Many players can be found on one of the several active public servers. Public servers are independently operated by gracious volunteers, developers, and enthusiastic players. Accounts and player characters created on one server generally cannot be transferred to others.
The best place to find current servers is the: Metaserver
Because accounts and player characters are not transferred between different servers, it's a good idea to pick an active server that has a long track record. When picking a server, you should consider the following:
A constantly-updated list of servers that are currently running can be found in the client or on the public metaserver. Several recommended servers that are fairly popular and stable are listed here.
| Server | Address | Version | Mapset | Lifespan | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MetalForge | crossfire.metalforge.net | 1.12.0 | Official (bigworld) | 2003-present | Usually has the most active players and enforced rules. ~4-7 players online at a time during peak hours. http://www.metalforge.net/ |
| Invidious | invidious2.meflin.net | Development (git) | Official (bigworld) | 2008-present | Active. |
| CrowCastle | crossfire.crowcastle.com | Latest maps and code with local changes | Official (bigworld) | 2021-present | Active. |
| Netarbeiter | crossfire.netarbeiter.com | 1.70.0 | Official (bigworld) | 2003-present | Rarely active. |
Ever wanted to host your own Crossfire server? Here's your chance!
Please keep this limited to public servers, or private ones which have been historically significant.
| Server | Address | Version | Mapset | Lifespan | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spam Im | spam.im | unknown | unknown | since end of 2017 or begin of 2018? | |
| CrossCiv | crossciv.no-ip.org | 1.50 or later | three different maps | unknown | hosted by the FreeCiv game server |
| Voldsboks | voldsboks.pvv.org | last known running 0.95.8-CVS | smallworld | unknown to unknown | First public crossfire server. Run by Frank Tore Johansen. |
| Mids | mids.student.utwente.nl | last known running 1.5-CVS | smallworld | unknown to ~July 2003 | A well-known previously running server. |
| Elven Realms | lemur.elvenrealms.net | unknown | bigworld | unknown to ~June 2005 | |
| Metalforge | metalforge.real-time.com | last known running 1.5 | smallworld | unknown to ~April 2004 | Metalforge pre-skill-system-change, when player files were cleared and the domain was changed. |
| Jyu | crossfire.jyu.fi | unknown | unknown | unknown to ~April 2004 | |
| Bnet | games.bnet.pl | unknown | unknown | unknown to unknown | |
| Friendship | friendship.ddo.jp | unknown | bigworld | unknown to some time in 2005 or 2006 | |
| Alestan | alestan.publicvm.com | 1.50 or later | unknown | unknown ~?2012-2014? | Weather enabled newer server |
| Berkeley | crossfire.csua.berkeley.edu | unknown | unknown | unknown to unknown | Allowed beholder player characters. |
| Zeus | zeus.fh-brandenburg.de | 1.9.0 | bigworld | unknown to unknown | Rarely active. |
| Kobold | crossfire.kobold.org | 1.9.1 | bigworld | unknown to unknown | Rarely active. |
| Bratwurst | bratwurst.unix-ag.uni-kl.de | 1.8.0 | bigworld | unknown to unknown | Rarely active. |
| Tuxhilfe | crossfire.tuxhilfe.de | 1.9.1 | bigworld | unknown to unknown | Rarely active. |
| Bksys | bksys.at | 1.5.0 | smallworld | unknown to unknown | Rarely active. |
| Penbrock | penbrock.com | 1.9.1 | bigworld | unknown to unknown | Rarely active. |
| cat2 | cat2.dynu.ca | 1.9.1-CVS or forked | bigworld(forked) | unknown to current | PKing allowed. Server admin includes “anti-womens-rights” content which a majority of the community disagrees with. Some active players. As of late August 2006, around ~3-4 players online at a time. |