Cytopia vs OpenRCT2

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
FeatureCytopiaOpenRCT2
CategoryGame ServersGame Servers
LicenseGPL-3.0GPL-3.0
LanguageC++C++
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM512 MB512 MB
Deploymentbare-metal, binary, sourcebare-metal, binary, source
GitHub stars★ 2,149★ 16,049
First released20182014
ReplacesSimCityRollerCoaster Tycoon

Why pick each one

Choose Cytopia if…

  • Lightweight and fun
  • Easy to mod
Cytopia details

Choose OpenRCT2 if…

  • Faithful modern remake
  • Active community
OpenRCT2 details

Frequently asked questions

Is Cytopia or OpenRCT2 better?

Neither is universally better. OpenRCT2 has the larger community, while Cytopia is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.

Are Cytopia and OpenRCT2 free and open-source?

Yes. Cytopia is licensed under GPL-3.0 and OpenRCT2 under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Cytopia and OpenRCT2 with Docker?

Cytopia: check the project docs for container support. OpenRCT2: check the project docs for container support.

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