Best survival games for groups

Brutal social survival for groups who specifically want a server war story.

Not cosy co-op. Works for 16+ only if the group wants PvP survival friction.

Creature survival chaos that can scale up when hosted properly.

Large groups require a dedicated server; small co-op is simpler.

A colony story generator that becomes a shared chaos machine with multiplayer mods.

Solo by default. Multiplayer requires community mods, matching mod lists, and a patient host.

RimWorld Multiplayer says any player count is possible but recommends a maximum of 8. Best treated as a long-running modded campaign.

Source: RimWorld Multiplayer

Underground survival crafting that scales nicely beyond a small squad.

Survival exploration that turns into a shared expedition through co-op mod setups.

Solo by default. Co-op requires mod setup and can have progression or sync rough edges.

Nitrox advertises large-event support up to 100 slots, but normal friend groups should expect a smoother experience at much smaller counts.

Source: Nitrox

Lightweight zombie survival with private-server flexibility.

Best for 16+ with a private server and agreed mods/settings.

Bosses, building, exploration, and long-term chaos for a medium group.

Deep survival sandbox for patient group storytelling.

Large groups are best on a dedicated server with agreed rules.

Survival crafting with broad group goals and low pressure pacing.

Best for larger groups with a persistent hosted world.

A civilization-scale server game about building society without destroying the planet.

Needs a persistent server and a group willing to coordinate over days.

Voxel survival RPG with a meaningful 16-player ceiling for hosted worlds.

Use a hosted or dedicated server for smooth 16-player sessions.

A shared factory project that gets funnier and more terrifying with each extra engineer.

Large groups work best with a persistent server and clear roles.

Dinosaur survival for groups who want a persistent server project.

16+ is a server-hosting commitment, not a casual lobby.

First-person factory building for a group that enjoys shared megaprojects.

Bigger groups are possible through server setups, but 4-8 is the clean recommendation.

The default large-group sandbox: build, survive, mod, or host a private event.

16+ works best with a Realm or dedicated/community server.

A dense colony sim where a shared-base multiplayer mod lets multiple players coordinate one colony.

Solo by default. Current multiplayer projects are alpha/WIP and do not sync every system yet.

The Steam Workshop alpha says all players share controls over one colony and lists sync limitations, so keep expectations modest.

Source: ONI Multiplayer Mod