Eco Server Hosting

Why an Eco World Needs a Dedicated Server

Eco is built around time and other people. Crops grow over real days, the meteor counts down whether anyone is logged in or not, and the economy only works when specialists can trade with each other. A world hosted on one player's PC freezes the whole society every time that player logs off.

A dedicated server keeps the world running for everybody. The farmer in Australia can harvest at breakfast, the blacksmith in the UK can fill orders in the evening, and votes close on time. Strange Loop Games provides the server for Windows and Linux, and we run it on fast hardware with the game and web ports already open.

Eco in 2026: Update 14 and the Plan for 1.0

Eco began as a Kickstarter in 2015 and entered Steam Early Access on 6 February 2018. It is still in Early Access, on version 0.14.2, and Strange Loop Games has said the 1.0 update is planned for the end of 2026. An earlier roadmap aimed for an exit around the turn of 2024 and 2025, so treat the new date as a plan.

• Update 12, 8 October 2025: free object placement, reworked animal behaviour and a wider range of world sizes.
• Update 13, 8 April 2026: a progression rework where stars buy specialties and talents, plus logging machines and store tags.
• Update 14, 6 August 2026: garbage, recycling and four ground pollution types.
• Update 14.2, 8 October 2026: economic statistics, bank transaction history, named taxes and the server's mod.io integration.

The Authentication Token and the Config Files

Since Update 11 an Eco server will not start correctly without a Server Authentication Token from Strange Loop. You need a play.eco account that owns the game; linking your Steam account is the easiest way. Generate the token in the Server Authentication section of your account and paste it into the Token field in our Commandline Manager.

Everything else lives in the Configs folder as .eco files. Each one ships alongside a .template copy, which you leave alone. Stop the server, edit the .eco file and start it again.

World Size, the Meteor and Collaboration

Three settings shape an Eco cycle more than any others. World size comes from WorldGenerator.eco: small is 72 by 72 chunks (the default), medium 100 by 100 and large 160 by 160, and since Update 12 you can choose anything from 40 to 400 in steps of four. More land means more room to spread out, and more for the server to simulate.

The meteor strikes after 30 days unless you change MeteorImpactInDays or switch it off with HasMeteor in Difficulty.eco. A longer timer suits a casual community; a shorter one forces early cooperation. Players can also destroy it by building lasers and a Computer Lab.

How Many Slots and How Much Memory

Eco itself sets no hard player cap, so the slot count is the limit you choose with your plan. Strange Loop lists 4GB of RAM, a fast single core and an SSD as the minimum for a server on the default map. Our plans start at 5GB on 10 slots and add memory at every step: 8GB on 50, 12GB on 100, 16GB on 200, 20GB on 300, 24GB on 400 and 32GB on 500.

Memory use climbs with map size, the number of active players and the amount of industry, pollution and stored goods in the world. Watch the memory graph in the panel; if it stays near the limit at peak times, move up a tier from the client area.

Government, Laws and the Web Interface

Eco's politics are what set it apart, and they run through the server. Players found settlements, write a constitution at a Capitol, hold elections for titles and pass laws at a Court. Each law is built from triggers, conditions and actions, and once passed the game enforces it automatically, from taxes on trades to limits on pollution.

Voting on laws and elections happens in the web interface, which the server serves on its web port. That port is open on our network, so citizens can vote from a browser even when they are not in game. The new economic statistics and bank history from Update 14.2 also make it easier for an elected treasurer to see where money flows.

Mods, Saves and Starting a New Cycle

Mods for Eco are hosted on mod.io. Since Update 14.2 the server can track individual mods or whole collections and keep them current, configured in ModKit.eco and managed with the /mods commands. You can also drop mods into the Mods folder by hand. Players receive client-side content automatically when they connect.

The whole world lives in the Storage folder. To move a world, stop the server and upload Storage with SFTP; to update safely, back up Storage and Configs first. When a cycle ends and the community wants a fresh start, the Wipe Server button lets you choose what to clear, and our Backup Manager plus 7 days of offsite copies mean the old world is still there if anyone wants to look back.

What to Compare Before You Rent an Eco Server

Eco servers look similar on paper. These are the details that decide whether a cycle runs smoothly to the end.

1. Single-core speedEco's server relies on one fast core, so clock speed matters more than a long list of cores.
2. Memory for your mapLarge maps and busy economies need more RAM. Check what each plan includes, not just the slot count.
3. Config and token accessYou need to edit every .eco file and add your authentication token yourself.
4. Web port openVoting on laws and elections needs the web interface to be reachable from outside.
5. Backups and wipesLook for snapshots you restore yourself and a simple way to start a new cycle.
6. Billing termsCompare monthly and longer cycles, and check for setup fees or minimum contracts.

Eco Server Glossary

Meteor

The impact due after 30 days by default; destroy it with lasers or switch it off in the config.

Laws

Player-written rules made of triggers, conditions and actions, passed by vote and enforced by the game.

Constitution

The founding rules for a government and its elections, set up at a Capitol.

Settlement

A player-founded community with its own laws and taxes.

Deed

A claim on land plots or objects, with access rights.

Specialties

Skill trees inside professions, unlocked with stars.

Stars

The progression currency earned through nutrition and housing.

Calories

The energy from food that every manual action uses.

Collaboration

A server preset that scales skill gain and specialty costs to the expected player count.

Server Authentication Token

The key from your play.eco account that every Eco server needs to start.

ModKit

Strange Loop's free toolkit for making Eco mods with Unity and C#.

Eco Server Help and Next Steps

Official and Gaming Deluxe guides for running your world.

• Add your Server Authentication TokenOur step-by-step guide.
• Server Configuration, Eco wikiEvery .eco file explained by Strange Loop Games.
• Setting Up a Server, Eco wiki
• Eco mods on mod.ioThe official home for Eco mods.
• Gaming Deluxe control panelWhat the panel does and how to log in.
• Contact support24/7 help with tokens, configs and wipes.