Hytale Dedicated Server Requirements: RAM, CPU, Storage and Network Setup

A Hytale dedicated server needs at least 4 GB of memory, Java 25, and either x64 or arm64 hardware according to Hypixel Studios’ server manual. That is a startup floor, not a guaranteed player capacity. Your real requirements rise with simultaneous players, mobs and NPCs, independently explored terrain, view distance, mods, backups and the number of worlds you keep.

For a dependable installation, use a modern SSD (preferably NVMe), begin around the recommended 384-block/12-chunk view distance, monitor CPU and RAM while people play, and expose the default UDP port 5520 for Hytale’s QUIC networking. There is no official RAM-per-player formula, fixed CPU model, or numeric dedicated-server disk minimum, so capacity has to be measured on your own world and play style.

What are the official Hytale dedicated-server requirements?

The published baseline is deliberately short. Hypixel Studios states that the Hytale server can run on any device with at least 4 GB of memory, Java 25, and x64 or arm64 architecture. The manual does not promise a specific number of players at that baseline.

Resource	Official baseline or guidance	What it means in practice
Memory	At least 4 GB	A startup floor; busy worlds, higher view distance and mods can require more.
Java	Java 25; the manual recommends Adoptium builds	Install a 64-bit Java 25 runtime and verify the server uses that executable.
CPU	No fixed model or core count published	Prioritize strong single-thread performance and headroom for players, mobs and NPCs.
Architecture	x64 or arm64	Both Intel/AMD-style 64-bit systems and compatible ARM64 systems are supported.
Disk	No numeric dedicated-server minimum stated	Reserve room for the server files, saves, logs, updates and backups; SSD storage is strongly preferred.
Networking	QUIC over UDP; default port 5520	Allow and forward UDP, not just TCP.

The game’s store requirements are for the local client, not a server capacity guarantee. The current client listing gives 10 GB of free SSD space and 8 GB of RAM as minimums, with 20 GB of free SSD space and 16 GB of RAM recommended. A multiplayer server does not need to render the game, while a single-player machine runs the client and server simulation together, so those figures should not be copied into a dedicated-server specification.

How much RAM does a Hytale dedicated server need?

Use 4 GB only as the official floor. Actual use depends on how much world area remains loaded, how far players can see, how many players explore in different directions, and how many entities or mods are active. Hypixel Studios explicitly recommends watching real RAM and CPU usage for your player count and play style instead of applying a universal per-player calculation.

Why player count alone is a poor estimate

Two servers with the same number of players can have very different memory footprints. A group building in one compact area keeps less terrain active than the same group travelling in several directions. Farms, NPC-heavy towns, mobs, custom content and large server-side systems also change the working set. Treat any “players per gigabyte” claim as a local test result, not an official Hytale rule.

A practical starting allocation

Start with the minimum only for a small, lightly modified test world. For a community server, provision more physical memory than the JVM maximum so the operating system, Java overhead, monitoring and backups have room. Set the Java heap deliberately and leave unused RAM rather than allowing the host to swap.

java -Xms4G -Xmx8G -jar <server-jar>

The flags above illustrate how to set an initial heap; use the launch syntax and server file name required by the current Hytale manual. Increase or decrease -Xmx after observing sustained use, not because a nominal player count suggests a number.

What to monitor

• JVM heap usage and whether it repeatedly approaches -Xmx.
• Host memory pressure, swap activity and operating-system reclaim.
• CPU utilization during exploration, combat, mob spawning and peak joins.
• Tick or simulation latency, if exposed by the server build.
• Usage while players spread out, because independent exploration loads more area.

Take readings during the busiest normal session, then test a deliberate stress case. If memory climbs continuously after garbage collection, lower view distance or remove a problematic mod before simply adding RAM.

What CPU do I need to host Hytale?

There is no official processor model, clock speed, or core-count requirement. Hypixel identifies high player and entity counts—including NPCs and mobs—as CPU drivers. Choose a recent processor with strong per-core performance and several spare cores for the operating system, storage tasks and other services.

CPU choices by workload

Workload	CPU planning approach	Warning sign
Small private test	A modern desktop, laptop or VPS with one fast core and modest spare capacity	Simulation slows when several entities are active.
Friends’ server with exploration	Fast modern cores plus headroom for multiple loaded areas	CPU spikes when players travel in separate directions.
Modded or NPC-heavy community	Higher sustained single-thread performance and additional cores for supporting work	Persistent high utilization or latency during entity-heavy scenes.

Do not size the machine by total advertised core count alone. A server can become simulation-bound on one busy thread while other cores remain idle. Monitoring during the actions your players actually perform is more useful than a synthetic benchmark.

How much storage does a Hytale server use?

Hypixel Studios has not published a numeric minimum disk size for dedicated servers. Reserve capacity for the server payload, generated worlds, configuration, logs, updates and several recovery backups. Worlds are not fixed-size downloads: procedural terrain can continue growing as players explore, customize and build.

Published world-size examples

Hypixel’s 2025 hardware article reports about 661 MB for a 5,000-by-5,000-block Exploration-mode save and about 27 KB per 32-by-32 chunk. Those figures describe the examples in that article, not a ceiling for a live dedicated world. Generation, structures, player construction and future updates can make a server’s files much larger.

SSD versus NVMe

An SSD is strongly recommended for Hytale. An NVMe SSD is a sensible choice when the budget allows it because faster random access helps world loading, saves, backups and updates; it is practical headroom rather than an official dedicated-server minimum. Select a drive large enough that routine backups do not fill it.

• Keep the active world and its backups on reliable local SSD storage.
• Set a retention policy, such as daily and weekly copies, so backups cannot consume the entire volume.
• Watch free space and alert before the disk is nearly full.
• Store an additional copy on separate storage if the world matters; a second folder on the same disk does not protect against disk failure.

What view distance should a Hytale server use?

View distance is the most impactful performance setting in Hypixel’s guidance. The intended target is 384 blocks, which the server manual describes as a 12-chunk maximum recommendation. Higher distances keep more terrain loaded and increase both RAM and CPU work.

Why doubling distance is expensive

Hypixel explains that doubling view distance—for example, from 192 to 384 blocks—quadruples the amount of world around the player. This area effect is why a small setting change can affect a server more than its linear block count suggests.

Tuning procedure

1. Begin at 384 blocks/12 chunks if the host has adequate headroom.
2. Have several players travel, fight and load different regions at the same time.
3. Watch memory, CPU and any simulation-latency indicator during that session.
4. Lower the distance in small steps if the host approaches its limits.
5. Retest after adding mods, NPCs or another world; their cost is not constant.

A lower distance is preferable to an unstable server. Explain the setting to players as a capacity trade-off: it changes how far terrain stays active, not the quality of the rendered client image alone.

Which Java version and hardware architecture are supported?

Install Java 25 and use a 64-bit build for the server’s x64 or arm64 platform. The manual recommends Adoptium distributions. On a machine that has several Java versions, check the version from the exact executable used by the service or startup script, not only the version shown in an interactive shell.

1. Install the Java 25 package appropriate to x64 or arm64.
2. Run java -version and confirm it reports version 25.
3. Place the server files in a dedicated directory with write permission for saves and logs.
4. Launch using the current manual’s command and set an explicit heap limit.
5. Restart once and confirm the service still selects Java 25 after reboot.

On ARM64, verify that every supporting tool, monitoring agent and backup utility is also available for that architecture. The server itself supports arm64, but an unrelated native dependency can still prevent a particular hosting image from working.

What port and protocol does a Hytale server use?

Hytale uses QUIC over UDP, with UDP port 5520 as the default listen port. Open and forward UDP 5520 on the host firewall and router when players connect from outside your network. A TCP-only rule will not provide the required path.

Network checklist

• Bind the server to the intended network interface.
• Allow inbound UDP 5520 in the operating-system firewall.
• Forward UDP 5520 from the router to the server’s local address for home hosting.
• Use the public address and port supplied to players; do not expose unrelated administrative ports.
• Test from a different network, such as a phone hotspot, because local connections can work even when internet forwarding is wrong.

Managed hosting or a VPS must document UDP/QUIC support and give you control of the assigned port. Ask whether the provider permits custom view distance, mods and monitoring access before moving a world.

Should I self-host or use managed Hytale hosting?

Neither option has a universal performance advantage. Self-hosting gives physical control and can use an existing machine; managed hosting trades some control for provider maintenance and connectivity. Compare the actual specification rather than a generic “game server” label.

Decision point	Self-hosting	Managed host or Java 25 VPS
Runtime	You install and maintain Java 25.	Confirm Java 25 is available and selectable.
CPU and RAM	You choose hardware and must leave operating-system headroom.	Check whether memory and CPU are guaranteed or oversubscribed.
Storage	You choose SSD/NVMe size and design backups.	Confirm SSD/NVMe media, quotas and backup retention.
Networking	You configure UDP 5520 and router/firewall rules.	Confirm inbound UDP/QUIC and the assigned port are supported.
Configuration	Maximum control over view distance, mods and JVM flags.	Check for restrictions on mods, flags and file access.
Monitoring	You can inspect host and JVM metrics directly.	Verify that logs, metrics and heap tuning are available to you.

How do I test whether my server is large enough?

Capacity testing should reproduce the worst normal session, not just a successful boot. Record a baseline with no players, then add the conditions that drive resource use.

1. Start with the planned world, Java 25 runtime, mods and view distance.
2. Invite representative players or simulate the expected peak activity.
3. Include separate exploration paths, entity-heavy areas, teleports and a save or restart.
4. Record peak and sustained RAM, CPU, disk I/O and network use.
5. Repeat after adding a world, content pack or major configuration change.
6. Keep a safety margin so a short spike does not trigger swapping or a crash.

If the test fails, change one variable at a time. Lower view distance first when loaded-area pressure is the cause; reduce entity or mod load when CPU is the bottleneck; increase the JVM limit only when the host has genuinely available memory.

What commonly goes wrong, and how do I fix it?

The server exits immediately

Check that the process is using Java 25 and that the architecture matches the operating system. Read the first startup error before changing heap values; an unsupported runtime or missing permission is more likely than insufficient RAM at launch.

Players time out despite an online process

Confirm that UDP—not only TCP—is allowed on the host firewall and forwarded on the router. Verify the listening port, public address, and whether the host is behind carrier-grade NAT that prevents inbound connections.

Memory stays high or the host swaps

Lower view distance, stop unnecessary worlds and inspect mods or entity-heavy areas. Reduce -Xmx only if the host itself is under pressure; setting a smaller heap cannot solve a workload that genuinely needs more memory.

Performance collapses during exploration

Exploration expands the loaded area and can trigger both CPU and RAM pressure. Reproduce the route, lower the distance, and compare metrics before and after; adding players without changing the exploration pattern may not reproduce the same result.

How are client requirements different from server requirements?

The client renders graphics and therefore needs a GPU, display-oriented memory and local storage. In multiplayer, the dedicated server performs simulation remotely while each player’s machine runs the client. Mods, large content packs, complex server logic and extended view distance can raise requirements on both sides, but they do so for different reasons. Use the server manual for hosting decisions and the store’s client table for each player’s computer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Hytale server run on an ARM computer?

Yes. Hypixel Studios lists arm64 as supported alongside x64. Check that your operating system, Java 25 distribution and any native monitoring or backup utilities are built for the same architecture.

Does a larger SSD make the server run faster?

Capacity and speed are separate decisions. A larger drive prevents backups and growing worlds from exhausting space, while SSD or NVMe media reduces storage latency; neither one establishes a guaranteed player count.

Can I forward TCP port 5520 instead of UDP?

No. Hytale’s transport is QUIC over UDP, so a TCP-only forwarding rule does not provide the protocol the server expects. Permit UDP on the selected port and test from outside the local network.

How often should I recheck Hytale server requirements?

Hytale is in early access and its software and guidance can change. Revisit the current server manual and hardware documentation after major releases, Java support changes or updates that alter world generation and networking.

Is 4 GB enough for a modded community server?

The published 4 GB figure is only a minimum startup baseline. A modded community should establish its own peak measurements, reserve operating-system headroom and be prepared to raise memory or reduce loaded-area settings when tests show pressure.