Permafrost Dedicated Server: Hosting and the 4-Player Cap
Updated 2026-10-14 · Last checked 2026-10-14 · Early Access
No official dedicated-server download was verified as of 14 October 2026. On 9 October, developer Vintage said it was not currently planned; later that day developer kikibrik said the team would look into it, but made no promises. Neither reply announces server files or a release date.
This page distinguishes in-game hosting from commercial rental claims. The cited hosting guide promotes a third-party service; its panel, slot limits and prices are not proof of official support. No rental, checkout, server installation or five-player session was tested for this audit.
What a third-party host actually sets up
The commercial guide claims its service appears in the in-game join list and exposes a password, difficulty settings and a separate admin panel. These are that author’s descriptions, not a supported self-hosting procedure or independently verified capabilities. Ask the provider to confirm the current game build, save ownership, export and refund terms before paying.
For the supported player-hosted route, choose Play, Host Multiplayer, and a world; keep the host online and use the co-op guide below. The official cap is four players. No evidence checked establishes a supported way to exceed it.
Risks the same sources name
In a direct 11 October developer reply, kikibrik says third-party hosts such as Survival Servers are not provided or supported. A player reported that The Way Home could not progress on a rental; the developer clarified that the host-does-the-quest workaround applies only to worlds hosted from the game itself. This report does not establish that every rental has the same failure.
Before moving a world, preserve a separate save backup and check who can export it. Match game versions after patches. Do not treat provider console commands as native game commands, or assume developer fixes for a local host will apply to a provider backend.
Questions
Does Permafrost have an official dedicated server?
No official download was verified on 14 October 2026. Developers said they would look into it, without promises; commercial hosts are not provided or supported by them.
Can a rented server hold more than 4 players?
The official session cap is four. No supported higher-capacity setup was verified, regardless of a provider’s advertising.
Related pages
Sources
- Steam guide — How to Host a Permafrost Dedicated Server — Commercial third-party guide; provider capabilities attributed to its author, not tested. Checked 2026-10-14.
- Developer reply on dedicated servers — 9 October developer replies: initially not planned, later look into it/no promises. Checked 2026-10-14.
- Developer — Third-party server support limitation — 11 October: rentals not provided/supported; quest workaround only for in-game-hosted worlds.