In the past decade, Twitch has become the de-facto home for online live streaming content, with YouTube coming in second. For those not yet in the know, Twitch is a popular online platform for influencers to stream a multitude of content to their followers and subscribers, who in turn watch along and interact with other viewers and the streamer themself in chat.
The platform is particularly popular with gamers, and one of the most popular types of content for those gamers right now is grouping up with their friends on private gaming servers, where they play games the way they want to.
Whether they are playing classics like Minecraft and GTA V, or new adventures like Valheim and Rust, streamers are hopping on these servers and having a blast.
However, they aren’t the only ones who can have this awesome experience. What if you want to start and host your own server? It might just be time for you and your friends to grab a server, and get in the game.
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4 things you can do on your own gaming server
Let’s not let streamers have all the fun. Once you have made the decision to pick up your own private gaming server, let’s talk about some of the benefits.
A VPS or dedicated web hosting plan gives you total control of your gaming experience. Here are some of the top things you can do when you build your own gaming server.
1. Play with your friends
While playing with strangers online can be a fun way to make new friends, it can also be downright awful at times. One of the biggest draws for streamers to a service like this is a private, and relatively peaceful, gaming experience.
With a private gaming server, you and your friends can keep the random toxicity at bay, and never have to worry about what the next game will bring.
If you have ever run into a cheater in an online game, you can probably relate.
2. Play with mods
Some of the most fun you can have with a game today can be found in the various modding communities for different video games. A mod is a modification to an existing game.
This can range from adding new texture and color packs to spice up your game’s appearance, to completely game changing features, and we mean that literally. A Twitch streamer built a functional casino in Minecraft not too long ago if you need a quick example of just how extreme these mods can get.
3. Set your own game parameters
When you have your own gaming server, you get to make the rules around who joins, who can invite new players, and other custom game features.
Instead of watching the pros play on Twitch, you can get set up your game however you want and play the game you’ve created yourself for as long as you want.
4. Set up your own community rules
Wanna play with your own rules and guidelines? With your own gaming server, it’s like owning your own piece of the internet. You set the rules. And if your friends don’t wanna follow the rules? Kick '˜em out.
Whether you want your gaming and voice chat experiences to be more mature, or more restricted and family-friendly, a gaming server is the way to go. You can determine what does and doesn’t happen on your server, creating a customized and more appropriate environment for you, your friends, and your family.
Set up your gaming server with HostGator today!
With the Snappy 8000 VPS hosting plan, you get 8 GB of RAM, 4 cores CPU, 240 GB of disc space, unmetered bandwidth, 2 dedicated IPs, total control, and enhanced security. The plan starts at $39.95 per month.
If you have robust multiplayer gaming goals, then a dedicated server may be a better fit.
There are three different dedicated server plans, ranging in price from $89.98 per month to $139.99 per month. Dedicated servers run on Linux or Windows OS and offer unmetered bandwidth, robust RAM, Intel Xeon-D CPU, and anywhere from 4 core / 8 thread to 8 core / 16 thread.
For more information on how to get started, check out our VPS hosting and dedicated hosting plans.
Kevin Williams is part of HostGator’s social media team, where he’s like our go-to resident nerdy-tech guy. But he was once that guy answering the phones on our support staff. When he’s not playing the voice of Snappy on social, Kevin is reading, hiking, building PCs, and playing videos games. You know, the stuff that makes him our resident nerdy-tech guy.