Survive the forest together
A persistent Sons of the Forest dedicated server for co-op survival. Build, explore the caves, and outlast the cannibals with the crew.
Co-op survival, always on
A dedicated world that keeps running between sessions, so the base you build sticks around.
PVE Co-op
PvP damage is off and the world holds up to 8 players, so it is pure co-op survival with no friendly fire.
Anti-Grief Building
Structure damage is turned off, so nobody can wreck your base, and felled trees regrow over time.
Persistent World
A dedicated server that stays up between sessions, so you pick up exactly where you left off, no host needed.
Tuned for the Long Haul
Long days and long seasons with high animal spawns and normal cannibal difficulty for a steady challenge.
How to connect
The fastest way in is Direct Connect with our IP. The in-game Dedicated browser also works if you flip the one toggle most people miss.
Open Multiplayer
Launch Sons of the Forest, choose Multiplayer, then Join. You and your friends need to be on the same platform (Steam to Steam).
Direct Connect with our IP (easiest)
At the bottom of the Join screen, choose Direct, type 135.148.151.157:8767 exactly, then click Join. Use the numeric IP, not a web address; Sons of the Forest's direct join does not accept hostnames, so sotf.vortexgaminghq.net will not work here. There is no password.
Prefer the browser? Switch the source to Dedicated
Change the Source toggle from Peer-to-Peer to Dedicated (the step everyone misses; on Peer-to-Peer our server never appears), then type vortex in the filter. We show as VortexGamingHQ.net / PVE / Dedicated Server. Click Refresh if the list looks empty; a freshly started server can take a minute to appear.
Join
Select VortexGamingHQ.net / PVE / Dedicated Server (or just hit Join after Direct Connect) and wait on the loading screen. No password, so you go straight in.
Still stuck?
If neither way connects, the server may be restarting, give it a minute and Refresh, or ask in our Discord and a staff member can confirm it is up or invite you through Steam.
Server rules
A short set of rules keeps the server fair and friendly, and our staff play here and enforce them.
- No cheating, hacking, or exploiting.
- Be respectful. No harassment, slurs, or hate speech.
- No griefing: don't destroy or loot your teammates' builds and gear.
- It's co-op, so play as a team and respect shared bases.
- Listen to staff and follow their direction.
- Keep it fun and help the crew stay welcoming.
Ready to play?
The forest doesn't wait. Direct Connect to 135.148.151.157:8767 and join the crew.