What Are Virtual Servers?

A virtual server is essentially a software-based emulation of a physical server.

Think of it as dividing a powerful computer into multiple smaller, independent computers that each run their own operating system and applications. This virtual server definition might sound complex, but the concept is straightforward: you get the functionality of a dedicated machine without needing the actual hardware.

Here's where things get interesting for game developers. Virtual servers sit in a sweet spot between two other options. For comparison:

• Bare metal servers give you raw hardware—the entire physical machine is yours alone, delivering maximum performance but at the additional costs of having to manage it and, as they are sold by commitment, maximizing its usage to avoid idle, wasted resources sitting empty.

• Dedicated servers, and we mean actual physical “on the cloud” servers and not the concept used in game to refer to authoritative servers, refer to either physical machines or reserved virtual instances, but they're exclusively allocated to your game regardless of the underlying infrastructure.

The upside of virtual server hosting lies in its efficiency.

While a bare metal server might sit idle during off-peak hours, virtual servers can scale up and down based on player demand though orchestration. You're not paying for unused capacity. This flexibility has made virtual server rental increasingly popular among indie developers and AAA studios alike.

How Do Virtual Servers Work?

Virtual servers operate through a clever piece of virtual server software called a hypervisor. Specifically Type-2 but sometimes Type 1 if using bare metal.

This layer sits between the physical hardware and your game server, managing resources like CPU, memory, and storage. When a player connects to your game, they don't know or care whether they're hitting a virtual or physical server. The experience feels identical as the server is isolated from other workloads.

The hypervisor allocates resources dynamically. One physical server can run multiple virtual servers, each handling different game instances or regions. This resource sharing makes virtual servers remarkably cost-effective.

Modern virtualization technology (hypervisor) that CPU and memory performance overhead is often negligible. With proper configuration, your virtual machine gets dedicated or prioritized resources, and network traffic flows nearly as fast as on bare metal. The difference in latency? Often imperceptible and sometimes measured in microseconds, though I/O-heavy workloads may see slightly more impact.

Can Virtual Servers Be Used in Multiplayer Games?

Absolutely. In fact, virtual servers have become the backbone of modern multiplayer gaming infrastructure. The real question isn't whether you can use them—it's how to use them effectively.

The evolution from traditional virtual machines to containers has revolutionized multiplayer game hosting.

Containers strip away unnecessary overhead, packaging just your game server and its dependencies into lightweight, portable units. You don't need to worry about hardware specifications or operating system configurations. Deploy your container, and it runs consistently whether on a virtual server machine in Tokyo or São Paulo.

This democratization of server infrastructure has profound implications. Small studios can now compete with industry giants on technical merit rather than infrastructure budget.

Edgegap has proven this at scale, using containers to deploy and scale hundreds of thousands of multiplayer games serving millions of players worldwide. By orchestrating these containers across 615+ locations globally, Edgegap has helped reduce latency by 58% on average, and save cloud costs 30-50% compared to traditional public cloud deployments.

Optimized orchestration means your game servers run exactly where and when they're needed. No overprovisioning for peak times that may never come. No paying for idle servers during quiet hours. The containers spin up near your players, deliver low-latency gameplay, then shuts down when sessions end.

Are Virtual Servers "Cloud" and Can They Work with Bare Metal?

Yes, virtual servers form the foundation of cloud computing.

When you hear about cloud gaming or cloud infrastructure, you're essentially hearing about massive networks of virtual servers working in concert. But here's what many developers don't realize: cloud doesn't have to mean expensive.

The perception that cloud equals high costs stems from inefficient usage patterns. Raw virtual server buy options from major providers can indeed get pricey when you're running 24/7. Smart orchestration changes this equation entirely. By mixing virtual servers with bare metal infrastructure; what Edgegap calls "hybrid orchestration", you get the best of both worlds.

This approach shatters the virtual server vs physical server debate. It's not about choosing one or the other—it's about using each where they excel. Bare metal for predictable traffic to minimize costs through lack of Egress. Virtual servers for flexibility and geographic distribution. Together, they create infrastructure that's both powerful and economical.

Conclusion

Virtual servers have fundamentally changed how multiplayer games reach players worldwide. They offer the flexibility to scale with your player base, the efficiency to control costs, and the performance to deliver great gameplay experiences. The rise of containerization has made these benefits accessible to developers of all sizes, not just those with massive infrastructure budgets.

Understanding when to use virtual servers, how to optimize them through modern orchestration, and when to blend them with bare metal infrastructure can mean the difference between a game that struggles with server costs and one that scales profitably. Companies like Edgegap have proven that smart infrastructure choices can reduce costs by 30-50% while actually improving player experience through better geographic distribution.

The future of multiplayer gaming isn't about choosing between virtual or physical servers. It's about orchestrating the right mix of infrastructure to serve your players efficiently, wherever they are in the world. Virtual servers aren't just an option for multiplayer game; they're becoming the standard for smart, scalable game infrastructure.