Fans of The Forest were treated with a nice surprise when the sequel — Sons of the Forest — was released in early access on February 23rd, 2023. This upcoming survival horror is still very new, so game hosting platforms have yet to release dedicated servers for it.
Instead, there are ‘coming soon’ notices or options to pre-order, but why not start your search for the right hosting service now? You can still get a sense of their features and pricing by looking at other games, like The Forest. Since it’s been out for a while, sites like Hostari already have servers supporting the game.
But before we dive any deeper, let’s start with the basics.
What is a Sons Of The Forest Dedicated Server?
Dedicated servers are remote machines you can use to host Sons of the Forest lobbies.
They’re usually owned by third-party companies, like Hostari, who rent them out for a monthly fee. These machines only exist to host video games — they’re not doing a bunch of different tasks like your computer. That means less lag and fewer technical issues interrupting your gameplay experience!
Why is it Important to Have a Dedicated Server?
Full Control
Hosting your own dedicated server gives you full control over mods, plugins, and other customizations. You can even control who gets to join your lobby and ban people if necessary.
Reliability
Dedicated servers are known for their high-level hardware, consistent updates, and maintenance, so you never have to worry about lag or extended downtime.
Security
Dedicated servers typically come with top-notch security measures that protect against all kinds of attacks. Their networks are kept safe and secure, so your data is never at risk.
Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Dedicated Server for Sons Of The Forest
Ease of Management and Automation
Your chosen server should be easy to set up and configure. There are many features that can automate this process, such as instant setup and automated updates.
Low Ping (Latency)
The lower your ping, the faster your connection. The best-dedicated servers should provide high CPU clock speeds to enhance connection quality and reduce ping.
Customer Support
Ideally, you want any queries you have to be addressed as quickly as possible. Look for 24/7 customer support and fast response times when picking a host.
Best Recommendations For Sons of the Forest Dedicated Servers
Sons of the Forest, while still very new, is likely to be hosted on many platforms due to the popularity of its predecessor. With so many hosting options available, we’ve done the hard work for you and put together a list of server hosts, including their key features and pricing (where applicable).
Here are the providers we’ll cover:
Hostari: Best for Beginner-Friendly Server Management
GTXGaming: Best for Multi-National Player Lobbies
LOW.MS: Best for Low Latency Network Connection
Zap Hosting: Best for On-the-Go Server Management
XGamingServer: Best for Game Lobbies of Any Size
Now, let’s dive into the details!
1. Hostari: Best For Beginner-Friendly Server Management
At Hostari, our goal is to provide hassle-free game servers with simple configuration. We take care not to overload our servers with too many subscriptions to avoid technical errors. With high-end technology such as Intel Core i9 9900K processors (minimum 128 GB RAM each), we ensure speedy connections and high-quality gaming.
Key Features
Custom Control Panel: The control panel features an intuitive interface for quick and effortless server management.
Access Controls: Personalize your server with custom maps, mods, plugins, and more.
Automated Server Backups: Your server is automatically backed up to prevent loss of progress.
Instant Setup: Server setup is automated, allowing you to start playing your game in just a few minutes.
Secure Servers: Hostari keeps its network safe from DDoS, source-engine query attacks, and UDP floods.
Global Data Centers: Hostari has multiple data centers across the globe, with their highest-performing servers in Canada and the US.
Pricing
Hostari has yet to release pricing information about Sons of the Forest, so we’re going to use The Forest’s pricing plans as a basis for comparison.
There are four plans available:
Ethical Scientist ($8.99/month)
Missionary ($9.99/month)
Cave Explorer ($10.99/month)
Passenger ($11.99/month)
The starting plan comes with 4 GB RAM and 8 player slots.
Pros
User-friendly interface.
Easy to configure.
Automated setup & server backups.
Advanced security.
Multiple data centers.
24/7 support.
Mod curators.
24/7 runtime.
Low minimum player slot.
Cons
Limited player slots.
Limited RAM.
2. GTXGaming: Best For Multi-National Player Lobbies
GTXGaming operates data centers around the world, enabling players to connect with each other regardless of their location. They offer dedicated servers for almost any game and update their GUI interface/scripts regularly to improve their services.
Key Features
Global Coverage: GTXGaming has data centers in over 10 different regions, including the US, UK, Europe, and Asia.
Full Offsite Game Server Backups: Your entire server is backed up daily to ensure you never lose your saved data.
24-Hour Customer Support: Full-time support is available with fast response times. GTXGaming also has their own Discord server, where you can interact with real users.
Game Switching: Use their integrated switching tool to change games effortlessly.
Mobile-Compatible Control Panel: Access your control panel from anywhere, including mobile.
DDoS Protection for Game Servers: They constantly update their security to ensure the best level of protection against DDoS attacks.
Pricing
GTXGaming is currently allowing users to pre-order dedicated servers for Sons of the Forest. The starting price is $13.76/month for:
16 player slots
5 GB RAM
100 GB disk space
4.2 GHz
Pros
24/7 customer support.
Fast response times.
Data centers in all regions.
Daily server backups.
Instant setup.
DDoS protection.
Game switching.
Cons
High minimum player slot.
No location switching.
3. LOW.MS: Best For Low Latency Network Connection
LOW.MS utilizes the latest gear to ensure low latency and a lag-free gaming experience. They support over 50 video games and have servers in 11 different locations. Every server is equipped with DDoS protection that can withstand up to 100 Gbps attacks.
Key Features
Instant Setup: After purchasing a server, it will finish setting itself up within minutes.
NVMe-Powered CPUs: They operate on the latest processors, which provide up to 5.3 GHz speed, to ensure smooth network connections.
DDoS Protection: Every server has a minimum of 10 Gbps DDoS protection to prevent server interruptions.
24/7 Support & Uptime: LW.MS provides full-time support with a 99.9% uptime rate.
Pricing
With LOW.MS, you only have two pricing options to choose from (based on the number of player slots you want):
6 players lots ($7.11/month)
8 player slots ($9.39/month)
The starting plan comes with:
Shared CPU
Shared IP
10 GB RAM
Pros
5-day refund.
Instant setup.
DDoS protection.
Low latency,
Fast CPU clock speeds.
99.9% uptime.
11 server locations.
Cons
Very few player slot options.
Price per slot is quite high.
#4 Zap Hosting: Best For On-the-Go Server Management
Zap Hosting provides dedicated servers for more than 100 games (including Sons of the Forest) across 10 different locations. Their mobile-optimized web panel enables you to manage your server even when you're away from home.
Key Features
Powerful Hardware: Zap Hosting utilizes high-performing hardware, such as the Intel E5-2650 v4 (328 GB RAM).
Automatic Setup: Servers are set up automatically and pre-configured within a few minutes.
Full access via FTP: You receive free FTP access, which allows for easy data transfer between your computer and server.
Security: Each game server is DDoS-protected at no additional cost.
Live Chat: You can contact their support team any day of the week via live chat, email, or ticket.
Pricing
Zap Hosting’s starting price is $7.69/month. That comes with 8 player slots and 2 GB RAM — if you want more RAM, you can get up to 32 GB more for $82.94 extra.
Pros
Game switching
DDoS protection.
Free FTP access.
Mobile-optimized web panel.
Live chat.
Automatic setup.
Cons
Few player slot options.
Low starting RAM (additional RAM costs extra).
Upgrading storage & CPU is expensive.
5. XGamingServer: Best For Game Lobbies of Any Size
XGamingServer provides bare-metal game servers with no fixed player slots. Instead of paying per slot, you can focus on paying for resources like CPU and RAM. They have servers in six global destinations and currently have over 100 active customers with 300 servers installed.
Key Features
Automated Cloud Backups: Backups are automated, and you can configure them at any time from the panel.
Custom Panel: Their easy-to-use custom panel allows you to invite users, manage mods and MYSQL databases, and more.
Data Centers Across Five Regions: Their data centers cover multiple regions, including Europe, the US, and Singapore.
Anti-DDoS: They offer enterprise-level DDoS protection to keep your server secure.
Instant Provision: Server setup is fully automated and takes just a few minutes to complete.
Pricing
XGamingServer offers 6 different plans:
Starter ($8.00/month)
Novice ($15.00/month)
Rookie ($20.00/month)
Pro ($30.00/month)
ProMax ($35.00/month)
Extreme ($40.00/month)
Every plan has DDoS protection and unlimited player slots, but more expensive plans feature better hardware.
Pros
Data centers in 5 regions.
Automated cloud backups.
Easy-to-use game panel.
Automatic setup.
DDoS protection.
MYSQL databases.
Unlimited player slots.
Cons
No customizable plans.
Limited locations.
Conclusion
Even though Sons of the Forest has not yet been fully released, interest in the game is skyrocketing thanks to the popularity of its predecessor, The Forest. Many game hosting platforms are planning to release dedicated servers for the game, or are currently accepting pre-orders for them.
Services that already support The Forest, such as Hostari, will likely add its sequel to their roster of supported games. At Hostari, we strive to make server configuration easy for any gamer, regardless of their technical skills.
Host a server for free today with a 24-hour free trial — no credit card required!
Check out what we've learned about Sons of The Forest Early Access! As well as our blog on the Interview with Endnight Games, developers of Sons of The Forest & The Forest.
