To play Assetto Corsa online, install the PC version through Steam, open the game’s multiplayer browser, and join a server whose cars, tracks, and game files match yours. You can host a quick session from Content Manager, or run a portable dedicated server for more control. Internet hosts must also allow the server through the Windows firewall and router/NAT; AssettoServer adds optional Steam-ID authentication but requires specific Content Manager and Custom Shaders Patch versions.
Godlike.Host offers hosted Assetto Corsa servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
What you need before joining a race
Assetto Corsa multiplayer on PC is built around the Steam edition and a server browser. You do not need a racing wheel: Steam lists a keyboard or gamepad as supported input, although a wheel and pedals can make consistent driving easier. You do need a broadband internet connection for online play.
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| Steam-listed requirement | Minimum | Recommended | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Athlon X2 2.8 GHz or Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz | Six-core AMD or quad-core Intel processor | Valve/Steam listing; these figures do not guarantee smooth performance on heavily modded servers. |
| Memory | 2 GB RAM | 6 GB RAM | System memory requirement published for the game, not a server-specific benchmark. |
| Graphics API | DirectX 10.1 graphics | DirectX 11 graphics | A modded car, track, weather, or post-processing setup can raise the practical requirement. |
| Storage | 15 GB | 30 GB | Allow additional space for downloaded cars, tracks, skins, and server content. |
| Connection and controls | Broadband internet; keyboard or gamepad input | Steam-published requirement for online use. | |
These are the published game requirements, not a promise that every public server will load acceptably. Large grids, high-resolution mod tracks, custom weather, and extra plug-ins can increase CPU, GPU, RAM, and download needs. Keep enough free disk space for the exact content used by the communities you intend to join.
Joining an existing multiplayer server
1. Start the PC game and open the server list
- Launch Assetto Corsa from Steam.
- Choose the multiplayer option and open the server browser.
- Wait for the list to populate, then use search, filters, or sorting to narrow it by name, track, session type, password status, or player count.
Public lists can change quickly. A server shown as available may fill before you connect, restart between sessions, or be running a practice, qualifying, or race phase that prevents immediate entry. Refresh the list if the displayed player count or session state looks stale.
#1 Best Overall
![Assetto Corsa NEW Ultimate Edition - PC Steam [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/410H+R72rUL._SL160_.jpg)
- Assetto Corsa features an advanced DirectX 11 graphics engine that recreates an immersive environment, dynamic lighthing and realistic materials and surfaces.
- Extremely detailed with single player and multiplayer options, exclusive licensed cars reproduced with the best accuracy possible, thanks to the official cooperation of Car Manufacturers.
- ASSETTO CORSA has been developed at the KUNOS Simulazioni R&D office, located just inside the international racing circuit of Vallelunga, allowing the team to develop the game with the cooperation of real world racing drivers and racing teams.
2. Check the server’s content and rules
Before clicking Join, read the server name, description, track, car, booking or password information, and any listed mod requirements. A server can require a specific car, track, version, skin pack, or physics package. Install only files obtained from instructions you trust; random executable installers and unofficial download mirrors create avoidable security risks.
- Official-content server: The required car and track are normally included with your game installation.
- Mod-content server: You must install the same content, and sometimes the same revision, before connecting.
- Passworded server: Obtain the password from the operator or community rather than guessing repeatedly.
- Version-sensitive server: An updated mod may not be interchangeable with the older build used by the host.
3. Install matching cars and tracks
Assetto Corsa checks whether your client can load the content selected by the server. If a required car or track is missing, the join attempt can be rejected or the session can fail during loading. Even when a folder has the correct name, a different file revision, damaged archive, or incomplete extraction can produce the same result.
- Close the game before replacing or updating mod files.
- Follow the server operator’s installation instructions and preserve the required folder structure.
- Remove an older conflicting copy only when the operator’s instructions call for it; keeping several similarly named revisions can make diagnosis harder.
- Restart the launcher or Content Manager, refresh the server list, and try again.
4. Join and configure your session
Select the server and choose Join. Enter a password if prompted. Once the game loads, select an available car and setup, confirm controls, and wait for the current phase to allow you onto the track. Some hosts restrict car classes, setups, assists, damage, or driver names; those rules are controlled by the server, not by your local graphics settings.
For a reliable first test, choose a server with a low player count and content you already have. This separates an installation problem from the heavier load of a full grid. After a successful connection, you can add larger grids and more demanding mod tracks.
Rank #2
![Assetto Corsa NEW Standard - PC Steam [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/6109jlJW1UL._SL160_.jpg)
- Assetto Corsa features an advanced DirectX 11 graphics engine that recreates an immersive environment, dynamic lighthing and realistic materials and surfaces.
- Extremely detailed with single player and multiplayer options, exclusive licensed cars reproduced with the best accuracy possible, thanks to the official cooperation of Car Manufacturers.
- ASSETTO CORSA has been developed at the KUNOS Simulazioni R&D office, located just inside the international racing circuit of Vallelunga, allowing the team to develop the game with the cooperation of real world racing drivers and racing teams.
How to play with a friend
The simplest approach is for one person to host a session and for the other to find it by name in the multiplayer browser. Agree on the exact car, track, session format, password, and mod versions before the host starts. Both players should install and test the required content locally rather than discovering a missing file after the host is already waiting.
- The host creates the session in Content Manager or the chosen server tool.
- The host records the visible server name and password and shares them privately.
- The friend searches the browser for that name, verifies the track and car, and joins.
- If the server does not appear, both players should check firewall and router exposure, then try a direct invitation or a known public server to isolate the problem.
A session visible only on the host’s local network is different from an internet server. LAN discovery can work while outside players remain unable to connect because the router is not forwarding traffic or the operating-system firewall is blocking the server process.
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Content Manager is the fastest route for a first-time host because it provides a graphical configuration workflow and can package the files a server needs. AssettoServer’s Beginner’s Guide describes running a server inside Content Manager as the quickest way to get started; a dedicated folder is more portable and flexible for advanced setups.
Create and test the configuration
- Open Content Manager and go to its server or multiplayer-server section.
- Create a new configuration and select the track, layout, car or car class, session order, timetable, player limit, assists, damage, and voting rules you want.
- Set a distinctive server name. Add a password if the session is private.
- Save the configuration and start it locally from Content Manager.
- Join from the same PC or a second PC on the LAN to verify that the selected content, grid, and session transitions work before inviting internet players.
Testing locally catches missing cars, tracks, skins, and malformed settings without adding router troubleshooting to the problem. If a configuration fails to start, remove optional content first and add it back one component at a time.
Rank #3
![Assetto Corsa Competizione Standard - PC Steam [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51zMB4siWpL._SL160_.jpg)
- Assetto Corsa Competizione is designed to faithfully recreate the performance and the driving experience of real Blancpain GT Series cars through a sophisticated mathematical model that accurately replicates tyre grip, aerodynamic impact, engine parameters, suspensions and electronics systems that determine vehicle balance, as well as the influence of mechanical damage on the car's drivability.
- Unreal Engine 4 guarantees photorealistic rendering and an accurate representation of scenarios, car materials and weather conditions. Thanks to the multi-channel audio sampling of real GT cars, the game conveys captivating and immersive acoustic surroundings and realistic environmental effects.
- Even the secondary details are faithfully reproduced to make you feel the thrill of being in the cockpit of a real racing car. Doors, windshield wipers, headlights, racing lights, racing equipment and control devices such as ABS, traction control, engine ignition and ECU mapping, are all under the driver’s management to assure the best performance and offer the player total control of the car.
- Thanks to Laserscan technology, every official circuit is recreated with the utmost accuracy: all curbs and details perfectly fit their real counterparts to grant a gaming experience as faithful to reality as possible.
- A well-structured ranking system will evaluate individual performance and driving behaviour to reward the most virtuous drivers and promote fair play in online competitions. The matchmaking function makes sure that you can compete with opponents of similar skill level and easily find online races to join, while the leaderboards will allow you to compare single-lap performance with virtual pilots from around the world with the same car, circuit and weather conditions.
Use Pack when you need a standalone server
Content Manager can export the saved setup. The practical workflow is:
- With the configuration saved, choose Pack in the server tools.
- Let Content Manager collect the generated configuration and required data files into an archive.
- Create or select a server root folder on the host machine.
- Extract the package into that folder, preserving its internal paths.
- For the standard implementation, use the supplied Assetto Corsa server executable. The usual Windows location is the
serverdirectory beneath the Assetto Corsa Steam installation. - Start the server executable and watch its console output for configuration errors, missing content, or a successful listening state.
Packing is useful when the server should run without keeping the graphical launcher open, when you want to copy the setup to another machine, or when you plan to keep separate configurations for different leagues. Back up the packed folder before making major changes so you can restore a known-good state.
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Running AssettoServer instead of the default executable
AssettoServer is an alternative server implementation documented by its project. Its introduction recommends creating the configuration in Content Manager, clicking Pack, and extracting the archive into the server root. When using that implementation, the documented procedure replaces the default acServer.exe with AssettoServer’s executable.
Do not treat AssettoServer as mandatory for ordinary multiplayer. A basic session can use the standard server workflow. AssettoServer is relevant when you want its additional administration and authentication capabilities, and it introduces its own version and configuration requirements.
Rank #4
![Assetto Corsa EVO Early Access Standard - PC Steam [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/413D-YNWYaL._SL160_.jpg)
- As with its predecessor, Assetto Corsa EVO will include cars from different classes spanning across years of motoring history. From road cars, classics, hypercars, and race cars. The most iconic representation of the automotive and motorsport world. Each vehicle is reproduced through Kunos in-house physics and graphic engine simulating mechanical, electronic, and aerodynamic performance, combined with the fidelity of the circuits created using Laserscan technology
- In Early Access 1 you will be able to experience a range of vehicles, tracks and game modes that will evolve on the road to our full 1.0 launch.
Steam authentication requirements
The default Assetto Corsa server does not use the Steam API to verify that a connected player is the Steam account they claim to be. AssettoServer can use Steam Auth to reduce SteamID spoofing, but the feature is not automatic: it must be enabled in extra_cfg.yml.
AssettoServer’s documented requirement for obtaining a Steam session ticket is:
- Custom Shaders Patch (CSP) version 0.1.75 or newer.
- Content Manager version 0.8.2297.38573 or newer.
- Steam Auth enabled in the server’s
extra_cfg.yml.
Those versions apply to AssettoServer’s authentication feature, not to every multiplayer race. If you are only joining a conventional server, do not install CSP or Content Manager solely because a generic multiplayer guide mentions Steam Auth. Check the host’s stated requirements instead.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Making an internet server reachable
Starting the executable is only half of hosting. The host computer must accept the server’s traffic, and the router must send internet traffic to that computer. Exact port numbers depend on the server implementation and its generated configuration, so use the values shown in your server files and the implementation’s documentation rather than copying a universal list.
Best Value
![Assetto Corsa Rally - Early Access Standard - PC Steam [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/410rrM5DvRL._SL160_.jpg)
- The Monte Carlo Rally is famous for unpredictable weather, featuring snow, ice, and dry asphalt. It tests drivers' skills and adaptability, making it one of the most challenging rallies in the world.
- This iconic location is being delivered as two fully laser-scanned stages, Col de Turini and Sisteron including fully dynamic weather conditions.
Windows firewall
- When Windows asks whether to allow the server executable, allow it on the intended network profile.
- If no prompt appears, open Windows Defender Firewall’s allowed-app settings and add the server executable or its configured ports.
- Test on the local network first, then retest from an external connection.
Use a private network profile only on a network you trust. Avoid disabling the firewall globally; create the narrowest rule that permits the server process or configured ports.
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Router and NAT
- Give the host PC a stable local address, preferably with a DHCP reservation.
- Read the server configuration to identify the required listening and query ports.
- Create matching port-forwarding rules from the router to the host PC’s local address and protocol.
- Restart the server, then have a player outside your home network search for it.
Carrier-grade NAT, double NAT, guest Wi-Fi isolation, and a changing local address can prevent inbound connections even when the server is running. In those cases, place the forwarding rule on the upstream router, remove the extra NAT layer where appropriate, or ask the internet provider whether inbound hosting is available. Do not publish your public IP or server password in an open forum unless you intend the session to be public.
Choosing a hosting method
| Method | Setup time | Portability | Configuration control | Mod/content support | Authentication | Networking responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content Manager session | Fastest for a first host | Configuration remains tied to the launcher and PC unless packed | Graphical controls suited to normal sessions | Supports selected cars and tracks when installed correctly | Uses the server method you select; no AssettoServer Steam Auth by default | You still manage firewall and router/NAT for internet players |
| Packed dedicated folder with the standard server | More preparation than an in-launcher session | Better: copy or back up the server root | More direct file-level control | Good for repeatable mod and league configurations | Default server does not verify claimed Steam identity through Steam API | You manage executable, files, firewall, and router/NAT |
| AssettoServer in a dedicated folder | Requires the pack-and-replace workflow | Strong portability for advanced operators | Extensive configuration through server files | Designed for custom-server operation; follow its content rules | Optional Steam Auth, requiring CSP 0.1.75+, Content Manager 0.8.2297.38573+, and extra_cfg.yml setup |
You manage firewall, router/NAT, and implementation-specific settings |
For a one-evening race, start in Content Manager. For a league, a machine that runs unattended, or a setup you will move between computers, pack the configuration into a dedicated folder. Choose AssettoServer when its administration or identity protection justifies the additional version and configuration work.
Quick Recap
Troubleshooting common multiplayer failures
The server is not visible
- Refresh the browser and search the exact server name.
- Confirm the host actually started the executable and that its console reports a listening state.
- Check the Windows firewall rule and router forwarding using the ports shown in the server configuration.
- Test from outside the host’s LAN; a server can be reachable locally while hidden from the internet because of NAT.
“Missing content,” checksum, or loading errors
- Install the exact car, track, and layout named by the operator.
- Compare mod versions and folder names with the host’s instructions.
- Remove incomplete or duplicate copies only after backing them up.
- Have the host repack the configuration if required files were omitted from the server root.
The game disconnects or times out
- Check whether the server is full or has moved from practice to a locked race phase.
- Reduce background downloads and confirm that your connection is stable.
- Ask the host whether the server restarted or changed configuration.
- On a home-hosted server, investigate double NAT, carrier-grade NAT, and guest-network isolation.
AssettoServer Steam Auth rejects a player
- Verify CSP is 0.1.75 or newer and Content Manager is 0.8.2297.38573 or newer.
- Confirm Steam is running and the player launched the game through the expected account.
- Check that Steam Auth is enabled and correctly formatted in
extra_cfg.yml. - If authentication is not needed, disable the feature according to the server documentation rather than requiring clients to install versions for an unrelated reason.
Performance is poor after joining
- Lower graphics settings and visible opponent count before blaming the network.
- Try a smaller grid or a less demanding track to distinguish rendering limits from connection problems.
- Check available RAM and disk space when using several large mods.
- Ask whether the server uses custom weather, high-resolution assets, or other additions beyond the Steam-listed game requirements.
A reliable first-session checklist
- Install the Steam PC edition and verify your controls offline.
- Choose a server with clearly listed cars, track, password, and mod versions.
- Install required content from trusted operator instructions.
- Join a low-population server to validate your installation.
- For a friend session, agree on content and password before hosting.
- For internet hosting, allow the server through the operating-system firewall and forward only the ports shown by the server configuration.
- Use Content Manager for the quickest setup; pack to a dedicated folder when portability or unattended operation matters.
- Add AssettoServer Steam Auth only when you need identity protection and can meet its documented CSP, Content Manager, and configuration requirements.
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