Ships At Sea Dedicated Server: Windows vs Linux

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This guide covers the Ships At Sea dedicated server on Windows and Linux: what each platform needs, how to install the server tool on both, and which one makes sense for your crew.

Linux support is new

Update v0.8.7 (July 3, 2026) added Linux support to the Ships At Sea dedicated server tool, alongside raising the dedicated player cap to 16. Before that update the server was Windows only. Misc Games' official server documentation is still written Windows-first, so treat Linux as supported but lightly documented for now.

What the server needs (either platform)

  • A separate machine. Misc Games states the game client and the dedicated server cannot run on the same computer. Whichever OS you pick, plan on a second PC or a rented server.
  • Disk: about 2 GB for the server install, plus growing room for world autosaves (the server autosaves every 5 minutes).
  • RAM: roughly 1 GB per running server instance at idle, with headroom for a full 16-player harbor.
  • CPU: the server is a single Unreal Engine 5 process, so strong single-thread performance matters more than core count.
  • Network: forward ports 7777 and 15000 (both TCP/UDP), or their replacements if you move them with the -port and -beaconport launch switches.

Installing on Windows

  1. Install SteamCMD.
  2. Log in anonymously and install app 3951240. The server tool is free, so you do not need a second copy of the game: steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 3951240 validate +quit
  3. In SAS\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\, rename Example_DedicatedServerSettings.ini to DedicatedServerSettings.ini and set your server name, player cap (up to 16) and description. Every key is covered in Ships At Sea Server Configuration.
  4. Start the server with SasServer.exe -log and leave the machine on.

Installing on Linux

  1. Install SteamCMD for your distribution.
  2. The install is the same free, anonymous app: steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 3951240 validate +quit
  3. The official guide documents the Windows layout only. On Linux the server follows the standard Unreal Engine dedicated server layout, with the start script SasServer.sh in the install root (run ./SasServer.sh -log) and the config folder at SAS/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/. The DedicatedServerSettings.ini keys are the same on both platforms.
  4. Update the server after every game hotfix. The tool rebuilds in lockstep with the game, and a server on an old build disappears from the in-game server list for updated players.

Which should you pick?

Windows Linux
Official documentation Full Minimal (supported since v0.8.7, docs are Windows-first)
Track record The platform the tool launched on in v0.8.6 New since July 2026
Typical use Home PC or rented Windows server Headless home server or VPS

If you are self-hosting on spare hardware, use whichever OS the machine already runs. If you are setting up something new and want the well-trodden path, Windows is the configuration the tool has run on since dedicated servers shipped.

Skipping the setup entirely

A rented Ships At Sea game server runs on managed Windows hardware with automatic updates on by default, so it keeps pace with every hotfix without any SteamCMD sessions. The server name, slot count and description are managed from the Command Center, and worlds are backed up on a schedule. See also How to Create a Ships At Sea Server Guide and How to Join a Ships At Sea Server.

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