Ghost

What is Ghost?

Ghost is an open-source, self-hosted platform for running dedicated game servers. It provides an end-to-end setup flow so you can spin up supported games on your own infrastructure, with the VM, token, and billing tied to your setup.

The platform standardizes server creation across multiple games using a one-click flow (pick a game, pick a region, press play). It also centralizes operational controls in a web dashboard, including a live console view and an activity log of server lifecycle events and configuration changes.

Key Features

• One-click server setup flow: select a supported game and a region, then start the server using the same workflow across games.
• Open-source, end-to-end stack: the full implementation is available on GitHub so you can read, fork, and self-host it without a black-box service.
• Quick dedicated server provisioning: dedicated servers can be brought up in under a minute, with Docker, SSH, and firewall handling included in the setup.
• Dashboard with sensible defaults: a dashboard “by default” is designed to reduce configuration complexity by using opinionated settings rather than a large number of toggles.
• Live console access: stream stdout directly from the container and run commands from the page while the server is running.
• Filterable activity log: track server start, stop, restart, and configuration changes in a clean timeline.
• Bring-your-own infrastructure and billing: you provide a Hetzner key, and your infrastructure, billing, and data remain under your control while Ghost wires everything together.

How to Use Ghost

1. Start by getting an account and signing in to the Ghost web interface.
2. Use the supported-games flow to choose a game and select a region.
3. Initiate the one-click start process to provision a dedicated server; Docker, SSH, and firewall setup are handled for you.
4. Use the Ghost dashboard to monitor the server: view the live console stream and operate the server from within the interface.
5. If you need to change configuration, do so through the dashboard and review the activity log to see what changed and when.

Use Cases

• Running a Minecraft dedicated server on your own Hetzner Cloud account: choose Minecraft in the supported-games list, select a region, start the server, and manage it through the dashboard.
• Hosting a Valheim server for a small group: use the standard pick-a-game/pick-a-region workflow and monitor server output via the live console.
• Deploying Rust with operational visibility: start the server using the same one-click flow, then rely on the activity log to track restarts and configuration changes.
• Managing a co-op survival or crafting server: spin up games like Don’t Starve Together or Enshrouded and use the dashboard’s console and timeline to administer ongoing sessions.
• Adding a new game to the roadmap: if a desired game isn’t listed, open an issue on GitHub so the maintainers can consider it for future support.

FAQ

• Which games are supported? The site lists Minecraft, Valheim, Palworld, Enshrouded, V Rising, Rust, Terraria, Satisfactory, Counter-Strike 2, and Don’t Starve Together.

• Do I need to host Ghost myself? Yes—Ghost is described as open-source and self-hosted, with the whole stack living on GitHub so you can fork and self-host it.

• How do servers get started? The platform uses a one-click flow: pick a game, pick a region, then press play to provision a dedicated server.

• What access do I get after starting a server? The dashboard provides a live console that streams stdout from the container and allows running commands from the page, plus an activity log covering server start/stop/restart and config changes.

• How does billing and infrastructure work? Ghost asks you to bring your own Hetzner key. Your infrastructure, billing, and data are tied to your Hetzner account, while Ghost handles the wiring.

Alternatives

• General-purpose self-hosted game server management tools: alternatives in this category also focus on provisioning game servers, but may not offer the same standardized one-click flow across many specific titles.
• Manual Docker + dedicated server setup: some users manage game servers directly with Docker and handle firewall/SSH configuration themselves, trading automation and a unified dashboard for more hands-on control.
• Managed game server hosting providers: these provide ready-to-play hosting without self-hosting, but typically shift infrastructure control and operational context away from your own environment.
• Infrastructure-focused orchestration (e.g., container schedulers): for teams already running orchestration platforms, you can deploy and scale servers via your own tooling, though you may need to build the game-specific workflow yourself.