How to host a Ground Branch server (2026)

Short answer. You can host a Ground Branch server yourself for free on Windows: install the dedicated server (Steam app 476400) with SteamCMD using an anonymous login, run DedicatedServer.bat once so it creates its config files, set your server name, and open UDP ports 7777 (game) and 27015 (query). Or rent a Ground Branch server and skip the networking.

Dedicated servers hold up to 16 players. Players find your server by name in the in-game server list.

Checked on 5 November 2026 against V1.0 Hotfix 3 (25 August 2026), the newest build announced on Steam. V1.1.0 is announced for 12 November 2026, so re-check the steps after it ships.

This guide uses the developers' own Steam announcements, the dedicated server guide they link to, and the setup our panel uses for Ground Branch servers. To go straight to the rental route, see Option 2.

What you need

• Operating system: Windows. The developers' dedicated server guide says the server is only officially supported on Windows, and the Steam page lists Windows only for the game.
• Hardware: we found no dedicated server requirements published by the developers. The Steam page lists only what the game itself needs.
• Network: UDP 7777 for the game and UDP 27015 for the query, reachable from the internet. These are the two ports the developers list for hosting.
• Steam account: not needed to download the server. The install command uses +login anonymous.
• The game: every player needs their own copy of Ground Branch.

The server software is free. You pay for the machine, power and bandwidth, not the software.

Option 1: host it yourself

This works on a spare Windows PC, a home server or a Windows cloud virtual machine.

Windows

1. Download SteamCMD for Windows from Valve's SteamCMD page and extract it to a folder such as C:\steamcmd.
2. Download the server in a Command Prompt:

   cd C:\steamcmd
   steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\gbserver +login anonymous +app_update 476400 validate +quit

3. Start the server once. In C:\gbserver, run DedicatedServer.bat. The developers added this file back in their 18 March 2026 hotfix so that new dedicated server installs should work. The first start creates the GroundBranch\ServerConfig folder with the .ini files.
4. Stop the server, then open GroundBranch\ServerConfig\Server.ini and set at least the name and player count:

   ServerName=My Ground Branch Server
   MaxPlayers=16

   To require a password, set ServerPassword= in the same file. A line that starts with a semicolon is a comment, so the server ignores it.
5. Open the ports. Allow UDP 7777 and UDP 27015 inbound in Windows Firewall, then forward both as UDP on your router to this PC.
6. Start the server again with DedicatedServer.bat. If there is no map list, the server generates a basic MapList.ini and carries on. Before version V1034 (March 2024), such a server hung until you added one by hand.
7. Check it from outside. Look for your server name in the in-game server list, from a machine outside your network.

Other things you can set

• Spectators: MaxSpectators controls how many people can join as spectators without using a player slot. The developers capped it at 16 when they added it in May 2021.
• Mods: since patch V1035.2 (29 January 2026), dedicated servers load Steam Workshop mods from a mods.txt file with the mod IDs.
• Message of the day: ServerMOTD in Server.ini sets it, up to 512 characters.

Option 2: host it on PlayNHost

Renting removes the firewall, port forwarding and update routine. The ports and the config file are set up for you.

1. Pick a plan. Open the Ground Branch server hosting page and look at the OPERATOR plan (16 players at the time of writing). Press Create Server on the plan card and finish the order. Prices change, so check them on that page.
2. Wait for the install. We email you when the server is ready, and it appears at panel.playnhost.com. On the Console tab, the panel counts the server as running when the log shows Bringing up level for play took.
3. Set the name. Open Settings and change Server Name, then restart the server. The panel writes it into ServerName= in Server.ini at every start.
4. Optional: add a password or other options. Open Files, go to GroundBranch/ServerConfig and edit Server.ini with the server stopped. For a password, remove the semicolon in front of ;ServerPassword= and type the password after the equals sign. The panel only rewrites ServerName= and MaxPlayers=, so your other lines stay.
5. Join. Find your server name in the in-game server list.

What our setup does for you

• Ports. Your server's game port and query port are passed on the start line as Port and QueryPort, so nothing needs forwarding.
• Max players. Max Players follows your plan and is not editable in the panel. The panel writes it into MaxPlayers= at every start, so a hand edit of that line does not stick.
• Updates. Automatic Updates is on by default and checks Steam for a new server build on start. [Repair] Validate Server Files re-checks every file during that update, and is off unless you set it. Both are on Settings under Show advanced.
• Backups. If your plan includes backups, take one from Backups before editing config files by hand.

Self-hosting or renting: an honest comparison

• Cost. Self-hosted: the software is free, and you pay for hardware, power and bandwidth. Rented: a monthly fee set by plan. See the current plan.
• Availability. Self-hosted: as reliable as your machine and home internet, and it has to stay on while your team plays. Rented: runs on the host's hardware, not your PC.
• Network exposure. Self-hosted: players connect to your public IP, and you look after the firewall and router. Rented: your home IP is not involved.
• Skill needed. Self-hosted: command line, port forwarding, ini editing. Rented: a web panel and one file edit for a password.
• Updates. Self-hosted: stop, run the SteamCMD command again, start. Rented: Automatic Updates installs a new build when the server starts.

Self-hosting suits you if a Windows machine already runs all day and you are comfortable with networking. Renting suits you if you would rather not look after hardware. See the Ground Branch plans.

Common problems and fixes

The server does not show in the server list

Cause: one of the two ports the developers list is not open or not forwarded.

Fix: allow and forward both UDP 7777 and UDP 27015, not only the game port, and test from outside your network.

The server hung at start on an old install

Cause: before V1034 (March 2024), a dedicated server with no MapList.ini waited for one.

Fix: update the server with SteamCMD. Current builds generate a basic map list.

Your MaxPlayers edit disappears (PlayNHost)

Cause: the panel rewrites MaxPlayers= and ServerName= at every start.

Fix: change the name in Settings. The player count follows the plan.

FAQ

Can I host a Ground Branch server for free?

Yes. The dedicated server is free on Steam and downloads with an anonymous login. You still pay for the machine, power and internet.

How many players can join?

Dedicated servers are limited to 16 players, for both PvP and co-op, per the developers. Spectators are counted separately.

Which ports does a Ground Branch server use?

UDP 7777 for the game and UDP 27015 for the query.

Do I need to own the game to run the server?

Not to install it. Players need the game to join.