How to Set Up a Palworld Server on a Linux VDS

How to Set Up a Palworld Server on a Linux VDS

Getting a Palworld server running takes about half an hour. The real question is whether it still runs smoothly once your world is months old. This guide covers the Linux VDS install, the configuration file, ports and a backup routine that holds up.

Requirements

💡 A Palworld server is sensitive to single core speed. Most of the stutter people see on a 32 player server comes from cores that are not fast enough, not from having too few of them.

1. Preparing the System

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y lib32gcc-s1 curl tar xdg-user-dirs
sudo useradd -m -s /bin/bash palworld
sudo su - palworld

2. SteamCMD and the Server Files

The App ID for the Palworld dedicated server is 2394010:

mkdir -p ~/steamcmd && cd ~/steamcmd
curl -sqL "https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz" | tar zxvf -
./steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir ~/palworld-server \
  +login anonymous +app_update 2394010 validate +quit

3. First Run

Start the server once and stop it so the configuration file gets generated:

cd ~/palworld-server
./PalServer.sh

Stop it with Ctrl + C after a few seconds. This file will now exist:

~/palworld-server/Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini

4. Server Settings

The generated file is empty. Copy the template from DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini and edit it. The settings people change most often:

[/Script/Pal.PalGameWorldSettings]
OptionSettings=(
  ServerName="Your Server Name",
  ServerPassword="",
  AdminPassword="STRONG_PASSWORD",
  ServerPlayerMaxNum=32,
  ExpRate=2.000000,
  PalCaptureRate=1.500000,
  CollectionDropRate=2.000000,
  DeathPenalty=1,
  bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamage=False,
  RCONEnabled=True,
  RCONPort=25575
)

⚠️ Edit this file while the server is stopped. Changes made on a running server get overwritten on shutdown.

5. Ports

sudo ufw allow 8211/udp
sudo ufw allow 27015/udp

6. systemd Service

[Unit]
Description=Palworld Dedicated Server
After=network.target
 
[Service]
Type=simple
User=palworld
WorkingDirectory=/home/palworld/palworld-server
ExecStart=/home/palworld/palworld-server/PalServer.sh -useperfthreads -NoAsyncLoadingThread -UseMultithreadForDS
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10
 
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now palworld

The -useperfthreads -NoAsyncLoadingThread -UseMultithreadForDS parameters make a noticeable difference on busy servers.

7. Backing Up the World Save

Palworld has had known save corruption cases going back to early access. Regular backups are a requirement, not a preference:

tar czf /backup/palworld_$(date +%F_%H%M).tar.gz \
  ~/palworld-server/Pal/Saved/SaveGames

Run it hourly with cron:

0 * * * * /home/palworld/backup.sh

8. Automatic Restarts

Memory usage creeps up on Palworld servers that stay online for a long time. A daily restart clears that buildup:

0 6 * * * systemctl restart palworld

Warning players over RCON before the restart is a small touch that makes the server feel well run.

Common Problems

Server does not show in the list

• Check that UDP port 8211 is open
• Try connecting by direct IP instead of searching the community server list

Settings are not applied

• Make sure you edited the right file (the one under LinuxServer)
• Make sure the server was stopped when you edited it

Stutter as the player count grows

• Confirm the launch parameters were actually added
• If core speed is the bottleneck, move to a higher frequency package

Conclusion

Setting up a Palworld server is simple. What keeps it alive long term is regular backups, a daily restart and hardware chosen with room to grow.

👉 See our Palworld server hosting page to match a package, or browse game server hosting for other titles.