Game.ini vs GameUserSettings.ini vs Engine.ini on Unreal Game Servers

On Unreal Engine game servers, settings are split across several .ini files in Saved/Config/WindowsServer (or LinuxServer). GameUserSettings.ini normally holds the everyday server settings: name, passwords, rates. Game.ini holds deeper game mode rules: per level XP, loot tables, spawn overrides, map rotation in some games. Engine.ini holds engine level tweaks like network rates and tick settings. Edit them only while the server is stopped, keep each line under the right [Section] header, and never edit the Default*.ini files, which updates replace.

Where the files live

Each Unreal game keeps its configs in its own project folder:

The WindowsServer or LinuxServer part depends on the operating system the server runs on, not the players. A Windows only server run on Linux through Wine still uses WindowsServer. Many of these files do not exist until the server has started once, so start and stop it before looking for them.

What each file is for

GameUserSettings.ini

Despite the name, on servers this is usually the main settings file. ARK puts almost everything here under [ServerSettings] and [SessionSettings]:

[ServerSettings]
ServerPassword=friendsonly
ServerAdminPassword=long-random-password
XPMultiplier=2.0
TamingSpeedMultiplier=3.0
DifficultyOffset=1.0

[SessionSettings]
SessionName=My ARK Server

Game.ini

Holds rules for the game mode class, which is why its section headers look like code paths. ARK's advanced settings go under:

[/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]
bDisableStructurePlacementCollision=True
MatingIntervalMultiplier=0.5

Conan Exiles uses Game.ini for RCON ([RconPlugin]) among other things. Mordhau keeps its server name, passwords, admins and map rotation in Game.ini under [/Script/Mordhau.MordhauGameSession] and [/Script/Mordhau.MordhauGameMode]. Each game decides what goes where, so always check the game's own documentation.

Engine.ini

Engine level settings: networking, logging, physics and performance. Most admins never need it. When they do, it is usually for net speed caps or to silence log spam. Wrong values here can break a server, so change one thing at a time.

Game specific files

Some games add their own files next to the standard ones:

• Conan Exiles: ServerSettings.ini holds most gameplay settings.
• Palworld: everything lives in PalWorldSettings.ini on one long OptionSettings=(...) line.
• Satisfactory: most settings are managed through the in game Server Manager, with only advanced tweaks in the ini files.

Why settings reset

The most common complaint about Unreal servers is "I changed a setting and it went back". The reasons:

1. The server was running. Many Unreal servers write their current settings back to GameUserSettings.ini on shutdown, overwriting your edit. Always stop the server first, edit, then start.
2. The setting is under the wrong section. A line under [SessionSettings] that belongs under [ServerSettings] is ignored, and some servers then remove it on save.
3. A launch option overrides it. Values passed on the command line, such as ARK's ?SessionName=...?ServerPassword=... or Palworld's -port=, win over the ini file. If your host or start script sets them, the ini value is ignored.
4. You edited a Default*.ini file. Files like DefaultGame.ini in the game's Config folder (not Saved/Config) are the shipped defaults and get replaced by updates and validates. Palworld's DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini in the server root is a template to copy from, not the live file.
5. The file is read only or has a typo. A missing bracket in Palworld's one line config breaks the whole thing.

Detailed fixes for specific games: ARK settings not working, changing ARK settings without them resetting and changing Conan Exiles settings without them resetting.

Editing safely

1. Stop the server and wait for it to exit fully.
2. Back up the config folder.
3. Edit with a plain text editor (Notepad++, VS Code, nano). Word processors add invisible characters.
4. Keep each setting under its correct [Section] header. Do not create a second copy of a section; add to the existing one.
5. Use True and False for booleans, and plain numbers for multipliers (2.0, not 2x).
6. Start the server and check the setting took effect in game, not just in the file.

Which file holds which setting

Settings in a panel instead

The easiest way to avoid ini mistakes is not editing them by hand. On a GamezServers server, settings from the game's server template are fields in the control panel, such as ARK's session name, XP multiplier and taming speed, or Palworld's rates. For anything deeper in Game.ini or Engine.ini, the file manager and SFTP give you the full files, and one click backups let you undo a bad edit. Conan Exiles and Palworld work the same way.

FAQ

What is the difference between Game.ini and GameUserSettings.ini?

On most Unreal servers, GameUserSettings.ini holds the main server settings like name, passwords and rates, while Game.ini holds deeper game mode rules such as loot tables and per level overrides. Each game splits them a little differently.

Why does my GameUserSettings.ini keep resetting?

The server was probably running when you edited it, and saved its own copy on shutdown. Stop the server, edit, then start it.

Where is GameUserSettings.ini on a server?

In <Game>/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/ or LinuxServer/, for example ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/ for ARK. Start the server once if the file does not exist yet.

Should I edit DefaultGame.ini?

No. Default files are replaced by updates. Put your settings in the files under Saved/Config instead.