Private game servers allow players to connect to a separate computer to play multiplayer games, providing a private experience for clans or gaming groups. Renting a server can relieve the load on client machines and avoid performance issues. Legal use depends on the game’s license and terms of use.
A private game server is a computer server that acts as a host for other computers to connect to it as a client to use to play a personal computer (PC) game. This is often used for multiplayer games, especially those that may have a single player component but also allow for multiplayer experiences. Using such a server can provide players with a private experience, often preferred by members of clans or gaming groups. A private game server is usually legal to operate, as long as all players have purchased the game legally and are using the game in accordance with the license that comes with it.
There are a number of companies that can provide players with a private game server, and these are often rented out for a monthly fee. Many PC games can be played with multiple people at the same time. When this is done, one machine typically has to host the game in progress, and other players connect to that server as clients. Using a computer as a server that also runs the game for a player can be problematic; using a private game server often relieves the load on client machines.
When a player’s computer is used as a server, rather than using a private game server, the player on that machine may experience performance issues due to the processor requirements needed to act as a server. It is also possible that the host player may have better functionality with the game, as other players are communicating remotely with the server, while the host player is using the server directly. To avoid these potential problems, a private game server can be used that is separate from any player’s computer. This type of server can be rented from several companies, with prices varying greatly depending on the size of server you need and the game you are playing.
Using a private game server is generally legal, although this may depend on the copies of the game being used on client computers and how the server is used. If all copies are legally purchased, they can usually be used with a game server. The end user license agreement (EULA) that comes with a PC game usually states how the game can be used for multiplayer purposes, including the use of a private game server. Games that charge fees based on the use of a server, such as MMO (massively multiplayer online) games, often do not allow the use of private servers, and connecting to such servers may violate a game’s terms of use .
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