Cloud
Game servers
How game hosting works in Expanse Panel, what you can change after ordering, and how game servers differ from a VPS.
Game servers
Game servers in Expanse Panel are game-ready hosting services we manage for you. You pick a plan (CPU, memory, and storage for that game or engine), a location that is close to your players when possible, and a name for the server. After payment and setup, you use the game panel to manage files, game settings, and restarts in a way that matches that game or platform.
What you can expect
- A purpose-built plan for the game or mod stack you choose — the panel shows the options that are valid for that product, so you are not left guessing at raw server specs the way you might on a generic VPS.
- A place to run the world for your community: install updates, work with the game or platform’s file layout, and bring friends in with the right connection information.
- One team, one list of game servers in your dashboard so you can find everything quickly.
Game server vs a VPS (cloud server)
| Game server | VPS (cloud server) | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | A specific game or platform we support with a game panel | Full Linux (or other OS) that you set up yourself |
| You manage | Game files, settings, and players through the game-focused tools | The whole operating system, security updates, and software install |
| We handle | The hosting stack the game was designed for | The hardware and base platform for your virtual machine |
| When to pick | You want the fastest path to a playable, managed game | You need full server control, custom distros, or many apps on one machine |
If you are unsure, start with a game server for games we list. You can add a VPS later for a website, database, or tools when you are ready to operate that system yourself (see VPS and cloud).
After you order
Setup time depends on the game and the location. Your dashboard will show the service as it moves through the normal order steps. You will also want to know:
- How checkout and payment works.
- How locations and regions affect latency and availability.
If something looks wrong in the game
- Check the game or platform’s own health first (patches, version mismatch, and similar).
- In the panel, make sure the service is not suspended for billing — see Service and billing (suspension).
- Use Opening a support ticket for anything account-side or if the service never finishes provisioning. Give your service name and team name, not passwords.
Related
- VPS and cloud
- How ordering works
- Domains if you are pointing a custom hostname