V RisingHow to Move a V Rising Save to a Dedicated Server
Copy your private game's save folder from CloudSaves or Saves v4 to save-data/Saves/v4, set the save name and keep its game settings and castles.
Updated Oct 3, 2026 · 5 min read
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To move a V Rising private game to a dedicated server, open Load Game, pick the save and click Go to Directory. Copy that folder (a long GUID name inside CloudSaves\<SteamID>\v4\ or Saves\v4\ under %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Stunlock Studios\VRising\) into the server's save-data/Saves/v4/. Set the server's save name to the folder's exact name and leave the game settings preset empty, so the server uses the settings saved with your world. Castles, characters and V Blood progress all carry over.
What you can and cannot move
| Save | Can it move to a dedicated server? |
|---|---|
| Private game hosted from the PC client, current version | Yes, this guide |
| Another dedicated server's save, current version | Yes, same steps |
A save in an older version folder (a v3 folder, not v4) |
No. The number is the save format version, and the current server only reads v4 |
| PS5 save | No, console saves are not accessible as files |
| Official server progress | No. Characters on official servers belong to those servers |
Before you start
- Close V Rising so the last autosave is written.
- Back up the whole save folder somewhere safe.
- Update the game and the server to the same patch.
- Note your settings. Clan size, castle limits and PvP rules are in the save's
ServerGameSettings.json, which you will keep.
Step 1: Find the save on your PC
In the game, open Load Game, select the save and choose Go to Directory. Windows opens the folder for you. The two possible locations, from Stunlock's server instructions:
| Save type | Folder |
|---|---|
| Cloud saves on (the default on Steam) | %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Stunlock Studios\VRising\CloudSaves\<SteamID>\v4\<GUID>\ |
| Cloud saves off | %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Stunlock Studios\VRising\Saves\v4\<GUID>\ |
The GUID is a random name like db4b1c0e-2b7d-430a-87ef-4b6c09398dcf, because you never name private game saves.
Step 2: What is in the folder
| File | What it holds | Keep it? |
|---|---|---|
AutoSave_N.save.gz |
The world: castles, servants, characters, map progress | Yes. The newest one is loaded, the rest are older autosaves |
ServerGameSettings.json |
Game rules the save was made with | Yes, this keeps your rules |
ServerHostSettings.json |
Name, password, ports from the client | Optional, the server sets these itself |
SessionId.json, StartDate.json |
Session details for the save | Yes |
You can rename the GUID folder to something simple like ourcastle. Letters, numbers and no spaces is safest.
Step 3: Upload to save-data/Saves/v4
- Stop the server.
- Zip the save folder and upload it into
save-data/Saves/v4/on the server, then extract it. The result should besave-data/Saves/v4/ourcastle/AutoSave_N.save.gz. - Set the save name to
ourcastle. On GamezServers, that is Save Name in Settings. The name is case sensitive on Linux servers. - Make sure Game Settings Preset is empty.
- Start the server and connect.
The gotcha: presets overwrite your world's rules
A V Rising server can take its game rules from three places: the default file, a ServerGameSettings.json in the server's save-data/Settings/ folder, and a preset if one is set. Stunlock's instructions for transferring a client save say to leave GameSettingsPreset empty and to keep any modified ServerGameSettings.json out of the Settings folder, so the rules saved with your world are what the server uses.
Miss this and the world loads, but with different rules. Clan size can drop back to the default, castle heart limits change, a PvE world suddenly allows raids, or crafting gets slower. Players notice before you do. If you want custom rules, edit the ServerGameSettings.json inside your save folder rather than adding a second one in save-data/Settings/. Our V Rising server settings guide explains the values.
The second trap is the save name. Panel settings such as Save Name are passed to the server as environment variables, and those override SaveName in ServerHostSettings.json. Editing the JSON alone does nothing. Change Save Name in the panel.
What happens to characters
Every character, including the host's, is stored in the world save and linked to each player's Steam account. When the group joins the server with the same Steam accounts, they get their vampire, gear, castle and unlocked V Bloods back. Nobody needs a converter or tool.
To keep admin powers, add your SteamID64 to save-data/Settings/adminlist.txt, enable the console in the game options and type adminauth.
Common problems
- Server starts a fresh world: Save Name does not match the folder, or the folder went into the wrong place (it must be directly inside
save-data/Saves/v4/). - Rules changed after the move: a preset is set, or an override
ServerGameSettings.jsonsits insave-data/Settings/. - The private game still shows on my PC: with cloud saves, delete it from Load Game inside the game, or Steam Cloud restores the files.
- Save will not load after a patch: server and game versions differ. Update both.
- Admin commands do not work: your SteamID64 is missing from
adminlist.txt, or you did not runadminauth.
On GamezServers
A V Rising server from GamezServers gives you an SFTP login in Settings and a file manager that uploads zips, extracts them and can download a file from a link straight to the server. Click Backup before you replace a save, set Save Name, and your castle keeps its blood while everyone sleeps. Starting from zero? Read how to host a V Rising server.
FAQ
Where are V Rising private game saves stored?
In %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Stunlock Studios\VRising\CloudSaves\<SteamID>\v4\, or in Saves\v4\ if cloud saves are off. Go to Directory in Load Game opens the right one.
Will my friends keep their characters?
Yes. Characters are stored in the world save by Steam account, so everyone keeps their vampire when they join the server.
Why are my server rules different from my private game?
A game settings preset or an extra ServerGameSettings.json in save-data/Settings/ is overriding the rules in your save. Clear the preset and remove the extra file.
Can I move my world back to a private game later?
Yes. Download the save folder from save-data/Saves/v4/ and put it back in your local v4 folder.
Skip the setup. Your own V Rising server.
Then $14.99/mo. Just trying it? $3.75 for 3 days