Hosting a Palworld Dedicated Server on Linux with SteamCMD

Hosting a Palworld Dedicated Server on Linux with SteamCMD

Linux is a popular choice for 24/7 Palworld hosting because it is lightweight, remote-friendly, and easy to automate with systemd. This guide uses steamcmd to install and update the server, configure it for production, and keep it healthy.

System requirements

Aim for at least four CPU cores and 16 GB of RAM. Pocketpair recommends more than 32 GB for worlds that host many concurrent players or have large bases. An SSD is strongly recommended. Low-performance storage can corrupt save files and lead to poor server performance, especially during auto-saves.

You will need a 64-bit Linux distribution with glibc and common libraries. Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, Debian 12, and AlmaLinux 9 are common choices.

Installing SteamCMD

On Debian or Ubuntu, install steamcmd from the repositories:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install steamcmd

You can also download the official SteamCMD tarball and extract it manually if your distribution does not provide a package. Make sure the user that runs the server has permission to write to the installation directory.

Installing the Palworld server

Create a directory for the server files and run steamcmd with the app ID 2394010:

mkdir -p /opt/palworld
steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir /opt/palworld +app_update 2394010 validate +quit

Replace /opt/palworld with your preferred installation path. The validate step ensures the files are intact.

Starting the server

The Linux launch script is PalServer.sh. To start the server:

./PalServer.sh

To appear in the Community Servers list, start with the -publiclobby argument:

./PalServer.sh -publiclobby

For a production host, run the server inside a systemd service or screen/tmux session so it survives disconnects and reboots. A basic systemd service can run the server as a dedicated user, restart it on failure, and log output to journald.

Server configuration

Stop the server before editing. On Linux, the active config is:

Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini

If the file is missing, copy DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini into that location. The active settings must be contained in a single-line OptionSettings=(...) block.

Key settings include ServerName, ServerDescription, AdminPassword, ServerPassword, PublicIP, PublicPort, ServerPlayerMaxNum, bIsPvP, bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamage, bEnableDefenseOtherGuildPlayer, DeathPenalty, ExpRate, PalCaptureRate, DayTimeSpeedRate, NightTimeSpeedRate, bIsUseBackupSaveData, AutoSaveSpan, RESTAPIEnabled, and RESTAPIPort.

Permissions and startup troubleshooting

Run the server files as a non-root user. Create a palworld user and set ownership of the installation directory:

sudo chown -R palworld:palworld /opt/palworld

If PalServer.sh exits immediately, check the logs under Pal/Saved/Logs/ for missing libraries or permission errors. Make sure the steamcmd user has write access to the save and config folders.

Backups and updates

World saves are stored under Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/{WorldGUID}/. Stop the server, then copy this folder before applying updates or changing mods. To update, run the same steamcmd command:

steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir /opt/palworld +app_update 2394010 validate +quit

Then restart. Players can only connect when the client and server versions match exactly. With a systemd service, regular backups, and a stable update process, a Linux dedicated server can run for weeks without manual intervention.