Core Keeper: How to Set Up a Server

Nov 14, 2025 · 8 min read · Core Keeper
setup dashboard crossplay
Share:
Table of Contents

Renting a Core Keeper server on HardGaming gives your world a permanent home that stays online whether or not you are at your keyboard. The one thing to know before you start: HardGaming's dedicated server only accepts the Steam release of Core Keeper, so friends on PlayStation, Xbox or Switch cannot join it. This guide covers picking a plan, naming your server, setting Core Keeper's configuration fields, paying, and confirming the server is live.

Before You Start

  • A HardGaming account. Create one at hardgaming.tech first. You need to be signed in to complete checkout.
  • A payment method. Your card is entered at the last step and saved for the monthly subscription.
  • Steam on PC only. Core Keeper also ships on PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch, but crossplay does not reach from PC to console, so this dedicated server only takes connections from the Steam release.
  • Nothing to install. Every step happens in your browser. The server files are downloaded and unpacked for you.
  • Your settings are not final. Server name and every field on the Configuration tab can change after setup, and none of it is permanent.

Step 1: Open the HardGaming Website

Go to hardgaming.tech and sign in. If you would rather skip the browsing, go straight to Core Keeper server hosting and continue from Step 4.

The HardGaming home page with hardgaming.tech highlighted in the address bar

Step 2: Select Game Hosting

In the sidebar on the left, click Game Hosting.

The left sidebar showing Game Hosting below Home

Step 3: Select the Core Keeper Tile

The Popular Services grid lists Core Keeper among HardGaming's other hosted games. Click the Core Keeper tile.

The Popular Services grid with the Core Keeper tile highlighted in red

Step 4: Choose a Plan

Three plans cover different group sizes. Starter suits solo play, Premium suits a small team, and Custom lets you set your own resources if neither preset fits. Click Choose Plan on the one you want.

Step 5: Name Your Server

Type a name into Server Name. It is the only required field on the Configuration tab.

The Server Name field on the Configuration tab filled in with PotholePals

Step 6: Configure Your World Settings

The Configuration Settings panel holds seven fields, each with a working default, so you only need to change what matters to you. The full list is in Core Keeper Configuration Settings below.

Two are worth setting with intention. Game ID stays empty by default and regenerates every time the server restarts. Set your own if you want a code that stays the same so you only share it once. World Mode turns on hard mode for the world, and leaving it off keeps normal difficulty.

Note: Core Keeper's configuration has no password field. Anyone with your connect address or Game ID can join, so share both only with people you want on your world.

Click Next once your settings are the way you want them. You can change any of them later.

The Configuration Settings panel showing all seven Core Keeper world options with their defaults, and the Next button

Step 7: Enter Your Payment Details

Fill in Card Number, Expiry Date, Security Code, Country and Zip code, or pick a card you have used before from Select Your Card. Click Submit Secure Payment when you are done.

The payment form with the Submit Secure Payment button highlighted

Step 8: Confirm Your Server Is Running

Payment takes you straight to your new server. The Console tab streams the install while Core Keeper downloads and unpacks, and the other tabs unlock as it finishes.

Watch STATUS on the right. It reads offline while the install runs, then running once the world finishes generating. CONNECT ADDRESS holds the FQDN and IP your friends need.

The server console showing status running, the connect address, and the world generation log

Core Keeper Configuration Settings

Every field in the Configuration Settings panel, with the default it ships with.

SettingWhat it doesDefault
World IndexWhich save slot the server loads. Leave it unless you are restoring a specific save0
World NameThe name saved with the world fileCore Keeper Server
World SeedThe seed used to generate the world. Set to 0 for a random seed0
Game IDThe code players use to find your server. A code you set yourself needs at least 28 alphanumeric characters, and cannot include Y, y, x, 0 or Oempty, regenerated at each restart
Max PlayersThe most players the server will hold, up to 100100
World ModeNormal or hard mode for the worldnormal
Auto UpdateUpdates the server to the latest Core Keeper version on booton

Note: World Name and World Seed apply once, when the world is first created. Once your server exists, you can edit any of these settings again from the Startup tab.

How Do Friends Join a Core Keeper Server?

Once your server finishes installing, its status page lists CONNECT ADDRESS with the FQDN and IP your friends need. Core Keeper also identifies servers by a Game ID, a code players enter on the game's own Join Game screen instead of typing an address. Setting your own Game ID in Step 6 keeps that code stable across restarts, which matters if you hand it to a group rather than one friend at a time.

Core Keeper's crossplay does not reach from PC to console. A friend on PlayStation, Xbox or Switch cannot connect to a HardGaming dedicated server, and a friend on a different PC storefront who sees a message that the host does not allow crossplay needs the Steam release specifically.

Applying a Coupon Code

If you have a coupon, apply it before you pay. On the Payment tab, click Apply coupon code, type your code, and click Apply. The discount applies to your payment total.

The Apply Coupon dialog with a discount code entered above the Apply button

Troubleshooting

Next is greyed out?

  • Server Name is empty. It is the only required field on the Configuration tab.
  • Scroll back to the top of the Configuration tab to find it.

Server still shows offline after paying?

  • It is still installing. The Console tab shows the download and unpack running line by line.
  • Wait for STATUS to change to running.

Friends cannot join?

  • Confirm STATUS reads running before you share anything.
  • Confirm your friend is on the Steam release of Core Keeper. HardGaming's dedicated server only accepts Steam connections, and Core Keeper does not support crossplay between PC and console.
  • A friend on a different PC storefront who sees a message that the host does not allow crossplay needs the Steam version to connect.
  • Give them CONNECT ADDRESS from your server's status page, or your Game ID if they are joining from Core Keeper's own Join Game screen.

Best Practices

  • Set a fixed Game ID before you share it with a regular group. Leaving it empty generates a new code every time the server restarts, and anyone using the old one gets locked out.
  • Leave World Index and World Seed at their defaults unless you are restoring a save or recreating a specific world. Both exist for that case, not for everyday setup.
  • Keep Auto Update on unless you need to hold the server on a specific Core Keeper version for a save or mod compatibility reason.

Next Steps

Your server now appears under My Servers on your dashboard, and it stays there between sessions. Open it any time to restart it, edit settings, or pull a backup.

Need Help?

If you run into any issues, the HardGaming support team is here for you:

Happy gaming! 🎮

Esc

Type to search guides...