English
Deutsch
Español
Français
Русский
Türkçe
SCP: Secret Laboratory Server Hosting
Contain the breach — or cause it — with your community while the AI copilot keeps the facility running.
What do you need to host an SCP: Secret Laboratory server?
An SCP:SL server runs the free SCP: Secret Laboratory Dedicated Server (Steam app 996560) through LocalAdmin, with at least 3 GB of RAM and 2 CPU cores, UDP port 7777 reachable, and its rules in config_gameplay.txt. For SCP: Secret Laboratory server hosting on GameTeam you pay per GB of RAM, from $0.49/GB a week, never per slot, and the AI copilot edits the configs, installs plugins and reads the log when a round hangs.
Run your SCP: Secret Laboratory server by just asking.
SCP:SL configs are long YAML-style text files where one missing space breaks a whole rank. Tell the copilot what the facility should be like instead: it edits the right file, restarts, and reads the console when a plugin stops a round from ending.
Plugins That Match the Build
Framework and plugins installed by the copilot and checked against the server release.
Rounds Hang? Ask.
The copilot reads the log and tells you which plugin is holding the round.
Full-Facility Slots
Unlimited players — a 40-player night costs the same per GB as a quiet one.
SCP: Secret Laboratory with friends
A multiplayer horror game set in a containment facility gone wrong: guards, scientists, prisoners and the SCP monsters themselves, all with different goals in the same round. Chaos, betrayal and proximity chat make every round a story.
SCP: Secret Laboratory server RAM requirements
3-4 GB. Northwood's minimum is 3 GB for a full 25-player server without plugins; plugins and bigger rounds need more.
| Your server | Starting RAM | From (Budget, weekly) |
|---|---|---|
| Friends' server, up to 25 players, no plugins | 3 GB | $1.47 / week |
| Community server with a few plugins | 4 GB | $1.96 / week |
| Plugin-heavy server or 40–60 players | 6 GB | $2.94 / week |
Northwood's 3 GB minimum assumes a full 25-player server with no plugins; its verification guide asks for 4 GB, and more for higher player counts or more plugins. Start small and add RAM in one click from the panel. Player limit: max_players defaults to 20, and verified public servers may run up to 60 slots.
How to set up a SCP: Secret Laboratory server on GameTeam
Pick RAM and a location
3 GB covers a vanilla server for friends. Choose the location closest to your players, from 25+ across Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific; SCP:SL is a shooter, so ping matters.
Configure the facility
Tell the copilot the server name, player cap, friendly fire and staff ranks, or edit config_gameplay.txt and config_remoteadmin.txt in the file manager. Drop plugin .dll files into the LabAPI plugins folder.
Let players in
Friends connect directly with the address and port from the panel. To appear in the public server list, run the verification steps below.
Good to know before you start
Round behaviour and roles are configured in the gameplay config, and most communities add a plugin framework before opening publicly.
The most common problem
A plugin built for an older server release loads but breaks round logic, which shows up as rounds not ending rather than as an error.
SCP: Secret Laboratory server settings explained
Each server port has its own config folder: .config/SCP Secret Laboratory/config/<port>/ on Linux (AppData\Roaming\SCP Secret Laboratory\config\<port>\ on Windows). config_gameplay.txt holds the rules, config_remoteadmin.txt the staff ranks and permissions, and UserIDWhitelist.txt the whitelist. Lines look like key: value. The keys owners change most:
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
server_name | Name in the server list. Supports Unity rich-text colour, bold, italic and underline tags. |
serverinfo_pastebin_id | ID of the Pastebin shown in the server info tab: your rules and Discord. Required for verification. |
contact_email | Your contact for Northwood's Safety & Compliance team. Add the line by hand; verification needs it. |
max_players | Player cap. Default 20; verified servers may use up to 60. |
friendly_fire / friendly_fire_multiplier | Team damage on or off (default off) and how much it hurts (default 0.4). |
enable_whitelist | Only IDs listed in UserIDWhitelist.txt (one id@steam per line) can join. |
use_reserved_slots | Keeps slots free for players on the reserved list. |
team_respawn_queue | Which roles fill a round: 0 SCP, 1 Facility Guard, 2 Chaos, 3 Scientist, 4 Class-D. |
minimum_MTF_time_to_spawn / maximum_MTF_time_to_spawn | Window for respawn waves, default 280 to 350 seconds. |
respawn_tickets_enable | The MTF/Chaos ticket system that balances which team respawns. |
intercom_cooldown / intercom_max_speech_time | Intercom cooldown (120 s) and speech limit (20 s). |
warhead_tminus_start_duration | Alpha Warhead countdown, default 90 seconds. |
afk_time | Seconds before an idle player is kicked, default 90. |
spawn_protect_enabled / spawn_protect_time | Spawn protection and its length (8 s by default). |
restart_after_rounds | Restart the server automatically every N rounds. 0 turns it off. |
transparently_modded_server | Declares a modded server as the Community Server Guidelines define it. |
SCP: Secret Laboratory server commands
The in-game Remote Admin panel opens for you once your Steam ID has a rank in config_remoteadmin.txt. Its buttons start, restart and lock rounds, lock the lobby, force classes and give items. These text commands go in the RA console; the last two run in the server console (LocalAdmin), where the copilot can run commands for you.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
broadcast | Shows a message at the top of everyone's screen. |
cassie | Makes the facility announcer (C.A.S.S.I.E.) speak a line. |
pm | Edits the permissions of Remote Admin ranks (groups), such as granting or revoking one. |
roundtime | Shows how long the current round has run. |
setgroup | Temporarily gives a player a Remote Admin rank. |
stopnextround | Stops the server at the end of the next round. |
unban | Lifts a ban. |
@message | Sends a message in staff chat. |
!verify static / !verify dynamic | Server console: starts automatic verification for a static or dynamic IP. |
buildinfo | Server console: shows the server build, to check it is up to date. |
Can I add mods to a SCP: Secret Laboratory server?
Yes, through plugins. LabAPI, Northwood's official plugin framework, ships with every dedicated server build, and the community framework EXILED adds its own plugin ecosystem. Plugins cover custom roles, items and round logic.
LabAPI plugins are .dll files: put them in SCP Secret Laboratory/LabAPI/plugins, put any libraries they need in dependencies, restart and watch the console for load errors. Always use a plugin release built for your server version and your framework; an old plugin can load fine and still stop rounds from ending. EXILED plugins follow EXILED's own install steps.
SCP: Secret Laboratory server ports
On GameTeam there is nothing to forward: the panel shows your server's exact address and port, which may differ from 7777. Remember that the config folder is named after the port.
Pay per GB of RAM. Never per slot.
You pay for memory, not seats, and the weekly plan lets you start with a single week. Change RAM in one click, or switch the same server to another game. The AI copilot is included on every plan.
- ✓ AI copilot included on every plan
- ✓ Unlimited player slots — we never charge per slot
- ✓ Ryzen 9 7950X · NVMe storage
- ✓ DDoS protection included
- ✓ Switch to another game anytime
- ✓ 25 GB NVMe storage · 160 Gbps DDoS protection
- ✓ AI copilot included on every plan
- ✓ Unlimited player slots — we never charge per slot
- ✓ Ryzen 9 7950X · Unlimited NVMe storage
- ✓ 480 Gbps DDoS protection
- ✓ Switch to another game anytime
- ✓ Dedicated threads
- ✓ Automatic backups
- ✓ Priority support
Hardware & network
Locations
What server owners say
"Honestly didn't expect much from an 'AI manager', but it's how I run my server now. I'll type something like 'why did the server crash last night' and it actually reads the logs and tells me."
Verified review
"I'd been on two other hosts before this. What sold me was the AI manager catching a memory leak in one of my mods and naming the exact one — something I'd been chasing for weeks."
Verified review
"I'm not very technical and setting up servers always stressed me out. Now I just ask the assistant to fix a config, and it either walks me through it or does it for me."
Verified review
SCP: Secret Laboratory server hosting FAQ
How do I host an SCP: Secret Laboratory server?
Install the SCP: Secret Laboratory Dedicated Server (SteamCMD: app_update 996560 validate with an anonymous login, or the Dedicated Server tool in your Steam library), start LocalAdmin and answer its first-run questions, forward UDP 7777, then edit config_gameplay.txt. Or deploy it on GameTeam and skip the install and the port forwarding.
How do I get my SCP:SL server on the public server list?
Northwood verifies public servers. Fill in server_name, serverinfo_pastebin_id (a Pastebin with your rules and a contact) and contact_email, keep max_players at 60 or less, read the Community Server Guidelines, then type !verify static (or !verify dynamic) in the server console. It is meant for community servers with close to 100% uptime: a verified server that is offline for more than 14 days loses its verification. Friends-only servers don't need it.
Can I buy an SCP: Secret Laboratory server for just my friends?
Yes. Buy a small server, set enable_whitelist: true and list your friends in UserIDWhitelist.txt, or just share the address. Without verification the server stays off the public list, which is what most friend groups want anyway.
Where can I find free SCP: Secret Laboratory server hosting?
The game and the dedicated server are both free, so the free route is running it on your own PC: 3 GB of RAM to spare, UDP 7777 forwarded, and the machine on whenever people play. Northwood strongly recommends against running a verified server from home, because a listed server attracts DDoS attacks and doxxing. Hosted, GameTeam starts at $1.47 a week for 3 GB.
Does SCP: Secret Laboratory have multiplayer?
It is a multiplayer game. SCP: Secret Laboratory is a free-to-play multiplayer horror game where every round mixes Class-D, scientists, guards, Chaos Insurgency and the SCPs themselves, so all play happens on servers. Running your own means your rules, your plugins and your community.
What are the best SCP: Secret Laboratory servers?
For joining, that is up to taste: the public list is full of vanilla, roleplay and heavily modded community servers, each with its own rules on its Pastebin. For running your own, the best server is one that stays up, matches the game version after every update, and has plugins built for the current release.
Why does my server say "Specified port is not registered"?
Northwood's central servers refuse to list a server whose IP is already verified for someone else, which can happen on shared hosting IPs. The server still works through a direct connection. To be listed you need an IP that isn't registered; open a ticket with our support team if you plan to verify.
How do I update my SCP:SL server?
On GameTeam, stop the server and start it again from the panel and it updates to the latest release. On your own machine, run app_update 996560 validate in SteamCMD. Check the result with buildinfo in LocalAdmin, and update your plugins after a big release.
Do SCP: Secret Laboratory server hosting guides from 2020 or 2021 still work?
Partly. The install (SteamCMD app 996560) and config_gameplay.txt work the same way, but plugin advice from 2020 or 2021 predates LabAPI, whose first releases came in 2025 and which now ships with every dedicated server build. Plugins from back then were built for server releases that are long gone: use versions built for the current release.
How much does SCP: Secret Laboratory server hosting cost?
You pay per GB of RAM: $0.49/GB a week on Budget, or $1.99/GB billed monthly. A 3 GB server is $1.47 a week and 4 GB is $1.96 a week, with unlimited slots (the 60-slot limit for verified servers is Northwood's rule, not ours) and the AI copilot included.
Same server, any game.
Containment breach, on your rules.
Deploy an SCP: Secret Laboratory server, tell the copilot how the facility runs, and open the gates.
Deploy your SCP: Secret Laboratory server