Dedicated server vs listen server
A dedicated server is a game server running on separate hardware — no player is the host. A listen server runs on one player’s machine, making that player both host and participant in the match.
Dedicated servers
The server runs on managed infrastructure (bare metal or cloud). All players connect to it as clients. The server is authoritative: it runs the simulation, validates inputs, and sends state updates. No player has a latency advantage from being “the host.”
Dedicated servers are standard for competitive multiplayer, esports, and any game where fairness matters. They require infrastructure to run — either self-hosted or through a game server hosting platform.
Listen servers
One player’s machine acts as both server and client. Other players connect to that player. The host player has zero latency to the server (it’s running on their machine), giving them an inherent advantage. If the host quits, the match ends or requires host migration.
Listen servers are common in co-op games, casual multiplayer, and games where infrastructure cost would be prohibitive relative to revenue (small indie titles with low concurrent players).
When to use which
- Dedicated server — Competitive games, ranked modes, games with anti-cheat, games where fairness is non-negotiable, games with more than ~4 players per session.
- Listen server — Co-op games (2-4 players), games where one player “hosts” by design, prototyping before committing to infrastructure costs.
Most Unreal Engine and Unity games start with listen servers during development and switch to dedicated servers before launch. The engine code is largely the same — the difference is where the server binary runs.