility	Meteor showers: SAFE, NORMAL, CATACLYSM or CATACLYSM_UNREAL.
EnableSpectator / EnableCopyPaste	Spectator camera and blueprint pasting for everyone. Most survival servers keep both off.
WeaponsEnabled, EnableJetpack, PermanentDeath	Weapons, jetpacks, and whether death is permanent.
EnableEconomy	NPC trading stations, contracts and Space Credits.
FoodConsumptionRate	Multiplier for how fast engineers use up food.
ExperimentalMode / EnableIngameScripts	Experimental features, including Programmable Block scripts and higher player and PCU counts. Players must turn experimental mode on to join such a server.

Progression, the tree that unlocks blocks as you build, is on by default. Turn it off in the world’s advanced settings if your crew wants every block from the start.

How do I change the server settings?

Stop the server, change the setting in the Server Manager or in SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg, then start it again. Changed a value but nothing happened? By default the server reloads the last saved session, and an existing world carries its own settings. The -ignorelastsession launch option ignores the last automatic save and uses the values in the config file.

Best server settings for your kind of server

There’s no single best setup. These are starting points for the server styles people run most:

Server style	Settings to start from
Small co-op crew	Inventory, assembler and refinery at 3x, autosave every 5–10 minutes, block limits per player.
PvE server	Cargo ships and encounters on, EnvironmentHostility at NORMAL, and a rule that factions stay at peace.
Faction war (PvP) server	BlockLimitsEnabled at PER_FACTION, a MaxGridSize cap, spectator and copy-paste off.
Rover-only planet server	No setting bans ships, so it runs on rules and admin checks. Turning the jetpack off and capping grid size helps.
Economy server	EnableEconomy on, so trading stations and contracts appear.
Roleplay (RP) server	Server rules in the MotD, spectator off, and copy-paste off so ships are built, not pasted.

Space Engineers dedicated server ports and port forwarding

Players connect to a Space Engineers dedicated server on one port: UDP 27016, the default game port. Forward it on your router to the server PC, and allow incoming UDP on that port in the firewall. The Steam port (SteamPort, 8766 in most default configs) is used for the Steam server list. The Remote API port only matters if you manage the server remotely.

Port	Protocol	Used for	Open it?
27016	UDP	Game traffic (ServerPort)	Yes
8766	UDP	Steam server list (SteamPort)	Yes, for a public Steam server
8080 (Keen’s example)	TCP	Remote API for the VRage Remote Client (RemoteApiPort)	Only for remote admin from outside

Running several servers on one machine? Each instance needs its own port. Keen also notes that you need a static public IP for people across the internet to reach you. Without one, the server still works on your LAN.

Can’t port forward? LAN and Hamachi

Players in your house can join through the LAN tab with no port forwarding. For friends elsewhere, some groups use a virtual LAN tool such as Hamachi and join through Direct Connect with the server’s virtual IP. Keen doesn’t document or support that setup, so a forwarded port or a hosted server is the dependable route.

How to add mods to a Space Engineers dedicated server

To add mods to a Space Engineers dedicated server, open the Mods tab in the Server Manager and add them from your Steam subscribed mods, or type them as Service:ID, such as Steam: followed by the Workshop ID. Mods are saved with the world. The server downloads them when it starts, and players download them automatically when they join.

1. Subscribe to the mods on the Steam Workshop, and click Connect to Steam in the Server Manager so it can see your subscribed list.
2. On the Mods tab, add each mod to Active Mods, or enter it by ID.
3. Back up the world, then Save & start and watch the console while the mods download.
4. Join and check the mod works. The first join takes longer while the mods download.

• Mods not working for Xbox or PlayStation players? Consoles can only use mods hosted on mod.io, and only server-side scripts run for them. A mixed PC and console server should use mod.io mods only.
• “Unable to download mods” on a self-hosted server: the Space Engineers wiki traces this to outdated Steam files shipped with the server. Copy steamclient64.dll, tier0_s64.dll and vstdlib_s64.dll from an up-to-date Steam or SteamCMD install into DedicatedServer64, overwriting the old ones.
• Script mods may need experimental mode on the server, and every player then needs it on to join.

Plugins and the Torch server

Torch is a free, community-made wrapper for the Space Engineers dedicated server and the successor to SE Server Extender. It runs the server inside its own Windows interface, with in-game chat and commands from the window, an entity manager for stopping grids or changing blocks without joining, a configuration editor and a plugin system. Keen doesn’t make it, and its developers still call it early-stage.

Torch server setup:

1. Download torch-server.zip from the Torch site (TorchAPI on GitHub links the build).
2. Unzip it into its own folder and run it. Torch downloads the dedicated server and creates the rest of its files.
3. Already have the dedicated server? Unzip Torch into the folder that contains DedicatedServer64 instead.

The vanilla server has a simpler Plugins tab too: add a plugin assembly (a .dll) and select it. Plugins are listed in the config under <Plugins>.

How to become admin on a Space Engineers dedicated server

Add your 64-bit Steam ID to the Admins list on the Users tab before you start the server. Or promote yourself while it runs: in the Server Manager, open Remote Client, then Admin Tools, then Chat and Players, select your name under Online and click Promote. Once you’re an admin, press Alt+F10 in game for the Admin Screen.

The Admin Screen is where the real admin work happens: search every grid, character and floating object, teleport to them, stop or remove them, set trash removal rules, and revert voxels after a big fight. The standalone VRageRemoteClient.exe in the server folder does the same from outside the game, and adds profiles and notifications.

Space Engineers dedicated server commands

Vanilla Space Engineers has no admin chat commands. The built-in chat commands only switch channels (/g, /f, /w "Player"), toggle /timestamp and show /help. There’s no save command either: the world saves on its autosave timer and when you stop the server cleanly. Torch plugins add command sets. The server itself takes these command line options:

Option	What it does
-console	Skips the instance and configuration dialogs and starts straight in the console.
-noconsole	Runs without the black console window.
-path "D:\SE\MyInstance"	Loads the config from that folder and stores every file there.
-ignorelastsession	Ignores the last automatic save and uses the config file values.
-maxPlayers 12	Overrides the player limit.
-ip / -port	Override the IP and port stored in the config.

Running a Space Engineers dedicated server on Linux or Docker

There’s no Linux version of the Space Engineers dedicated server: Keen’s requirements list Windows only. Community projects run the Windows server under Wine, usually in Docker. They work, but Keen doesn’t support them. The usual pattern is to set up the world with the Windows Server Manager first, then copy the whole instance folder to the Linux machine.

One example is the Devidian/docker-spaceengineers image. Its compose file, shortened:

services:
  se-server:
    image: devidian/spaceengineers:winestaging
    restart: unless-stopped
    volumes:
      - /appdata/space-engineers/plugins:/appdata/space-engineers/plugins
      - /appdata/space-engineers/instances:/appdata/space-engineers/instances
      - /appdata/space-engineers/SpaceEngineersDedicated:/appdata/space-engineers/SpaceEngineersDedicated
      - /appdata/space-engineers/steamcmd:/root/.steam
    ports:
      - target: 27016
        published: 27016
        protocol: udp
    environment:
      - INSTANCE_NAME=MyInstance
      - PUBLIC_IP=203.0.113.25

On start it runs SteamCMD with +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows to fetch the Windows build, then launches SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe under Wine with -noconsole -ignorelastsession -path pointing at your instance. Mods saved in the world download on first start, and .dll plugins go in the plugins folder.

Crossplay: Xbox, PlayStation and EOS servers

Space Engineers crossplay runs through EOS servers. A PC dedicated server can switch to EOS (Epic Online Services) networking with console compatibility on, and it then appears in the multiplayer list on PC, Xbox and PlayStation. A normal Steam server stays PC-only. In the Join Game screen, players switch between the two lists with the Steam/EOS toggle.

• Mods: Xbox and PlayStation players can only use mods from mod.io.
• Scripts: mods with scripts run on the dedicated server only if they don’t need client-side scripts.
• Xbox dedicated server: there’s no console version of the server tool. Xbox and PlayStation players join an EOS server that runs on a PC or at a host.
• Space Engineers 2: it has no multiplayer yet, so there’s no Space Engineers 2 dedicated server. It’s in Early Access as a single-player game, and Keen lists co-op and large-scale multiplayer as coming in later updates.

Making a private server: passwords and friends only

To make a private Space Engineers server, set a Password in the Server Manager’s general settings, so only people who know it can join. For a friends-only server, enter a Steam Group ID: the server then only shows up for members of that Steam group. You can use both, and put trusted players on Reserved slots so they always get in.

To find a group ID, join the group, open its Steam page and click Invite Friends. The long number after invitegid= in the page URL is the ID.

How to reduce lag on a Space Engineers server

Lag on a Space Engineers server is almost always simulation speed, not ping: the server can’t keep up with the physics of everything players have built. The fixes are the same everywhere. Cap PCU and grid size, clear debris and abandoned grids, lower view distance, and give the server a faster CPU. Watch sim speed on the Remote Client’s monitoring tab while you change things.

• Block limits: keep TotalPCU near the 100,000 default and set MaxGridSize and MaxBlocksPerPlayer. One oversized creation can slow the whole server down.
• Trash removal: in the Admin Screen, let the server delete unpowered debris grids, stop drifting grids after 15 minutes (the default), and remove old identities that own nothing.
• Floating objects: keep MaxFloatingObjects at 64 or less.
• View distance: 15 km is the default. 5–10 km is the performance-friendly range.
• Adaptive simulation quality: leave it on. It lowers voxel deformation and explosion detail when the CPU is struggling.
• High ping is a different problem: the server is too far from the players. Host it near most of them.

Backups: how to save, load and restore a world

The dedicated server backs the world up as it autosaves. AutoSaveInMinutes sets how often, and MaxBackupSaves sets how many backups stay in the save folder. Setting it to zero deletes the existing backups. To restore a backup, stop the server, copy the current world folder somewhere safe, replace it with the backup, and start again.

Always back up before an update or a new mod, and before anyone tests something that explodes. To load a different world, select it under Saved worlds in the Server Manager, or set <LoadWorld> in the config to its folder.

Troubleshooting Space Engineers dedicated server problems

Most dedicated server problems come down to one of five things: the port isn’t reachable, the server is on a different list or version than the player, a mod is failing, the world is too heavy for the CPU, or the server is still loading. Check the console output first. It usually names the cause before you have to guess.

Problem	Most likely cause	Fix
Server not showing up in the list	Player is on the wrong Steam/EOS list, Creative servers are filtered out by default, or a Steam Group ID is set	Switch the toggle, change the filters, or use Direct Connect
Can’t connect to the dedicated server	UDP 27016 not forwarded or blocked, no static public IP, or experimental mode off on the player’s side	Check the port and firewall; turn experimental mode on in the game options if the server uses it
“Server is not responding” or waiting for the server to respond	The server is still loading the world or downloading mods, or sim speed has collapsed	Wait for the console to finish loading; then see the lag section
Crashes when joining	A mod that fails to load or needs experimental mode	Remove the newest mod and rejoin
Keeps restarting, or a restart loop	Auto-restart on a world that fails to load because of a broken mod or save	Read the log, remove the mod or load a backup
Won’t start, or the service can’t start	.NET 4.8 or the Visual C++ packages missing, or the port is taken by another instance	Install the prerequisites; give each instance its own port
Unable to download mods	Outdated Steam files in DedicatedServer64	Copy the three Steam DLLs from a current Steam install
No asteroids	Empty World scenario, or the asteroid amount chosen at creation	The asteroid amount can’t be changed later; start a new world
Settings changes don’t apply	The world reloaded its own saved settings	Edit the world settings, or start once with -ignorelastsession
Dedicated server crashing or lagging after weeks	The world outgrew the RAM or CPU	Add block limits and trash removal; add RAM

Skip the setup: Space Engineers server hosting

Running it yourself means a Windows PC that stays on, a forwarded UDP port, a static IP, and you as the one who fixes it at 2am. If you’d rather just build, Space Engineers server hosting on GameTeam is ready in minutes. You pay per GB of RAM, from $0.49/GB a week (an 8 GB server is $3.92 a week). Slots are unlimited, and there’s no port to forward.

The built-in AI copilot handles the XML for you. Tell it “set inventory and assemblers to 3x, 12 players max and back up every 10 minutes” and it edits SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg and restarts. Ask “why does sim speed drop when everyone is on?” and it reads the log and checks your block limits. Or send it two Workshop links, and it backs up the world, adds the mods by ID and restarts the server.

FAQ

Can you play multiplayer on Space Engineers?

Yes, in Creative or Survival. One player can open their world to others (Online mode Private, Friends or Public), or the group can join a dedicated server from the Join Game screen. Players on the same network can also use the LAN tab.

Which server host is best for Space Engineers?

Look for a location close to your players, a high clock-speed CPU (the sim is CPU-bound), enough RAM for the world you’ll grow into, and Workshop mod support. Billing by the week helps if your crew plays in bursts. Keen lists official hosting partners on its site, and any host that meets those points works.

How do I access the admin menu in Space Engineers?

Press Alt+F10 in game. It only opens once you’re an admin, either from the Users tab before start or by Promote in the Remote Client while the server runs.

How do I find the server config?

Click Edit config in the Server Manager, or open SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg in the instance folder: %AppData%\SpaceEngineersDedicated for Local/Console, or under C:\ProgramData\SpaceEngineersDedicated for a service.

What consoles is Space Engineers on?

Xbox and PlayStation (PS4 and PS5), as well as PC on Steam. All three can play together on EOS crossplay servers.

Is Space Engineers 2 multiplayer now?

Not yet. Space Engineers 2 is single-player in Early Access, with co-op and full multiplayer planned for later updates.

Does a dedicated server need its own copy of the game?

No. The server runs without a game license, though you need a Steam account that owns Space Engineers to get the server files.

How much does a Space Engineers server cost?

Self-hosting is free apart from the hardware and the power. Rented servers are usually priced by RAM or by slot. On GameTeam it’s per GB of RAM with unlimited slots: 8 GB is $3.92 a week, or $1.99 per GB billed monthly.