Satisfactory Multiplayer: The Basics For Peer-to-Peer And Dedicated Server Hosting

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As you progress in Satisfactory, your factories will become huge and complex, making them difficult to manage on your own. Playing with a friend can significantly reduce the workload. The game offers two ways to play multiplayer – directly with a friend, or on a dedicated server – and both have their pros and cons. This guide will walk you through setting up either option.

As a Satisfactory player, I’ve learned there are a few ways to host multiplayer games. You can go with a simple peer-to-peer connection, which is totally free and super easy to set up. You can also host a server yourself for free, but that’s a bit more complicated. Finally, you can rent a server, which costs a monthly fee, but is actually pretty straightforward to get running – it’s easier than self-hosting, honestly! So it really comes down to how much effort you want to put in versus how much you’re willing to spend.

Peer-to-peer

To play together, the person who owns the saved game needs to start a session. You can make these sessions private – requiring an in-game invite – or open to friends, letting anyone on your Satisfactory friend list join through the game’s menu. Every game has a unique Session ID. Sharing this ID lets others join your Friends Only game, even if they aren’t on your friend list, but keep in mind that this ID changes each time you start a new session.

This is easily the most straightforward solution and should work well for many players, but it relies on everyone being able to play at the same time as the host.

Self-Hosted Dedicated Server

Setting up a dedicated server means installing and running the game software on a computer you own. This allows friends to join and play anytime. The server software is free with the game, but this is the most technically challenging option. Detailed setup and maintenance instructions can be found on the Satisfactory wiki – it’s too complex to cover fully here. Also, your internet provider might have rules against running servers, so it may not be possible depending on your internet service.

If you’re skilled or willing to put in the effort, this is the most affordable and flexible choice.

Rented Dedicated Server

Renting a dedicated server lets you have the benefits of running your own server, but without needing to own the hardware. Since most people don’t have a spare computer constantly running, it’s often a better choice than setting up a server on your own equipment. Setting it up takes some time and effort, but it’s a good solution if you and your friends want to play together on a consistent schedule. Costs start around $10 a month, but for reliable performance, especially with more players, you’ll likely spend closer to $15. There are many hosting providers available – a quick online search will turn up plenty of options.

This choice costs more, but it’s perfect for groups of players who are willing to share the cost to continue playing.

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2026-01-19 13:09