How many players can join a Valheim server?
A Valheim and Valheim 1.0 server supports 10 players at the same time. Learn what the cap counts, whether dedicated servers or crossplay change it, what happens to offline characters, and how to size hosting for a full group.
A Valheim server supports 10 players online at the same time. Iron Gate has confirmed that the cap remains 1–10 in Valheim 1.0. A dedicated server, crossplay, or a different platform does not raise or lower it.
That means one server can hold any mix of PC, PS5, Switch 2, and Xbox players, up to 10 total. It does not mean 10 players per platform.
What the 10-player cap counts
The limit is concurrent connections:
- Ten players can be in the world together.
- An eleventh player must wait for somebody to disconnect.
- Offline players do not reserve slots.
- Characters and their inventories remain on each player's device.
- Buildings, terrain changes, chests, and dropped items remain in the server world whether their owners are online or not.
You can invite more than 10 people to a community as long as no more than 10 connect at once. If all 12 members regularly play together, one unmodded world will not fit the whole group.
Dedicated servers still have 10 slots
A dedicated server changes availability, not capacity. It keeps the world running when the person who created it is offline, so any member of the group can join without waiting for a host to launch Valheim. The official cap remains 10.
The same rule applies to:
| Server type | Official concurrent limit |
|---|---|
| Player-hosted world | 10 players |
| Steam dedicated server | 10 players |
| Crossplay dedicated server | 10 players |
| berrybyte Valheim server | 10 players |
Iron Gate describes Valheim as a co-op game for a small group rather than an MMO. Its official FAQ says servers are capped at 10 players.
Crossplay shares the same cap
With crossplay enabled, all platforms consume the same pool of 10 slots. For example, a full server could contain:
- four PC players,
- two PS5 players,
- two Switch 2 players, and
- two Xbox players.
Crossplay changes how those players reach the server. It uses the PlayFab backend and gives the server a six-digit join code. It does not create extra capacity. See how to join a Valheim server for the platform-specific steps.
Can a mod increase the limit?
Some community mods advertise player counts above 10, but that is not an officially supported Valheim configuration. It also creates three trade-offs:
- Console players cannot install required client-side mods.
- Game updates can break BepInEx and the plugin.
- More simultaneous players increase simulation, network, and world-save load.
If more than 10 people need to play reliably, the safer setup is two vanilla worlds or scheduled groups. Treat a raised-cap mod as an experimental PC-only server, not guaranteed capacity.
Size the server for the group
Ten available slots do not guarantee smooth performance on weak hardware. Valheim benefits from a modern CPU with strong single-thread speed, especially when several players explore separate areas and make the server generate new terrain.
For a vanilla group using all 10 slots, berrybyte recommends:
- 4 GB RAM for a normal vanilla world,
- a fast modern CPU,
- NVMe storage for world saves and backups, and
- additional memory headroom for a long-running or modded world.
The RAM figure is a practical hosting recommendation, not an official minimum published by Iron Gate. Read how much RAM a Valheim server needs before sizing a self-hosted machine.
Every berrybyte Valheim plan includes all 10 player slots, so there is no fee per friend and no smaller slot cap to discover after checkout. Start a 10-player Valheim server with automatic updates, backups, and crossplay enabled by default.
Set a lower limit for a private group
Valheim does not need a lower slot setting for a small group. Use a server
password to keep strangers out, or use permittedlist.txt when you need a
strict allowlist.
An occupied permittedlist.txt blocks everybody who is not listed. Add every allowed player's
exact Platform User ID, or leave the file empty. It does not change the 10-player cap.
Size a vanilla, long-running, or modded server without guessing.
Set up a Valheim serverCreate a persistent 10-player world on berrybyte or with SteamCMD.
Fix connection problemsWork through version, join-code, crossplay, mod, password, and allowlist failures.
Start all 10 slotsOne persistent world with crossplay, automatic updates, and backups included.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Valheim server player limit?
Valheim servers are capped at 10 players online at the same time. Iron Gate has confirmed that the limit remains 1–10 for Valheim 1.0. The cap is the same for a player-hosted world and a dedicated server.
Does a Valheim dedicated server allow more than 10 players?
No. Running a dedicated server keeps the world online without its owner, but it does not raise Valheim's official 10-player cap. Mods may advertise higher limits, but that is an unsupported PC-only setup and can increase performance and compatibility problems.
Does Valheim crossplay reduce the player limit?
No. A crossplay server still supports up to 10 concurrent players total across PC, PS5, Switch 2, and Xbox. The limit is shared by the whole server, not 10 slots per platform.
Do offline Valheim characters use a server slot?
No. Only players connected at that moment count toward the 10-player cap. Characters are stored on each player's device and can return later without reserving a permanent slot.
How much hosting do I need for 10 Valheim players?
For a vanilla 10-player group, berrybyte recommends 4 GB of RAM plus a CPU with strong single-thread performance. A long-running world, players exploring in different directions, or BepInEx mods may need more headroom.