How to Host a Zombie Survival Game Online (ZSGO) Server

To host a Zombie Survival Game Online server, install the free ZSGO Dedicated Server tool (Steam app 2536350), start ZSGOServer.exe with -server -log, then edit ZSGO/Content/DedicatedServer/ServerConfig.json for the name, password, player cap and visibility. Leave ServerPassword as NoConfiguredPassword for an open server. Open the game port (26900 by default) and the Steam query port (27015) for TCP and UDP, and friends find the server under Multiplayer > Join Game by searching its name.

What you need before you start

The server tool is Windows only and free to download, so you do not need a second copy of the game to run it. Every player needs their own copy of ZSGO on Steam. The install is a little over 2 GB.

ZSGO is an Unreal Engine game that keeps zombies, scavs and animals running around every player who is online, so memory climbs with the player count:

The developers' own wiki also advises against hosting on the PC you play on, and warns that the firewall steps catch most people out.

Step 1: Install the ZSGO Dedicated Server

From the Steam client: open your Library, tick Tools in the filter dropdown at the top left, find ZSGO Dedicated Server and click Install.

With SteamCMD (better for a machine you do not play on):

steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\zsgo-server +login anonymous +app_update 2536350 validate +quit

The tool is marked free to download on Steam, so an anonymous login works. Run the same line again whenever ZSGO patches. If you are new to SteamCMD flags, what app_update validate does is worth a read.

Step 2: Make a start shortcut

The developers' setup guide says not to launch the exe directly. Make a shortcut instead:

1. In the install folder, right-click ZSGOServer.exe and create a shortcut.
2. Open the shortcut's Properties and add the launch options to the end of the Target line:

"C:\zsgo-server\ZSGOServer.exe" -server -log -port=26900 -queryport=27015

3. Close Steam if it is running on that machine, then run the shortcut as administrator.

-port and -queryport are optional, but they must be different numbers. Running two servers on one machine needs a different pair for each, plus -multihome=<IP> to tie each one to its own address.

Step 3: Edit ServerConfig.json

Stop the server, then open ZSGO\Content\DedicatedServer\ServerConfig.json in a text editor. A fresh install looks like this:

{
  "ServerName": "Default ZSGO Server",
  "WorldName": "Zombie Survival Game Online",
  "ServerPassword": "NoConfiguredPassword",
  "ValveAntiCheat": true,
  "MaxPlayers": 4,
  "LAN": false,
  "AdvertiseServer": true
}

Newer builds add more keys to this file, such as ServerMap (the map, MainLevel by default) and the Steam token pair IsGSLTUsed and SteamGSLT. Open the file after an update to see what your build has, and keep the JSON valid: lowercase true and false, quotes around text, no comma after the last line.

How NoConfiguredPassword works

ZSGO has no on and off switch for the password. The game checks for the exact text NoConfiguredPassword, and only that text means "open server". Anything else, including a typo such as a missing letter, becomes a real password that nobody knows. If friends get asked for a password you never set, check that line letter by letter.

Step 4: Open the ports

The developers' guide asks for both ports inbound and outbound in Windows Firewall, plus an inbound rule for ICMPv4 so the server answers pings. Then forward both ports on your router to the server's local IP. Our port forwarding guide and Windows Firewall rules guide walk through each screen.

Step 5: Add a Steam game server token (optional)

A Game Server Login Token (GSLT) registers the server with Steam under your account instead of anonymously. Make one at Steam's game server account page: enter App ID 2268560 (the game, not the 2536350 server tool, which is Valve's rule for these tokens), add a memo like "zsgo-main", and copy the token. On builds that have the keys, set "IsGSLTUsed": true and paste the token into SteamGSLT. One token per server; reusing a token on a second server knocks the first one off.

Step 6: World rules and admins

Server level settings live in ServerConfig.json. Gameplay rules (PvP, raiding, loot, hunger drain, day length) go in a separate file, ZSGO/Saved/WorldSettings/DediWorldSettings.json, which you create by copying the default file the server writes there. Every key is covered in ZSGO DediWorldSettings.json explained.

For admin tools, the game reads an AdminList.json file in a Saved\EasyAdminFiles folder. Put your SteamID64 in one of its "ID" entries, restart, and press Y in game to open the admin menu, which has bans, whitelist, PvP limits, item spawning and teleports.

Step 7: How players join

1. Launch ZSGO and choose Multiplayer > Join Game.
2. Search for the server name. If it is not on the first tab, click through the tabs at the top of the browser.
3. Type the password in the field at the bottom of the browser if the server has one, then join.

A new server can take a few minutes to appear. If it never does, work through ZSGO server not showing in the server list.

Keeping it updated

ZSGO is in Early Access and patches every few weeks (v0.8.0, the Mutant Boss update, landed in July 2026). After each patch, stop the server, run the SteamCMD line again and restart. Players on the new build cannot join a server that is still on the old one, and the developers have pointed to outdated servers when players are sent back to the main menu after clicking Join.

The easy way: a ZSGO server from GamezServers

If the firewall and token steps are where you want to stop, a Zombie Survival Game Online server from GamezServers is live in a few minutes with its own address and no port forwarding. Server Name, Server Password, Max Players, Map, Anti Cheat, LAN, Advertise Server and the Steam token are fields in the control panel, Auto Update pulls the new build on restart, and the file manager opens DediWorldSettings.json without SFTP. Plans start at 6 GB, there is a one click backup before you change world rules, and up to 10 friends can split the bill.

FAQ

Do I need to own ZSGO to run a dedicated server?

No. The ZSGO Dedicated Server tool is a free download on Steam and SteamCMD. Only the players need the game.

How many players can a ZSGO server hold?

Up to 32 through MaxPlayers. The default is 4, and the developers recommend 20 or fewer.

How do I remove the password from a ZSGO server?

Set ServerPassword to exactly NoConfiguredPassword and restart. Deleting the value or typing "none" does not work.

What ports does a ZSGO server use?

26900 for the game and 27015 for the Steam query port by default, both TCP and UDP. Change them with -port= and -queryport=.

Can I run a ZSGO server on Linux?

The server is a Windows build. Linux hosts run it through a compatibility layer such as Proton, which works but adds a setup step. See can Windows only game servers run on Linux.