How to Make a Satisfactory Server, Step by Step

Downloading the server files with SteamCMD

For security, run the server as a separate user instead of root:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install lib32gcc-s1 curl tmux
sudo useradd -m -s /bin/bash satisfactory
sudo su - satisfactory
mkdir ~/steamcmd && cd ~/steamcmd
curl -sqL "https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz" | tar zxvf -

The Steam app ID of Satisfactory Dedicated Server is 1690800:

~/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/satisfactory/server +login anonymous +app_update 1690800 validate +quit

If you play on the experimental branch, write app_update 1690800 -beta experimental validate in the command; the server and the players need to be on the same branch.

Starting the server

Start the server in a tmux session so that it doesn't shut down when you close your SSH connection:

cd ~/server
tmux new -s satisfactory ./FactoryServer.sh

The server starts with the default ports. If you want to use different ports, you can add the -Port=7777 and -ReliablePort=8888 parameters to the launch command. Press Ctrl + B and then D to leave the session, and return with tmux attach -t satisfactory.

Ports and the firewall

By default, the Satisfactory server uses these ports:

• 7777 UDP: Game traffic.
• 7777 TCP: The server's HTTPS API; the Server Manager connects over this port.
• 8888 TCP: The reliable messaging port.

If you use ufw on Ubuntu:

sudo ufw allow 7777
sudo ufw allow 8888/tcp

Writing 7777 without a protocol opens the port for both TCP and UDP. We explain how ports work in our What is a port? article.

Claiming the server and starting a game

Satisfactory servers are managed from inside the game instead of through a config file:

1. Open the Server Manager from the game's main menu and enter your server's IP address and port 7777 with Add Server.
2. When the server is added for the first time, it asks you to claim it. Set a name and an admin password for the server. This password gives you access to all of the server's settings, so choose a strong one.
3. In the Create Game section, choose a session name and a starting area and start a new game.
4. If you like, set a player password in the settings so that only people who know the password can connect.

Your friends connect by adding the same IP address in the Server Manager and entering the player password.

Uploading an existing save to the server

You can move a factory you started in single player or on a friend's computer to the server:

1. Select your server in the Server Manager and open the Manage Saves section.
2. Choose the save on your computer with Upload Save.
3. Select the uploaded save and start the session with Load Game.

On Linux, the saves on the server are kept in the ~/.config/Epic/FactoryGame/Saved/SaveGames/server/ folder.

Player limit and other settings

The player limit is 4 by default. To raise it, shut the server down and add this section to the ~/server/FactoryGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/Game.ini file:

[/Script/Engine.GameSession]
MaxPlayers=8

The game is balanced for 4 players; more players noticeably increase the server's CPU and memory load.

You can also change these in the Server Manager settings:

• Auto pause: Pausing the game while nobody is connected. If you turn it off, the factory keeps producing when no players are online.
• Save on disconnect: Saving the game automatically when a player leaves.
• Autosave interval: How often the game is saved.

Updates and backups

When the game updates, players can't connect to a server running an older version. Stop the server and run the SteamCMD command again. Before major updates, take a copy of the save folder:

tar -czf ~/satisfactory-backup-$(date +%F).tar.gz -C ~/.config/Epic/FactoryGame/Saved SaveGames

Memory use can grow when Satisfactory stays up for a long time; restarting it regularly at an hour when the fewest players are online keeps the server healthy. We cover automating this in What is cron? and taking backups that are independent of the server in our Server backups guide.

Nodesty for your Satisfactory server

Satisfactory's high RAM needs and the load that growing factories put on a single core quickly push home computers to their limits. Nodesty AMD Ryzen 9 9950X VPS plans deliver smooth gameplay even in large factories with single-core speeds up to 5.7 GHz and high-RAM options, and run in Frankfurt and New York with NVMe storage, L3–L7 nShield DDoS protection and free daily backups kept for 7 days. For other games, take a look at our Palworld, Valheim and 7 Days to Die guides, and for a ready-made server, check out our game server plans.

Satisfactory is a trademark of Coffee Stain Studios; Steam is a trademark of Valve Corporation. Nodesty is not affiliated with or endorsed by these companies.