What to launch first
Do not bet only on CS: public server demand is declining. Use CS2/Minecraft as a base and research Squad/Rust separately.
Purpose
Short page purpose
What tools are needed
Pterodactyl, SFTP/FTP, MySQL, backups, FastDL for CS, short docs and clear support for typical issues.
What risks to avoid
Do not start with RAGE:MP: the platform is shutting down. FiveM has no obvious earning model and needs separate analysis.
Notes constructor
Analytics sections
Pterodactyl / Pelican
Pterodactyl as the production baseline, Pelican as a test option.
Pterodactyl vs Pelican: short conclusion
Decision: for the first production launch of game hosting, Pterodactyl is the safer choice. Pelican should be kept as a test stand and possible future migration after it leaves beta and is tested on real clients.
| Criterion | Pterodactyl | Pelican | Conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Mature open-source panel, current 1.12.x branch. | Modern fork/successor in beta; documentation warns that beta releases may include breaking changes. | Pterodactyl is safer for the first commercial launch. |
| Architecture | Panel + Wings. Game servers run inside isolated Docker containers. | Built from the Pterodactyl ecosystem and also uses Wings and Docker isolation. | The core idea is similar: web panel controls nodes/containers. |
| Infrastructure | Requires Linux, Docker/KVM, web server, PHP, MySQL/MariaDB and Redis. | Requires Linux, PHP 8.3/8.4/8.5, web server, MySQL/MariaDB/PostgreSQL/SQLite; Docker install is still not ideal as a production flow. | Both panels need a proper VPS/dedicated server; avoid OpenVZ/LXC without Docker. |
| Features | Proven base: users, allocations, eggs, schedules, backups, file manager, databases, SFTP/API through Wings. | More modern improvements: OAuth, Turnstile, web installer, install logs, crash activity, IPv6 allocations, support tickets, multilingual, egg improvements. | Pelican looks more promising by UX/features, but beta risk is higher. |
| Reddit feedback | Often treated as the industry standard and a calmer stability-first option. | Often recommended only for teams ready to handle beta bugs and manual diagnostics. | Clients care more about stability than a newer panel. |
| Recommendation | Main production panel for CS2/Minecraft hosting launch. | Separate test node without client servers, to check migration and UX. | Start on Pterodactyl and test Pelican in parallel. |
Launch notes
- Do not sell the panel as “custom-made”; sell stability, server isolation, backups, clear file access and support.
- First offer should mention: Pterodactyl Panel, Docker isolation, SFTP, backups, MySQL/databases, file manager, CS2/Minecraft eggs.
- Pelican should be mentioned only as a future alternative under testing, not as the first production base.
Pterodactyl is a safe production baseline for game hosting. Pelican looks more modern, but its beta status makes it better for separate testing.
CS2 / Counter-Strike
Demand, risks and real issues of CS server rental.
Counter-Strike: demand and problems
Counter-Strike is still familiar to the market, but demand for classic public servers has declined: CYBERSHOKE and FACEIT take the audience, while master list spam and mirrors quickly kill beginners’ motivation.
| Point | Short conclusion |
|---|---|
| CS2 | Can be launched, but expect short-term rentals. |
| CS 1.6 | An old but still alive CIS niche. Clients often need cheap rental, GameCMS/AMXBans and familiar tools. |
| Main risk | Beginners often rent a server for 1–3 months and then lose interest. |
What clients really need
- SourceMod/MetaMod, plugins, maps and FastDL.
- MySQL for statistics, ranks and web modules.
- Clear panel, fast restart, file access and normal support.
Web hosting for CS clients
Counter-Strike almost always needs separate web hosting for a website, stats, ban lists, donations, FastDL or CMS. The audience often saves money and chooses plans around 50–100 UAH/month.
| Need | Typical minimum | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Domains | 1–3 domains | Project site, FastDL, statistics or separate pages. |
| Databases | 15–20 MySQL databases | Many DBs are created for plugins/CMS, but beginners often put everything into one DB due to lack of experience. |
| Main motive | Saving money | A cheap and simple plan without extra complexity is important. |
CMS / Web Tools
LR WEB, Flute CMS, GameCMS and web tools around CS.
CMS and web tools for Counter-Strike
CS clients need not only servers but also websites: profiles, statistics, donations, bans, Steam login and project pages.
| Tool | Note |
|---|---|
| Levels Ranks WEB | Very well known but outdated core with vulnerabilities. Popular forks such as NEO TEMPLATE v3 were made from it. |
| Flute CMS | A new project by one developer. It is gradually gaining trust and looks stronger in security than LR WEB/forks. |
| GameCMS | Actively used by Counter-Strike 1.6 projects in the CIS. |
Practical note
The CMS direction should be tied to cheap web hosting for the CS audience: 1–3 domains, many MySQL databases for plugins and simple installation without extra complexity.
CS 1.6 Notes
Old CIS niche with legacy CMS, AMXBans and FastDL.
CS 1.6 notes
CS 1.6 is an old but still understandable niche. In the CIS, clients often look for a cheap server, GameCMS/AMXBans, FastDL, old plugins and a simple panel.
The main weakness is the legacy stack: old plugins, old PHP code and more manual support.
Minecraft Notes
Minecraft as a clear direction based on RAM/Java/modpack logic.
Minecraft direction
Minecraft remains easy to explain: plans can be based on RAM, Java version, server core, plugins, modpacks and backups.
Main reference: hosting-minecraft.ru. They have cheap and pleasant plans, and the panel is either custom-made or a Pterodactyl fork.
- Paper/Purpur/Spigot and Java version checks.
- World backups and restore.
- Modpacks and plugins as separate support load.
GTA V Risk
Why RAGE:MP/FiveM should not be the first direction.
GTA V risk
Launching GTA V hosting soon does not make sense: RAGE:MP is shutting down, while FiveM does not provide an obvious solution and earning model for regular game hosting.
The market is waiting for a new RAGE:MP-like platform, so GTA V should not be the first direction.
Squad / Rust
Observation on military and survival servers.
Squad / Rust
Squad and Rust should be researched separately: the audience is more mature and servers are heavier, but demand may be more stable than classic CS public servers.
| Game | Note |
|---|---|
| Squad | Military audience; stability, performance and mods are important. |
| Rust | A good candidate after CS2/Minecraft, but resource tuning and wipe processes must be handled carefully. |
Support Notes
Typical game hosting client questions.
Support Notes
In game hosting, support covers not only access and payments but also basic diagnostics of servers, files, databases and plugins.
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| Server does not start | Console log, startup command, allocation/port, variables, missing files. |
| SFTP/files | Access, path, file permissions, disk limit, uploaded archive. |
| Plugins | Game version, dependencies, configs, logs, compatibility. |
| MySQL | Host, port, user, password, database, privileges. |
| FastDL | URL, file paths, web access, server.cfg. |
| Minecraft | Java version, RAM, core, crash report, mods. |
Competitor Notes
Short competitor notes
CSHOST
Ukraine (without RF/RB)
- Focus
- Long-standing Ukrainian market player, mainly Counter-Strike 1.6 and related services.
- Notes
- Strong recognition in the CS niche and an actively used payment/cashier page. Weaknesses: data center issues, DDoS/heavy filtering, power outages, shared placement of several clients on one server and a slow custom panel.
SourHost
Ukraine (without RF/RB)
- Focus
- Counter-Strike 2 hosting on Pterodactyl.
- Notes
- Newer to the market, but has around 50 rented CS2 servers. Resource allocation is better, almost like dedicated, and it looks stronger than CSHOST by rented CS2 server count.
Hosting Minecraft
CIS + Ukraine
- Focus
- Minecraft hosting with cheap plans.
- Notes
- Main reference for the Minecraft direction: cheap pleasant plans, panel is custom-made or a Pterodactyl fork. Other services also often use Pterodactyl.
Other CS hostings
UA
- Focus
- Less popular Counter-Strike hosting services.
- Notes
- Can be used as secondary references, but the main CS references are CSHOST and SourHost.
Key Takeaways
Short takeaways
CS is not growing like before
Demand for classic CS public servers is falling because of CYBERSHOKE/FACEIT and master list issues. CS should be sold through support, CMS and web tools.
Base starting directions
CS2 and Minecraft can stay as base directions, but CS should not be the only bet.
Main references
For CS, the key references are CSHOST and SourHost. For Minecraft — hosting-minecraft.ru.
CS needs web hosting
CS projects often need cheap web hosting: 1–3 domains, 15–20 MySQL databases and simple CMS/FastDL placement.
Delay GTA V
RAGE:MP is shutting down and FiveM has no obvious earning model, so GTA V should not be the first direction.
Look toward Squad/Rust
Military and survival servers may have more stable demand than classic CS public servers, but resource usage needs separate testing.