Deadside is a hardcore multiplayer survival shooter from Bad Pixel, published by tinyBuild. It spent several years in early access on PC before reaching version 1.0, and it arrived on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in February 2025. There are no zombies here. The danger is other survivors and armed AI groups in a large open world where you scavenge, build a base and fight for every piece of gear you carry.

Version 1.0 sorts servers into three types, and community servers then add their own rules, schedules and staff on top. Picking the right one decides whether Deadside feels like a tense survival game or a nonstop firefight.

A Shooter First, a Survival Game Second

Deadside is built around gunfights. Weapons, attachments and armor are what you are looting for, and when you die you drop what you carried. A mission system marks PvE events on the map, where AI groups guard loot, and those markers pull players toward each other, so a mission is often where PvE turns into PvP.

Between fights you build. A base gives you somewhere to keep what you find, and on servers that allow raiding it becomes something to defend. When you log off, your character leaves the world together with whatever it carries, so you cannot be killed in your sleep - but your base stays behind.

What to Look For in a Deadside Server

PvP, PvE or Scheduled Raids

On PvP servers players can fight anywhere and raid each other's bases without limits, which makes for the most intense version of the game. On PvE servers players cannot fight each other or raid and steal from bases, leaving the AI as the only enemy. PvP with scheduled raids keeps open combat but only allows base raids during set hours. If you cannot be online to defend at any time, the raid schedule is the setting to check.

Squads and Group Rules

Deadside is easier with a squad, and harder against one. Look for clear rules on group size and alliances, because a server where large groups team up will be dominated by them. Solo players should look for servers that cap groups or are known for a lighter population.

Loot and Mission Pace

Community servers can change how generous loot is and how busy the map feels. Boosted settings get you geared quickly and into fights sooner; settings close to default make each find matter and every death sting. Check what a server lists before you invest hours in a base.

Admins and Anti-Cheat Enforcement

Hardcore shooters attract cheaters. A good server has admins who respond on Discord, act on reports quickly and publish the rules they enforce, including rules for their own staff. Unmoderated PvP servers lose their honest players fast.

Wipes, Ping and Platform

Ask how often the server wipes and what happens after major updates. Choose a server close to you, since firefights at range are decided by ping, and make sure it runs on your platform. Then look at the population at your hours; a full server in another time zone is empty when you play.

Getting Started

Decide on PvP, PvE or scheduled raids first, then on squad or solo play. Join near a wipe if you can, learn the area around your spawn and run a few missions to get geared before you build. Read the server's raid and group rules on its Discord. The ranking below lists the Deadside servers players vote for here. Vote for the server you fight on - the ranking resets every month, so it reflects where players are active now.