The short answer
A private server is a game server operated by an individual or community instead of the company that makes the game. Players connect to it with a client program, create an account there and play in a world that the operator controls, with its own rules, population and rates. The private servers directory on this site lists thousands of them across dozens of games.
The term gets confused with other things, so it helps to pin down what it does not mean. It is not a VPS (virtual private server, a rented virtual machine), and it is not necessarily a hidden or invite-only server. Wikipedia's article on the topic even opens with a note not to confuse the two. In gaming, 'private' just means 'not run by the publisher'.
- Nostalrius registered accounts
- 800,000+
- Nostalrius opened
- 28 Feb 2015
- Nostalrius closed
- 10 Apr 2016
Vanilla WoW server, per Wikipedia
Patch 1.12 content
After a cease and desist letter
How a private server actually works
Official servers run software that the publisher wrote and keeps secret. A private server cannot copy that, so operators usually build or download a replacement that speaks the same network language as the original client. Wikipedia notes that such servers are often reverse-engineered from incomplete information, which is why some features are missing or behave slightly differently from the original game.
Open-source projects do much of this work. MaNGOS, for instance, has separate branches for Vanilla, The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm and Mists of Pandaria, while rAthena is an open-source MMORPG server used for Ragnarok-style games. The glossary defines the common terms, and the selection guide lists what to ask an operator about their server software.
- 1
You install the client
Most games need their original client, a patched version, or a custom launcher supplied by the server.
- 2
You register on the server's site
Accounts are separate from any official account. Your official login should never be reused.
- 3
The client connects to a different address
A config file or launcher points the game at the private server instead of the publisher's.
- 4
The server handles the rest
Characters, items, quests and rankings live in the operator's database, not the publisher's.
Why people play on them
Reasons repeat across games. Some players want an older version of the game that the publisher no longer runs: the World of Warcraft vanilla servers and MapleStory v83 servers exist largely for this. Others want faster or slower progression, or custom content such as extra bosses and events. Some games, like Minecraft or Rust, are designed so that community-run servers are a normal part of play.
| Motive | Typical example | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Play an old version | Pre-expansion WoW, early MapleStory | WoW, MapleStory |
| Change the rates | Low-rate or very high-rate leveling | MU Online, Ragnarok |
| Keep a closed game alive | Games whose official regions shut down | Cabal, Ragnarok |
| Custom content | Added classes, bosses, events | RuneScape, Tibia |
| Community and roleplay | Persistent roleplay worlds with rules | FiveM, MTA |
| Seasonal restarts | Ladders and speed rounds | Diablo 2, Travian |
Types of private server
Not every private server is the same kind of thing, and the differences matter for risk. Three broad types cover most of what you will see.
Publisher-sanctioned vs unofficial
Sanctioned or designed for it
- The game ships server software (Minecraft, Terraria, Rust)
- Community networks are part of normal play
- Rules are set by the publisher's published terms
Unofficial emulators
- Built by reverse engineering, with no publisher support
- Publisher terms often forbid connecting to them
- Stability and completeness depend on the volunteers behind the project
The Blizzard end user license agreement, for example, bars 'any connection to any unauthorized server that emulates, or attempts to emulate, the Platform'. Jagex goes further in the RuneScape Wiki's summary of its stance: it 'strongly recommends against using a private server', citing malware and theft of personal information. See our safety guide for how to reduce those risks.
What a private server is not
- It is not a VPS, even though many operators rent one to host it.
- It is not automatically free: many run donation shops, so read the terms before spending (see our guide on rates and pay-to-win economics).
- It is not an official 'legacy' realm: Blizzard's WoW Classic and Jagex's Old School RuneScape are official products with official support.
- It is not a single community: each server has its own staff, rules and wipe policy.
| Aspect | Official | Private |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | Publisher | Individual or community |
| Rules and rates | Fixed by publisher | Set by admins, often custom |
| Support and refunds | Publisher support | Staff discretion, usually none |
| Updates | Publisher roadmap | Whatever the team can build |
| Longevity | Backed by a company | Can close without notice |
The longer comparison is in private vs official servers, and the history of how all this started is in the history of private servers.
Who runs them and how they pay for it
Operators range from a single hobbyist to a staffed team. Running a server costs money for hosting, protection against traffic floods and often a launcher or website, so nearly every server has some funding model. The examples below come from the listings we researched and show the spread.
| Model | Example from our research | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Small donation goal | Mr. Green Gaming (MTA) sells VIP perks such as vehicle horns, with a small monthly hosting goal shown | Do perks affect gameplay? |
| Community-funded hosting | DriftAndreas RPG (RAGE:MP) says donations cover hosting and development | Is spending transparent? |
| Cosmetic-only shop | Ultima Online Forever says donation coins buy aesthetic items such as houses, never gameplay advantages | Read the shop terms |
| Full donation shop | Several high-rate MU Online servers run donation web shops, so review them before spending | Rates of exchange, refund policy |
A server with no visible funding is not necessarily better. It may simply be one person paying out of pocket, which raises the risk of sudden closure. Our community-building article looks at what healthy operators tend to do, and the Ultima Online and MTA hubs show the models in practice.
How to start looking
If you are new, pick a game first, then a version, then a server. Each game hub on this site lists active servers with rates, versions and languages, for example Silkroad Online, Lineage 2 and Aion. Our guide on how to choose a private server walks through the checks, and how to join covers installing the client.