With the increase in people choosing to play games online with other players instead of on their own, there is increased demand for game server hosting. However, picking the right one can be, without a doubt, a daunting task. There are so many of them out there that within the first half an hour, you might feel as if hours have passed – and it’s only been thirty minutes.
We understand that, which is why we decided to help you and other people in a similar dilemma, by creating this short guide, which hopefully will make your decision easier. Want to find out how to choose the best game hosting provider without losing your mind? Well, all you have to do is keep reading then.
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Without any further ado, let’s jump right into it.
Decide What Type of Hosting You Will Need
When looking for a game hosting provider, the first thing you need to decide on is what kind of hosting you will need. Most companies have one type that is their specialty – while they might offer other ones, this one is their best asset.
According to the experts from Compare Game Hosting, we can distinguish four main categories of game hosting (keep in mind that these are the primary ones, not the only ones):
- Shared game server hosting – shared game server hosting is probably the most widely used one. It involves renting a game server on a shared device and paying either by a slot or RAM allocation. This type of server hosting is famous for several reasons, including low cost and how easy it is to use. Usually, you will have access to control panels such as Multicraft – it allows you to introduce changes to your server by using a simple point and click interface.
- VPS game server hosting – with this type of game server hosting, you will receive a slice of a dedicated machine, as well as an operating system that you can install on your computer/laptop. The only downfall of this hosting is that companies usually don’t offer their support with it – you are practically on your own. However, if you know what you are supposed to do, this type and the independence that comes with might benefit you.
- Dedicated game server hosting – dedicated game server hosting is very similar to the one mentioned above, with the main difference being that you get the whole machine to yourself and not only a slice. One of the most significant benefits of this type is the increased supply of resources.
Compare the Potential Providers
Once you know what type of hosting will be the best one for you, you can narrow down the list of potential providers to the ones that specialize in it. However, even if you do it, you will be left with quite a large inventory. So, the next step is to establish which of them will be the best one. To do that, you need to answer those questions:
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- How long has the company been around – if the company has been around for long, then you can assume that it is trustworthy – after all, if it weren’t, it most probably wouldn’t last that long on the market.
- Does the provider offer DDoS protection – since game serves are a common target for DDoS attacks, you should choose a hosting provider that offers DDoS protection. While you might not need it if you secure your server correctly, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
- Does the provider support the game you are planning on hosting – to find out if the hosting provider supports your chosen game, you can either look at their website, where they should have it displayed, or call the customer support.
- Did other people have a good experience – the best way of finding out if a company is good is looking at what other people have said about it?
- Will the provider be able to support the number of players you want to host – if the purpose of your server is to play games with just a couple of your friends, you can easily choose the option with fewer resources. However, if you are planning on hosting a multiplayer server with dozens or hundreds of players, then your best bet would probably be to choose a VPS with more resources or a dedicated server. If you want to find out the server’s requirements for a specific number of players, either check the official guidelines of the game or contact the potential service provider. Remember that every game has different server requirements, which is why, when it comes to game hosting, there’s no such thing as ‘one size fits all.’
- Does the company offer what you are looking for – you know that it provides the hosting you are interested in. However, do you know if the plans they offer have all the features you are looking for?
- Is it a good value for money – before deciding on the provider, get familiar with the quality of services they offer – while it is always good to find a cheaper option, you shouldn’t settle on it if the quality is not good. You might pay less, but you will lose the rate you could have with a slightly more expensive option.
The Bottom Line
The popularity of playing games online has increased in the last few years. Instead of buying countless amounts of physical discs with their favorite games on it, players prefer to just log in to a server, where they can play with several people from all over the world instead of doing it only on their own. However, the growth in popularity of game hosting caused the increase of companies offering this type of service – making it a lot more challenging to choose the best one. That’s why we created this short guide – we understand the trouble that comes with making the decision, and we wanted to make it as easy for you as possible. Hopefully, it was beneficial to you – good luck!