Xbox Series X|S players can join a dedicated 7 Days to Die server when the server is configured for console crossplay. Set ServerAllowCrossplay=true, EACEnabled=true, IgnoreEOSSanctions=false, and keep ServerMaxPlayerCount at 8 or fewer. Stay inside the published crossplay gameplay ranges, restart the server, and have Xbox players find it by name in the in-game server browser.
Prefer not to run the server on your own PC? Godlike.Host offers hosted 7 Days to Die servers with free DDoS protection and up to three free backups a day.
You can rent a managed instance or run the dedicated server yourself on Windows or Linux. Renting removes most operating-system and networking work; self-hosting gives you direct control but requires SteamCMD, firewall and router configuration, updates, restarts, and backups.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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7 Days to Die – Console Edition - Xbox Series X | $44.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
7 Days to Die - Xbox One (Renewed) | $39.07 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
7 Days to Die - Xbox One | $59.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
7 Days to Die - Console Edition - Xbox | $39.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
7 Days to Die – Console Edition Survival Bundle - Xbox Series X | $56.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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How Xbox crossplay servers work
The dedicated server is a separate Windows or Linux process, not an Xbox console acting as a host. Xbox players connect to that process through the game’s crossplay service. A player can therefore close the game while the world remains online, provided the server machine and network stay available.
Crossplay is sensitive to both configuration and version. Every player must run the same game version as the server. A PC player may be able to connect to settings that an Xbox client rejects, so a server that works for PC-only play is not automatically console-compatible.
#1 Best Overall
- Explore – Huge, rich environments, with unique biomes and worlds up to 100 square kilometres in size.
- Craft – Handcraft and repair weapons, clothes, armour, tools, vehicles, with hundreds of recipes and schematics.
- Build – Design your fort with traps, electricity, auto turrets, and gadgets to survive in a fully destructible and mouldable world.
- Cooperate or Compete – Work together to build settlements or against each other in a wasteland where zombies and outlaws rule the land.
- Farm or Hunt – Plant gardens for sustainable resources or head out to the wilderness and hunt over a dozen unique animals.
The official 7 Days to Die Help Center lists the console requirements and limits below. Its compatibility guidance was updated April 21, 2026.
Required crossplay settings
Put these values in the server configuration file or set the equivalent controls in a hosting panel. Spelling and capitalization matter when editing the file.
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| Setting | Required value | What it does |
|---|---|---|
ServerAllowCrossplay |
true |
Enables console-compatible crossplay advertising and connections. |
EACEnabled |
true |
Keeps Easy Anti-Cheat enabled, which is required for console compatibility. |
IgnoreEOSSanctions |
false |
Leaves Epic Online Services sanctions enforced instead of bypassing them. |
ServerMaxPlayerCount |
8 or lower | Limits the server to the maximum player count supported for this crossplay configuration. |
If you use a control panel, choose its console or crossplay preset only if it exposes these same values. A preset is not proof of compatibility; open the advanced settings and verify each key before starting the world.
Gameplay limits that affect Xbox access
Crossplay also requires certain gameplay values to stay within the published ranges. The limits apply to the server’s actual values, not just the panel’s default profile.
| Setting | Crossplay-compatible value | Important exception |
|---|---|---|
XPMultiplier |
25–300 | Values below 25 or above 300 can prevent console access. |
DayNightLength |
10 or higher | No lower value is listed as compatible. |
BloodMoonEnemyCount |
4–64 | Keep the count inside both boundaries. |
AirDropFrequency |
24 or higher | Use 0 to disable airdrops. |
BlockDamagePlayer |
25–300 | Both the lower and upper limits apply. |
BlockDamageAI |
25 or higher | No upper limit is stated in the compatibility guidance. |
BlockDamageAIBM |
25 or higher | No upper limit is stated in the compatibility guidance. |
LootAbundance |
200 or lower | Do not exceed 200. |
LootRespawnDays |
5 or higher | Use 0 to disable loot respawn. |
These are compatibility boundaries, not recommendations for difficulty. You can choose any value inside each range that suits your group. If a value outside a range is important to your PC players, create a separate PC-only server rather than asking Xbox clients to join it.
Rank #2
- Explore & Craft - Huge, unique and rich environments, offering the freedom to play the game any way you want while you craft and repair weapons, clothes, armor, tools, vehicles, and more.
- Build - Take over a ruin, or build from the ground-up. Design your fortress to include traps and defensive positions to survive the undead - the world is fully destructible and moldable.
- Cooperate or Compete - Includes two player split screen mode, with additional online multiplayer modes and features to be revealed in the near future.
- Create - Unleash your creativity and build the ultimate world by yourself friends. Enjoy unlimited access to nearly 400 in-game items and 1,200 unique building blocks in creative mode.
- Improve - Increase your skills in a multitude of active and passive disciplines. 7 to Die is the only true survival RPG with nearly 50 multi-tiered skill and perk groups.
Choose between renting and self-hosting
Managed dedicated hosting
A managed host supplies the server machine, operating system, network address, restart controls, and usually a web panel. It is the simplest route when you want an always-on world without leaving a home PC running. Before paying, ask the host to confirm all of the following for the current game build:
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- The server image is updated for the same version your players use.
- The panel allows the four required crossplay settings and does not silently overwrite them.
- You can select a region near most players.
- Backups, restore points, automatic restarts, and file access are available at the level you need.
Rental adds a recurring fee, but it shifts hardware, electricity, bandwidth, port forwarding, and most maintenance to the provider.
Self-hosting on Windows or Linux
Self-hosting is appropriate when you already have a reliable machine and want complete access to configuration files and operating-system settings. You must install the dedicated-server files with SteamCMD, edit serverconfig.xml, expose the ports required by the current server build, keep the process updated, and maintain your own backups and restarts.
Your home upload capacity and internet reliability determine the experience. A powerful PC does not compensate for a connection that drops, changes its address frequently, or is blocked by carrier-grade NAT. Check the current server documentation for the port list before changing router rules; port requirements can change between builds.
Path A: set up a rented server
- Pick a location and plan. Select a region that minimizes latency for the group and a slot allowance of eight or fewer. Confirm that the plan’s game version supports Xbox crossplay.
- Create the instance. In the provider’s game selector, choose the dedicated 7 Days to Die server rather than a generic game template.
- Open the configuration panel. Apply the provider’s crossplay preset if one exists, then inspect the advanced settings. Set
ServerAllowCrossplay=true,EACEnabled=true,IgnoreEOSSanctions=false, andServerMaxPlayerCountto no more than 8. - Review gameplay values. Compare every limited setting with the compatibility table above. Panels sometimes retain an old profile after a game-version change, so check the individual values instead of trusting a profile name.
- Save and restart. Stop the server before editing when the panel advises it, save the configuration, and perform a full restart. Changes made while the process is running may not be loaded.
- Record the exact server name. Use a distinctive name without confusing punctuation. Share that exact spelling with Xbox players; searching by a partial name can return several similarly named worlds.
- Test with one Xbox player. Have a player search the in-game browser after the restart. Confirm that the server appears, accepts a connection, and loads the expected world before inviting the whole group.
If the host cannot verify console support or its panel forces an incompatible value, do not assume that a PC listing will work. Ask support to confirm the four keys, the eight-player ceiling, and the current game image in writing.
Rank #3
- Explore & Craft - Huge, unique and rich environments, offering the freedom to play the game any way you want while you craft and repair weapons, clothes, armor, tools, vehicles, and more.
- Build - Take over a ruin, or build from the ground-up. Design your fortress to include traps and defensive positions to survive the undead - the world is fully destructible and moldable.
- Cooperate or Compete - Includes two player split screen mode, with additional online multiplayer modes and features to be revealed in the near future.
- Create - Unleash your creativity and build the ultimate world by yourself friends. Enjoy unlimited access to nearly 400 in-game items and 1,200 unique building blocks in creative mode.
- Improve - Increase your skills in a multitude of active and passive disciplines. 7 to Die is the only true survival RPG with nearly 50 multi-tiered skill and perk groups.
Path B: self-host on Windows or Linux
1. Prepare the machine
- Use a machine that can remain powered on for the sessions you want to support.
- Install the operating-system updates and reserve enough storage for the server files, world data, logs, and several backups.
- Give the machine a stable local address so router rules continue pointing to it.
- Use a wired connection when possible and confirm that your internet service accepts inbound connections.
2. Install the dedicated-server files with SteamCMD
Install SteamCMD from Valve’s current documentation for your operating system, sign in as required by the dedicated-server distribution, and install the 7 Days to Die dedicated-server files into a folder you control. Do not mix files from an older build with a newer executable. After an update, verify that the server and every player are on the same version before troubleshooting connectivity.
3. Edit serverconfig.xml
Stop the server process, make a backup copy of the configuration, and edit the XML with a plain-text editor. The relevant entries should resolve to values like these:
<property name='ServerAllowCrossplay' value='true'/>
<property name='EACEnabled' value='true'/>
<property name='IgnoreEOSSanctions' value='false'/>
<property name='ServerMaxPlayerCount' value='8'/>Set the gameplay properties to values inside the published ranges. Preserve the file’s XML structure, avoid duplicate entries with conflicting values, and save a copy before experimenting with difficulty settings.
4. Configure firewall, router, and ports
Allow the dedicated-server executable through the operating system firewall and create the port-forwarding rules required by the current server build. Forward those rules to the machine’s stable local address. The exact port list and protocol requirements belong to the version you are running, so use the current hosting documentation rather than copying a rule set from an older release.
Test from outside your home network. A connection that works only for players on the same LAN usually indicates a missing forward, a firewall block, an incorrect local address, or carrier-grade NAT. If your internet provider uses carrier-grade NAT, you may need a public address or a managed host instead.
Rank #4
- The physical edition also includes platform-exclusive skins*: PlayStation 5: Samurai
- Explore – Huge, rich environments, with unique biomes and worlds up to 100 square kilometres in size
- Craft – Handcraft and repair weapons, clothes, armour, tools, vehicles, with hundreds of recipes and schematics
- Build – Design your fort with traps, electricity, auto turrets, and gadgets to survive in a fully destructible and mouldable world
- Create – Unleash your creativity with over 800 in-game items, 1,300 building blocks and a painting system that offers infinite possibilities
5. Start and maintain the process
Launch the dedicated-server process using the startup method documented for your build. Watch the console or log until it reports that the world is ready, then search for it from an Xbox account that is not on the server machine’s local network. Configure an automatic restart only after a manual start and clean shutdown work reliably.
Schedule backups of the world and configuration files. Keep at least one backup from before each game update or major settings change, and periodically test that a backup can be restored. A backup that has never been restored is only an assumption.
How Xbox players join
- Start the dedicated server and wait for it to finish loading.
- On Xbox, open the 7 Days to Die multiplayer or server-browser screen.
- Search for the exact server name you supplied. If the browser has filters, clear restrictive region, password, or empty/full-server filters during the first test.
- Select the matching entry and connect. The player should see the server’s advertised slot count and then load into the shared world.
- If the listing does not appear, wait for the server to finish restarting and repeat the search by the complete name rather than a fragment.
The Xbox console does not need SteamCMD or access to your server files. It only needs the current game version, an online account that can use multiplayer, and a server that passes the crossplay checks.
Troubleshoot a missing listing or failed connection
Check versions first
Ask every player to confirm the installed game version, then compare it with the server build. Update the out-of-date side and restart the server before changing settings. Version mismatch is the fastest way to create a false networking diagnosis.
Validate the crossplay configuration
Open the active configuration, not an unused template, and verify the four required keys. Confirm that the slot count is no greater than eight. A panel may show one value while an override file supplies another, so inspect the file or ask the host which file is authoritative.
Best Value
- Explore – Huge, rich environments, with unique biomes and worlds up to 100 square kilometres in size.
- Craft – Handcraft and repair weapons, clothes, armour, tools, vehicles, with hundreds of recipes and schematics.
- Build – Design your fort with traps, electricity, auto turrets, and gadgets to survive in a fully destructible and mouldable world.
- Cooperate or Compete – Work together to build settlements or against each other in a wasteland where zombies and outlaws rule the land.
- A must-have for collectors and fans of Open-World Survival Horror, the 7 Days to Die – Console Edition Survival Bundle includes the following: An exclusive Artbook with over 100 pages showcasing never-before-seen illustrations of the zombie apocalypse, a CD featuring the haunting Original Soundtrack (OST) of the game, a double-sided poster, Fine art prints x3, Sticker sheets x 3, the physical game, and a collectible tuck-in box housing all the contents.
Audit every limited gameplay value
Compare the live values with the compatibility table, including settings you did not intentionally change. Restore an offending value to a safe in-range number, save, and perform a complete restart. Do not test several unrelated changes at once; otherwise you will not know which edit fixed the problem.
Remove modifications for the first test
Disable unsupported mods and custom files temporarily and test a vanilla server. Reintroduce additions one at a time only after an Xbox player can connect to the unmodified configuration. A mod that works for PC clients can still prevent a console from joining.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsSeparate hosting problems from game settings
For self-hosted servers, recheck the operating-system firewall, router forwarding, stable local address, public address, and the port requirements for the current build. For rented servers, provide support with the server name, game version, restart time, and the exact connection symptom, and ask them to confirm console crossplay on the running image.
Use a controlled restart and search
After any configuration edit, stop the process cleanly, start it again, wait for the world to be ready, and search by the exact name. Searching while the old process is still shutting down can show a stale or incomplete listing.
Rent versus self-host: practical trade-offs
| Factor | Managed server | Self-hosted server |
|---|---|---|
| Administration | Provider handles the machine, operating system, routine restarts, and usually backups. | You install SteamCMD and the server, apply updates, restart it, and protect the files yourself. |
| Availability | Can remain online without the Xbox owner leaving a game session running, subject to the provider’s uptime. | Depends on your host machine, electricity, internet connection, and any scheduled maintenance. |
| Control | A panel makes common changes easy but may restrict file and operating-system access. | Direct access to files, launch options, logs, firewall rules, and operating-system settings. |
| Cost | Recurring rental fee. | No rental bill, but hardware, electricity, bandwidth, public-address options, and your time have value. |
| Crossplay assurance | Ask the provider to verify Xbox Series X|S support, the current image, and preservation of the official limits. | You can inspect every value, but you are responsible for applying the requirements correctly. |
For a group that wants to play rather than administer a server, managed 7 Days to Die server hosting is usually the lower-maintenance choice. Self-hosting makes sense when you already operate a suitable machine, need operating-system-level control, or are comfortable diagnosing networking and maintaining backups.
Maintenance checklist for an Xbox-compatible world
- Before each update, back up the world and configuration.
- After updating, confirm that server and clients report the same game version.
- Recheck the four crossplay keys and the eight-slot limit after changing a panel preset or image.
- Keep all limited gameplay settings inside the published ranges.
- Restart after configuration edits and verify the listing with an Xbox account.
- Review logs after crashes and keep automatic restarts from creating repeated crash loops.
- Test a restore periodically so a damaged world or bad update does not end the group’s progress.
With those controls in place, Xbox Series X|S players can join the dedicated world through the normal in-game browser while the server remains independent of any one player’s console session.
Quick Recap
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