> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.wasabihosting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Hytale Server Hosting: From Order to Playing

> Set up your Hytale server hosting at Wasabi Hosting - order, first boot, account linking, and inviting friends to your early-access world.

This guide takes you from placing your order to playing on your own Hytale server with friends. The whole process takes just a few minutes — most of it is waiting for the world to generate.

<Note>
  Hytale is in early access, and the exact first-boot flow can change between patches. Where details may vary, this guide describes the general process — the **Console** in the Game Panel always shows you the current, authoritative steps.
</Note>

## Before You Start

1. **Order your server** at [https://wasabihosting.com/game-servers/hytale](https://wasabihosting.com/game-servers/hytale) and pick the location closest to your players (Amsterdam, Frankfurt, or Ashburn).
2. **Wait about 2 minutes** — your server deploys automatically after payment.
3. **Log in to the [Game Panel](https://panel.wasabihosting.com)** with the credentials from your welcome email and open your new Hytale server.

## First Boot

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start the server">
    Click **Start** on your server's dashboard. The first boot takes longer than usual while the server downloads game files and generates the initial world.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Watch the Console">
    Keep the **Console** tab open. You'll see the server work through its first-boot output — file setup, world generation, and network initialization. Wait until it reports that startup is complete.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Follow any authentication prompts">
    Hytale servers may ask you to link the server to your Hytale account before players can join. If so, the console prints instructions to follow — typically a short verification step you complete in your browser or game account. Follow exactly what the console shows; the flow can change during early access.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy your server address">
    Your server's address (`IP:port`) is shown on the panel dashboard. This is what you and your friends will use to connect.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Join and invite friends">
    Launch Hytale, open the multiplayer/server menu, and connect using your server address. Share the same address with friends — they join the same way, from anywhere, at any time.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  If joining fails right after startup, give the server another minute and check the console — early-access builds sometimes need a moment after the "ready" message before accepting connections.
</Tip>

## Keeping Your Server Updated

Early-access Hytale receives frequent patches, and your client and server generally must be on matching versions to connect:

* **When a game update drops**, restart your server from the Game Panel — it checks for and installs the latest server build on startup.
* **Take a backup first.** Early-access updates can change world data formats. Create a [backup](/server/backups) before every update so you can roll back if something breaks.
* **Watch the console after updating** — patch notes and console output are where server-side changes (new settings, changed defaults) show up first.

<Info>
  You can automate regular backups and restarts with the **Schedules** feature in the Game Panel — a nightly backup is cheap insurance during early access.
</Info>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Server Settings" icon="sliders" href="/games/hytale/server-settings">
    Rename your server, set max players, and control who can join.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Backups" icon="box-archive" href="/server/backups">
    Set up one-click and scheduled backups of your world.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

Questions? We're around 24/7 — open a [support ticket](https://billing.wasabihosting.com/submitticket.php) or join our [Discord](https://discord.wasabihosting.com).

<Card title="Don't have a server yet?" icon="rocket" href="https://wasabihosting.com/game-servers/hytale">
  Get your own Hytale server from **€10.00/month** — deployed in about 2 minutes with DDoS protection included.
</Card>