7 Days to Die, or 7DTD, is the original zombie survival builders' game. With its random world generation, blood moon horde nights, and deep crafting systems, it creates some of the most memorable co-op gaming moments available. Version 1.0 was a massive overhaul that brought the game to full release status, and in 2026 it remains one of the most popular survival multiplayer games to self-host.
Why 7DTD Servers Need Good Hardware
Blood moon horde nights, which happen every 7 in-game days, spawn hundreds of zombies simultaneously attacking your base. During these events, the server simulation spikes dramatically. A server that handles normal gameplay fine can visibly struggle during horde nights if it is underpowered.
Additionally, procedural world generation at server startup is memory-intensive. A 10K map takes several minutes to generate and uses significant RAM.
Hardware Requirements for 7DTD 2026
| Setup | RAM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small (1-8 players, vanilla) | 6-8 GB | Standard 8K world |
| Medium (8-16 players) | 8-12 GB | Standard 10K world with mods |
| Overhaul mods (Darkness Falls, etc.) | 12-16 GB | Significantly higher requirements |
Overhaul mod packs like Darkness Falls, Ravenhearst, and Undead Legacy dramatically increase requirements because they add hundreds of new items, recipes, and zombie types.
Installation via SteamCMD
steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir /opt/7dtd_server +app_update 294420 validate +quit
# Run the server
cd /opt/7dtd_server
./startserver.sh -configfile=serverconfig.xml
Key Settings in serverconfig.xml
<property name="GameName" value="My World"/>
<property name="GameMode" value="GameModeSurvival"/>
<property name="WorldGenSeed" value="asdf1234"/>
<property name="WorldGenSize" value="8192"/>
<property name="ServerMaxPlayerCount" value="8"/>
<property name="BedrollDeadZoneSize" value="15"/>
<property name="BloodMoonEnemyCount" value="8"/>
<property name="DayNightLength" value="60"/>
BloodMoonEnemyCount: reduce this to 6-8 on lower-powered servers. The default is tuned for local play with good hardware.
DayNightLength: real minutes per in-game day. The default of 60 gives a 60-minute day, about 2.5 real minutes per in-game hour. Raise it for longer days.
Managing the Game World
7DTD worlds are a fixed size set by WorldGenSize, but the explored and saved region data grows as players move around the map. Monitor your server's memory usage over time, because a busy server after 30 days of play may use notably more RAM than at launch.
Mods: Overhaul vs. Small Additions
The 7DTD modding community is exceptional. The decision point is whether to run a full overhaul mod (Darkness Falls, Ravenhearst) or smaller individual mods (custom zombies, UI improvements, weapon packs).
Full overhauls fundamentally change the game and usually require all players to use the same modded client. They are worth the extra hardware cost for established communities that want a fresh experience.
Hosting 7DTD at Space-Node
Horde nights are the real test for any 7DTD server. Space-Node's 7DTD servers run on NVMe storage, with AMD Ryzen 9 3900X-class CPUs in the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Canada and India, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D in the USA and the Ryzen 9 5950X in Singapore and Australia. Fast storage keeps chunk loading quick while players explore. If blood moons still stutter, lower BloodMoonEnemyCount or move up a plan.
Plans run from 6GB to 16GB of RAM, which covers every row in the table above, overhaul mods included.
Survive the apocalypse together. View 7 Days to Die server plans
Built for horde nights, mod-heavy setups, and a world that stays online 24/7.
If you would rather not run the machine yourself, our 7 Days to Die hosting plans cover the setup described above.