A RuneScape: Dragonwilds dedicated server keeps your Ashenfall world online around the clock, no host required, up to 6 players. This guide covers both ways to get one running: renting a managed server, and self-hosting with Jagex's free server software.
The fast way: a managed server
On GG Host, the server software comes preinstalled and deploys automatically after checkout. You set the server name, world name and admin password from the control panel, updates install themselves whenever Jagex ships a patch, and your files stay accessible over SFTP. Servers run on hardware with M.2 NVMe storage behind DDoS protection. That's the whole setup. The rest of this guide is what happens under the hood, which is worth knowing even on a managed server.
Self-hosting: the official server software
Jagex ships the dedicated server as a free Steam app ("RuneScape: Dragonwilds – Dedicated Servers", App ID 4019830). Install it through Steam, or headless via SteamCMD:
steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\DragonwildsServer +login anonymous +app_update 4019830 +quit
Both Windows and Linux are supported (64-bit only). Run the server once to generate its config file, then fill in the four required fields in DedicatedServer.ini: Owner ID, Server Name, Default World Name and Admin Password. The server will not start without your Owner ID (your Dragonwilds Player ID, shown at the bottom of the in-game Settings menu). Every field is covered in our DedicatedServer.ini settings guide.
Launch with the officially recommended options -log -NewConsole to get a console window showing server activity, and forward UDP port 7777 on every router between the machine and your ISP. Full port and hardware details are in the server requirements guide.
How players join
Players find your server in the Public tab of the Worlds screen by searching for the world name, not the server name. The search is case sensitive, so share the world name exactly as written. Two gotchas worth knowing: inviting someone to a dedicated server through Steam Invites does not connect properly (a known limitation; use the world-name search), and the server and game client versions must match exactly, so after every game update the server needs updating too. On GG Host that happens automatically; self-hosters re-run SteamCMD with +app_update 4019830.
Moving an existing world
Already been playing co-op? Your world can move to the server with all its progress. See how to transfer your world to a dedicated server.
Ready to skip the setup? RuneScape: Dragonwilds server hosting on GG Host deploys in minutes, with RAM-based pricing that matches your crew size.
