Palworld Dedicated Server

Set up your own Palworld server on Linux – with SteamCMD, an optimized configuration and automatic restarts via systemd.

Prerequisites

• Linux server with at least 8 GB RAM (16 GB recommended)
• 4 vCPUs or more
• At least 30 GB of free disk space
• Ubuntu 22.04 / 24.04 or Debian 12

Step 1: User and dependencies

# Create a dedicated user for the game server
sudo useradd -m -s /bin/bash palworld
sudo passwd palworld

# Ubuntu: enable the multiverse repository (steamcmd lives there)
sudo apt install -y software-properties-common
sudo add-apt-repository -y multiverse

# Enable 32-bit packages (steamcmd is an i386 package)
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update

# Accept the Steam license in advance so the installation runs non-interactively
echo steam steam/question select "I AGREE" | sudo debconf-set-selections
echo steam steam/license note '' | sudo debconf-set-selections

# Install SteamCMD and dependencies
sudo DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt install -y lib32gcc-s1 steamcmd

With the two debconf-set-selections lines you accept the Steam license agreement – read it beforehand if needed. Debian 12: instead of add-apt-repository, add the components contrib non-free to your entries in /etc/apt/sources.list; the remaining commands are the same. The package installs SteamCMD to /usr/games/steamcmd.

Step 2: Install the Palworld server

# Work as the palworld user
sudo -u palworld -i

# Run SteamCMD and download the Palworld server
/usr/games/steamcmd +force_install_dir /home/palworld/server \
  +login anonymous \
  +app_update 2394010 validate \
  +quit

Step 3: Configure the server

Start the server once briefly so the configuration files are generated:

cd /home/palworld/server
./PalServer.sh
# Stop it with Ctrl+C after ~30 seconds

Now adjust the settings:

# Edit the configuration
nano /home/palworld/server/Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini

# Key settings:
# ServerName="Mein Palworld Server"
# ServerPassword="dein_passwort"
# AdminPassword="admin_passwort"
# ServerPlayerMaxNum=16
# PublicPort=8211

Step 4: Create a systemd service

Leave the palworld shell with exit – the following steps need sudo and are run as your admin user. Create the file with sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/palworld.service:

# /etc/systemd/system/palworld.service
[Unit]
Description=Palworld Dedicated Server
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=palworld
Group=palworld
WorkingDirectory=/home/palworld/server
ExecStart=/home/palworld/server/PalServer.sh -port=8211 -useperfthreads -NoAsyncLoadingThread -UseMultithreadForDS
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=20

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

# Enable and start the service
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable palworld
sudo systemctl start palworld

# Check the status
sudo systemctl status palworld

Step 5: Firewall and connecting

# Open the port in the firewall
sudo ufw allow 8211/udp

# Update script – belongs to root and is run by your admin user
sudo tee /usr/local/bin/palworld-update > /dev/null << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
set -e
systemctl stop palworld
# SteamCMD runs as the palworld user, so the files keep the right owner
sudo -u palworld /usr/games/steamcmd +force_install_dir /home/palworld/server \
  +login anonymous \
  +app_update 2394010 validate \
  +quit
systemctl start palworld
EOF
sudo chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/palworld-update

# Run an update
sudo palworld-update

The palworld user deliberately has no sudo rights. That is why the script does not live in its home directory: you start it with sudo palworld-update as your admin user – it stops the service, updates the files as the palworld user and starts the server again.

Connect in-game via YOUR-SERVER-IP:8211.