Should You Auto Update a Game Server? When to Turn It Off

Leave auto update on for an unmodded server whose players update automatically, because a server that falls behind locks everyone out with a version mismatch. Turn it off, or pin a version, when the server runs mods or plugins that need time to catch up after a patch, or when your players can choose to stay on an older version. Either way, take a backup before every update, since big patches occasionally change how saves work.

Why game versions matter so much

Most multiplayer games refuse to connect a player and a server on different versions. When Steam, the Microsoft Store or a console updates the game on players' devices, a server that has not updated becomes unjoinable. The error text gives it away:

• Minecraft Bedrock: "Outdated server!"
• Valheim: "Incompatible version"
• Palworld: version mismatch on connect
• Factorio: "Mod mismatch" or a version mismatch message on join
• 7 Days to Die: version mismatch when joining
• DayZ: "Bad version, server rejected connection"

We have fixes for the common ones: Valheim incompatible version, Palworld version mismatch, 7 Days to Die version mismatch and Factorio version mismatch.

How auto update usually works

On most hosts, "auto update" means the server checks for a new version every time it starts. For Steam games it runs SteamCMD's app_update for the server's app ID before launching. So:

• The server only updates when it restarts.
• After a patch, a restart is all it takes.
• If the server never restarts, it never updates, even with auto update on.

Some setups also restart the server on a schedule, which turns "update on start" into "update every night".

When to leave auto update on

• Unmodded servers. Nothing on the server depends on an exact game version.
• Games where players cannot hold back updates. Consoles and phones update automatically, so a Minecraft Bedrock server must keep up or console players cannot join.
• Games with frequent small patches. Counter-Strike 2 and Rust get regular updates, and running behind is never an option for public servers.
• Groups that do not want to think about it. Auto update plus a restart after each patch is the lowest effort setup.

When to turn it off or pin a version

Mods that lag behind patches

After a big update, mods often break until their authors update them. Common cases:

• Minecraft Java: Fabric, Forge and NeoForge mods target exact Minecraft versions. Keep the server on the version your mods support. Players can stay on older versions in the Minecraft Launcher.
• Valheim with BepInEx: a game patch can break BepInEx or individual mods until they are updated.
• ARK: Survival Ascended: mods that are not updated for the current patch can stop the server loading.
• CS2 with Metamod: Valve updates can overwrite the file that loads Metamod. See CS2 Metamod not loading after an update.
• Rust with Oxide or Carbon: the framework itself needs an update after every Rust update, usually within hours, and some plugins need more time.

Overhaul mods on old branches

7 Days to Die overhauls like Darkness Falls often run on an older game branch. The server and every player must stay on that branch, chosen in Steam under Properties, Betas.

Experimental branches

If your group plays a public test or experimental branch, the server must match it, and you control when everyone moves.

Big saves before a major release

Major releases sometimes change save formats. Hold the update until you have a backup and, ideally, until the first hotfix is out.

A safe update routine

1. Read the patch notes, especially for server or save changes.
2. Check your mods. Look for updates on their pages, or announcements in their Discord.
3. Take a backup and download a copy. See how to back up a game server.
4. Update the server by restarting with auto update on, or by changing the pinned version.
5. Read the console on the first start for errors from mods.
6. Join and test before telling everyone it is ready.
7. If it breaks, roll back to the backup and pin the old version until mods catch up. See how to restore a backup.

Pinning versions in common games

Not every game keeps old versions. If Steam only offers the latest build, pinning is not possible and you have to wait for mods.

How GamezServers handles updates

It depends on the game, and the control panel tells you which way each one works. Many games, including ARK: Survival Ascended, Enshrouded and DayZ (with its Workshop mods), check for updates every time they start, so after a patch, restart the server. ARK has an Update on restart setting you can turn off to hold a version for mods. Games where you choose a version, like Minecraft, Factorio and FiveM, have a version setting and an Update game button that reinstalls the version you picked while keeping your worlds and settings. Backups are taken automatically before game updates, and one click backups are always there. See Minecraft, Factorio or all games.

FAQ

Do game servers update automatically?

Many do when they start, if the host has set them up that way. A server that is not restarted after a game patch stays on the old version, and players get a version mismatch.

Why can nobody join my server after a game update?

The server is on an older version than the players. Restart it with updates on, or update it from the panel, and make sure mods are updated too.

Can I keep my server on an older version?

In some games, yes: Minecraft, Factorio, 7 Days to Die and others let you pick a version or branch. Players must use the same version. Games without old branches cannot be held back.

Will updating my server delete my world?

It should not. Updates replace game files, not saves. Major releases occasionally change save formats, which is why a backup before every update is worth the minute it takes.