Project Zomboid is one of the best zombie survival games ever made, and its multiplayer mode transforms it from a lonely survival experience into a chaotic, brutal co-op game where communication and resource management become life-or-death. Hosting your own server gives you full control over the settings and lore of your apocalypse.
Project Zomboid Server Hardware Requirements
PZ is a Java-based game (like Minecraft), which means many of the same server principles apply:
| Players | RAM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1-8 players | 4-6 GB | Light modding |
| 8-20 players | 6-10 GB | Moderate mods |
| 20-40 players | 10-16 GB | Heavy mod lists |
The Knox Country map in Project Zomboid is enormous, and as players explore new areas, those chunks are generated and loaded into memory. A long-running server with many explored areas will grow its memory footprint over time.
Installing the PZ Dedicated Server
On Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):
# Install SteamCMD
apt-get install steamcmd
# Download Project Zomboid Server
steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir /opt/pzserver +app_update 380870 validate +quit
# Start the server (first run creates config files)
cd /opt/pzserver
./start-server.sh
The server creates config files in ~/Zomboid/Server/ on first launch.
Key Configuration File: servertest.ini
The most important settings for multiplayer balance:
Lore=Survivors have struggled for years...
MaxPlayers=32
PVP=true
PauseEmpty=true
GlobalChat=true
SleepAllowed=false
FastForwardMultiplier=40.0
SpawnRegion=Muldraugh, KY
SleepAllowed=false is important for multiplayer: if sleep is enabled, all players must sleep simultaneously to advance time, which causes coordination headaches.
PauseEmpty=true pauses the server when no one is online. This prevents the zombie population from roaming and changing while players are offline, which is essential for a fair persistent world.
Mods on Project Zomboid
The PZ modding community is excellent. Common categories:
- Map expansions: add new towns, cities, POIs to the Knox Country map
- Building mods: new craftable items and construction options
- Realism mods: more complex survival systems
- QoL mods: better UI, inventory sorting, etc.
Server mods are automatically downloaded by connecting clients when you list them in your server config. Add Workshop IDs to WorkshopItems= and mod IDs to Mods= in the server config file.
The Build 42 Overhaul
Project Zomboid Build 42 is the currently released major version, bringing significant changes including new crafting systems, new wildlife, and improved NPC interactions. If you are starting a new server in 2026, build your world on Build 42 from the start, because migrating an old world to a new major build causes issues.
Hosting PZ at Space-Node
Project Zomboid is a long-session game. Players often spend several hours in a single session, so stability over long uptime matters more than peak numbers. Space-Node's PZ 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. Plans run from 4GB to 12GB of RAM, so size yours with the table above and your mod list in mind.
Start your zombie apocalypse. View Project Zomboid server plans
Pick from nine regions across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.
If you would rather not run the machine yourself, our Project Zomboid hosting plans cover the setup described above.