By my calculations...

[DaveTurnbull]

I'm interested in selling a few servers for Crysis once it's released just as a hobby mainly, but I just can't seem to see how game server providers can offer such low prices.

 

Most providers I've looked at are charging $1-$3 per slot.

For a 32-slot server that would be up to $96 per month.

If I were to go with Steadfast and get the Core 2 Duo E6600 for $190 per month, along with a 10Mbits for bandwidth for an additional $430 per month. That comes to $620 a month.

 

To break about even I'd have to be hosting 7 Crysis servers on the one box. The thing is, from what I've read, and seen the bandwidth wouldn't be enough, and I'm not sure if the CPU could handle 7 separate 32-slot servers.

 

Am I misinterpreting all this data? Miscalculating grossly? Or do most smaller GSP's oversell and just hope their customers don't use all the bandwidth?

 

I'm sorry if I sound like an idiot, and I definitely won't be rushing into the GSP business, but I am very passionate and interested in providing game servers (even if it's on a very small scale).

[studeggle]

Most providers that rent dedicated servers over sell and hope for the best. Most of them also don't have business models that will really work.

To turn a profit you either need to be one of those LOW quality providers that packs way more servers then a machine can hold and don't care about quality, or you have to charge more.

Also single even double server boxes aren't enough to really be looking at a profit. It takes more so you can rent large amounts and then what doesn't get used by the clients does start to add up to enough.

 

Add to that you’d be hard pressed, if not impossible, to find any REAL game service provider that would tell you there’s a lot of money I being a GSP. You can support yourself if setup correctly, but you’re not going to be any high roller at Vegas.

[DaveTurnbull]

Thanks for the response. I'm not intending to be a high roller or anything, but if I could get some revenue in addition to my other online projects it'd be great.

[adamnp]

Each gametype presents new facets in the delivery of your service to your customer.

 

The best way is to really get down and dirty and do some testing, build a business model and explore the different options of how to turn profit with the materials you have.

 

It seems to me that your bandwidth calculations are a bit off, sounds like your looking at an unmetered 10mb port. You might be better off getting a set quota instead.

[DaveTurnbull]

Each gametype presents new facets in the delivery of your service to your customer.

 

The best way is to really get down and dirty and do some testing, build a business model and explore the different options of how to turn profit with the materials you have.

 

It seems to me that your bandwidth calculations are a bit off, sounds like your looking at an unmetered 10mb port. You might be better off getting a set quota instead.

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

I'll definitely keep working on my business model and I've already thought of a couple of ways to get a bit more revenue in some other areas.

 

I was looking at an unmetered port - I'd rather get a set quota but unfortunately Steadfast doesn't seem to offer that, apart from 1200GB on their Performance network, or 2000GB on their Standard Network. Not too sure if that would be enough bandwidth either way, but I'll definitely look into it more - or just rent my first server from SoftLayer.

[JasonF]

1200 GB of premium is more than enough for a new server with very little game servers on it. Unless all servers are full 24/7 you won't come close to that amount.

[Jissh]

Thanks for the reply.

 

I'll definitely keep working on my business model and I've already thought of a couple of ways to get a bit more revenue in some other areas.

 

I was looking at an unmetered port - I'd rather get a set quota but unfortunately Steadfast doesn't seem to offer that, apart from 1200GB on their Performance network, or 2000GB on their Standard Network. Not too sure if that would be enough bandwidth either way, but I'll definitely look into it more - or just rent my first server from SoftLayer.

 

Steadfast offers set quota on bandwidth on colo's not sure about there dedicated servers though. Maybe worth contacting Karl about though.