WARDOGS: Official Community Server Hosts
How to rent or join a WARDOGS community server at Early Access. The two licensed hosts, what you can control on day one, and how to avoid scam pre-orders.
Goal: Run or rent a WARDOGS community server at Early Access without getting scammed, and understand what you can and cannot control on day one. The names of the two licensed hosts have not been announced yet. Anyone else selling WARDOGS server pre-orders does not have the files.
What Is Locked In
- 1You cannot self-host.
No public dedicated-server files, no home box, no Docker image, no unlicensed VPS.
- 2At launch, only two hosting companies will have the licensed server code.
Anyone else selling WARDOGS pre-orders does not have the files. Bulkhead posted this warning on Aug 29.
- 3Anyone can still rent a community server, but only through those two approved companies once they go live.
- 4Day-one admin control is limited: maps and modes.
Hardcore-style options are planned. Full sliders come later, and they stay tied to the economy.
- 5Bulkhead is building a live RCON dashboard so admins can control the server regardless of which of the two hosts they use.
That tool is not public yet.
1Follow the Official Admin Channel
- 1Follow @WD_ServerHub on X.
That account exists specifically for server-admin updates. If the two host names drop, they drop there first.
- 2Also watch @WARDOGS and @Brammflakes (CEO).
- 3Watch the official r/WarDogs thread titled "Wardogs Devs - Community servers update."
2Do Not Pay Scam Pre-Orders
- 1Do not pay any host that is already taking WARDOGS server pre-orders.
Bulkhead's warning: those providers do not have the game or server code. Money paid now cannot be delivered at launch.
- 2Several hosts still advertise pages anyway. Treat those as unfulfillable until Bulkhead names the two companies.
3Decide What You Need the Server For
| Goal | What Players Are Doing | Day-1 Reality |
|---|---|---|
| Clan / community home | Join an existing Discord that already plans to rent (WardogsHQ, WARDOGS League Europe, regional groups) | Piggyback their rented slot instead of buying your own |
| Competitive / league matches | WARDOGS League Europe is waiting for host names, then buying 1-2 servers for organised 3-team matches | Same licensed hosts; will not exist until the two companies open checkout |
| Private friends-only box | Same two hosts; expect whitelist / password once the panel exists | No self-host workaround |
| Full custom rules / mods | Wait. Devs said day one will not let you turn everything off | More control later, still subject to economy |
4If You Want Your Own Rented Server
- 1Follow @WD_ServerHub and the Aug 29 official thread.
- 2Wait until Bulkhead names the two companies. Do not guess from hosting-site landing pages.
- 3When checkout opens, pick the region closest to your regulars.
NA, EU, and OCE were the clusters people actually filled in tests.
- 4Expect to choose map and mode only at first.
- 5Use Bulkhead's RCON tool when it ships, not a random host panel.
So you can kick and spectate regardless of which licensed company you rented from.
5If You Just Want to Play on a Community Server
- 1WardogsHQ / The Wrecking Crew Discord.
They publicly said they will run 3 servers at launch: NA, EU, OCE, with limited spots, tournaments, and a day-one prize. The most concrete player-run plan.
- 2WARDOGS League Europe (OllieStrikes).
Building 3-team matchmaking. They will rent licensed servers once hosts are named.
- 3Regional Discords (CZ/SK, NL, UK).
They said they will spin servers the day hosting is allowed.
Key Decision Points
- Buy your own vs join an existing community box: If you do not already have 40-80 regulars who will log in nightly, renting a 100-player box is wasted money at launch. Piggyback WardogsHQ, a league, or a language community first.
- Pay now vs wait: Wait. EA is September 10. The two host names are still unannounced. Paying a third-party reservation today is the exact thing Bulkhead warned against.
- Official vs community: Official means consistent rules and studio anti-cheat. Community means live admins, language, events, and later custom settings. Pick based on what you actually need.
Common Mistakes
- Pre-ordering a server from an unnamed host. Several sites say they are only applying or waiting for files. Do not pay until Bulkhead names the two licensees.
- Assuming you can download server files like Rust or old Battlefield. Bulkhead has repeated: no public binaries, for security and performance reasons.
- Expecting day-one hardcore sliders, ticket counts, 2-team mode, or mods. Devs: maps and modes first. More comes later.
- Sitting on an empty rented box. 100-player KOTH dies if you do not have a Discord that actually fills it.
- Ignoring @WD_ServerHub. That account is the pipeline they told admins to use. Do not ask "how do I become admin?" in random replies.