Welcome to GameCP — the next-generation game server management platform. This guide walks you through the essentials to get your first game server up and running.

How It Works

GameCP uses a simple two-layer architecture:

Nodes — the physical or virtual servers that run your game servers
Game Servers — individual game instances running on your nodes

You set up a node once, then create as many game servers on it as your hardware supports.

Step 1: Install a Node

A node is any Linux or Windows server (VPS, dedicated, or local machine) that GameCP manages. The installation process connects your server to the platform and sets up the environment for running game servers.

What you need:

A Linux server (Ubuntu 20.04+ recommended) or Windows Server with administrator access
At least 2GB RAM and 20GB storage
SSH access (Linux) or RDP/remote access (Windows)

Follow the full guide: Installing a Node

The installation takes about 2-5 minutes. Once complete, your node appears in the dashboard and is ready to host game servers.

Step 2: Create Your First Game Server

With a node online, you can create a game server in under a minute.

Quick steps:

Click Add Server from the Game Servers page
Pick a game from the template library
Choose your node and configure settings (or use defaults)
Click Create (or the Save button) — GameCP handles the rest

Follow the full guide: Creating Your First Game Server

GameCP automatically downloads the game files, configures ports, and starts the server. You'll see real-time progress in the terminal.

What's Next

Once you have a server running, explore these areas:

Game Configuration — customize how games are set up and managed
Templates & Importing — import configs from Pterodactyl, TCAdmin, or the template store
Debugging Game Servers — troubleshoot common issues
Updating a Node — keep your nodes up to date

Need Help?

Join our Discord for community support
Check the Node Troubleshooting guide for common issues
Browse the full tutorial library for detailed guides on every feature