Windrose dedicated server: requirements and RAM
Published on 3 October 2026
According to its makers, a Windrose server needs 8 GB of RAM for 2 players, 12 GB for 4 players and 16 GB for a bigger crew. On top of that, two CPU cores at 3.2 GHz and 35 GB of SSD storage are enough. If you also play on the PC that runs the server, plan for 24 GB of RAM in total. Below you’ll find what that means for your crew, and what to look out for in the settings.
How much RAM does a Windrose server need?
Kraken Express, the studio behind Windrose, gives a clear table in the official server guide:
| Players | RAM | CPU | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 8 GB | 2 cores, 3.2 GHz | 35 GB SSD |
| 4 | 12 GB | 2 cores, 3.2 GHz | 35 GB SSD |
| Bigger crew | 16 GB | 2 cores, 3.2 GHz | 35 GB SSD |
Windrose supports up to 8 players per server. The developers recommend a crew of about 4 for the best experience, because the game gets heavier later on and every player adds work for the world. Big forts, a fleet of ships and lots of explored islands take memory too. Our advice: 8 GB for a duo, 12 GB for a crew of four, and 16 GB or more if there are more of you or you’re far into the game. That’s why our Windrose plans start at 8 GB.
Torn between two sizes? Take the bigger one. A server that keeps hitting its memory limit starts to stutter or crash, and you’ll notice it right in the middle of a sea battle. For a quick estimate per game, try our server size calculator.
Can you run a Windrose server on your own PC?
Yes. You can host a world from inside the game, or install the free Windrose Dedicated Server. You’ll find it in Steam under Tools, or you download it with SteamCMD (app ID 4129620, logging in as anonymous). The official guide covers the server on Windows; since version 0.10.0.7 (June 2026) there are also Docker images with Linux support.
If you play on the same PC, it asks a lot of your computer. According to the guide, the game alone needs at least 16 GB, and running the server alongside takes another 8 GB: 24 GB in total, on an SSD. Since version 0.10.0.6 you can only run one server per PC.
For connections, Windrose uses its own connectivity service with invite codes by default, so you usually don’t need to open any ports. If connecting fails, you can pick a different connectivity server in the game, or turn on Force Relay Connection: more stable, but with more lag. If you go for a direct connection over IP, you have to open a port yourself for TCP and UDP, 7777 by default.
Which settings suit your crew?
The main settings live in two files. Only edit them while the server is stopped.
- ServerDescription.json in the R5 folder: the server name, the maximum number of players, whether there’s a password, the password itself, and whether you use direct connections.
- WorldDescription.json next to your world: the difficulty. There are three presets (Easy, Medium and Hard), and you can tweak values one by one, such as enemy health and damage, ship strength, how hard boarding is, and whether quests count for the whole crew.
On our servers you set the name, the number of players, the password, direct connection and Auto Update in the Startup tab. The panel writes them into ServerDescription.json on every start. You change the difficulty in WorldDescription.json through the file manager. Too tough for a small crew? Pick the Easy preset or lower MobHealthMultiplier and MobDamageMultiplier a little.
How do the invite code and password work?
Your friends choose Play and then Connect to Server in Windrose, and paste your server’s invite code. You’ll find the code in ServerDescription.json or in the console when the server starts. Mind the capitals: the code is case-sensitive. If Password Protected is on, they enter the password next.
With a direct IP connection the invite code doesn’t work, and players join with your server’s IP address and port instead. The developers flagged a known issue with this in April: with a wrong password or a different version, you’re sent back to the main menu without an error message. If that happens, check the password first, and whether everyone has the latest version.
The server and the game must always run the same version. Windrose has been in early access since 14 April 2026 and gets regular updates. Leave Auto Update on so the server updates itself on every start, and restart it after a game update.
How do you move a world to a server?
Did your crew start out on someone’s PC? You can bring that world along. On that PC it lives in %LOCALAPPDATA%\. Copy the world’s folder into the server’s Worlds folder, under R5\ for the current version, and set WorldIslandId in ServerDescription.json to the exact name of that folder. Make a backup first. Windrose also backs up the saves itself on every start, up to 30 of them, in the Default_Backups folder.
A server for your pirate crew? At CakeHosting you get a Windrose server from €8.95 a month. Cancel any month.
When is renting the easier option?
Self-hosting is fine for an evening of trying things out. But the world is only online while that one PC is on, and that PC needs enough memory for the game and the server together. A rented server runs around the clock, so everyone can set sail whenever they like. You don’t have to open ports, Auto Update keeps the server in step with the game, and you make backups in the panel. What else you can do there is on our game panel page. Looking for the next adventure for your crew? Browse our game server hosting.
