Naev 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?
FeatureNaevOpenRCT2
CategoryGame ServersGame Servers
LicenseGPL-3.0GPL-3.0
LanguageCC++
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM512 MB512 MB
Deploymentbinary, sourcebare-metal, binary, source
GitHub stars★ 941★ 16,049
First released20092014
ReplacesEscape VelocityRollerCoaster Tycoon

Why pick each one

Choose Naev if…

  • Released under the GPL-3.0 license
  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • Written in C
  • Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Naev details

Choose OpenRCT2 if…

  • Faithful modern remake
  • Active community
OpenRCT2 details

Frequently asked questions

Is Naev or OpenRCT2 better?

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

Are Naev and OpenRCT2 free and open-source?

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

Can I run Naev and OpenRCT2 with Docker?

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

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