If you're trying to host "an Assetto Corsa server", stop and check which game you actually mean — because there are three, and they use three completely different dedicated servers that share no config files. Assetto Corsa (2014) is the moddable original with freeroam and racing servers. Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC) is a separate GT racing game with a JSON-configured server and no modding. Assetto Corsa EVO is Kunos's new title with its own, still-evolving server. Mix them up and every setting you copy will be wrong.
This is one of the most contaminated searches in sim racing — "dedicated server" results bleed across all three games. Here's how to tell them apart and pick the right one. (This is accurate as of mid-2026; EVO in particular is moving fast, so treat its details as a snapshot.)
The three games at a glance
| Assetto Corsa (2014) | ACC (2018) | AC EVO (2025) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it's for | Modding, freeroam + racing | Official GT3/GT4 racing | Successor to original AC |
| Config format | INI files | JSON files (UTF-16) | Its own (newer) |
| Modding | Yes — cars, tracks, everything | No — locked content | Cars/liveries (rolling out) |
| AI traffic / freeroam | Yes (via AssettoServer) | No | Not yet |
| Dedicated server | Native Linux acServer + AssettoServer | Windows-first | Self-host since v0.6 |
| We host it | Yes — both flavours | No | Not yet |
Assetto Corsa (the original) — INI, moddable, two flavours
This is the one this whole blog is about. Released 2014, endlessly moddable, and the home of the biggest online scene — cruising, drift, traffic and grassroots racing. Its dedicated server is INI-configured (server_cfg.ini + entry_list.ini) and comes in two forms:
- Freeroam runs AssettoServer and adds a third file,
extra_cfg.yml, for AI traffic, weather and plugins. - Racing runs the stock Kunos
acServerfor practice → qualify → race weekends.
If you want AI traffic, Shutoko, drift, or a league on modded content, this is your game — and it's the one we host, as two separate products. For the config detail, see server_cfg.ini explained and running a league race weekend.
Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC) — a different game entirely
ACC is not a version of Assetto Corsa — it's a separate 2018 game focused on official GT racing (the Blancpain/GT World Challenge licence). Crucially for hosting, its dedicated server has nothing in common with AC's:
- Config is JSON, not INI, and the files must be saved as UTF-16 LE (UTF-8 silently breaks it). The set is
configuration.json(ports),settings.json(name, passwords, car group, rating requirements),event.json(the weekend and sessions),eventRules.json(pit/stint rules),assistRules.json(assist caps) andentrylist.json(the grid by GUID, plus BoP). - No modding. Content is locked to official GT3/GT4 (plus a few GT2/GTC/TCX) cars and official tracks. There's no AI traffic and no freeroam.
- Official BoP and a built-in safety/racecraft rating are baked into the game — you gate servers by rating in
settings.jsonrather than bolting on a plugin. - The server is Windows-first, where AC has a native Linux binary.
None of your AC knowledge transfers. If you tried to run an ACC server with an AC server_cfg.ini, nothing would work. We don't host ACC — if that's the game you're playing, you'll want a host that specialises in it. But if you thought you needed ACC and you actually want traffic, drift or modded content, you want the original AC instead.
Assetto Corsa EVO — the new one, still taking shape
AC EVO is Kunos's newest title, in Steam Early Access since January 2025 and positioned as the successor to the original Assetto Corsa (not as an ACC replacement — there's no announced "ACC 2"). Its server situation has changed a lot recently:
- Through 2025 it had multiplayer but no self-hosting.
- Self-hostable dedicated servers arrived with v0.6 (April 2026), as a Steam Tools app.
- A modding SDK followed (v0.7), and modded cars started working online in v0.8 (July 2026), gated by a content-verification layer.
But — and this matters for anyone planning ahead — EVO's server is Kunos-provided and racing-oriented. There is no AssettoServer/CSP/AI-traffic/freeroam equivalent on EVO, and track modding isn't released yet (cars and liveries only). So EVO hosting today means structured racing, not the Shutoko-style traffic cruising that defines the original AC. Because it updates roughly monthly, anything you read about EVO servers dates quickly.
We don't host EVO yet. It's a title we're watching closely — the audience overlap with original AC is huge — but its server and modding surface is still settling. If you're set on EVO racing right now, you'll need a host that's already added it; if you want the freeroam/traffic experience, that lives on the original AC and always will for now.
So which one do you actually want to host?
- Traffic, cruising, drift, Shutoko, modded content? → Original Assetto Corsa, freeroam flavour. We host it.
- Grassroots or league racing on modded or classic content, with lap times? → Original Assetto Corsa, racing flavour. We host it.
- Official GT3/GT4 racing with real-world BoP and safety ratings, no mods? → ACC. Different game, different server; we don't host it.
- Kunos's newest sim, structured racing, and you're happy on the bleeding edge? → AC EVO. New server, racing-only for now; we don't host it yet.
Two of those four are the original Assetto Corsa — which is exactly why the search results are such a mess. If that's you, pick freeroam or racing here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Assetto Corsa Competizione the same as Assetto Corsa?
No. They're separate games. Assetto Corsa (2014) is moddable and supports freeroam and racing with INI-configured servers. Assetto Corsa Competizione (2018) is a locked, official GT racing game with a completely different JSON-configured server, no modding and no AI traffic. Their configs are not interchangeable.
Can I use my Assetto Corsa server config for ACC?
No. AC uses INI files (server_cfg.ini, entry_list.ini); ACC uses JSON files saved as UTF-16, with a different structure and different keys. Nothing carries over — you'd configure an ACC server from scratch using its own settings.json, event.json, entrylist.json and so on.
Does AC EVO have dedicated servers yet?
Yes, as of v0.6 (April 2026) EVO has self-hostable dedicated servers, and modded cars began working online in v0.8 (July 2026). But the server is racing-focused — there's no freeroam or AI-traffic equivalent, and track modding isn't out yet. It's also changing roughly monthly, so check the current state before committing.
Which game should I host for AI traffic and cruising?
The original Assetto Corsa, freeroam flavour, running AssettoServer. Neither ACC nor (currently) AC EVO supports server-side AI traffic or freeroam cruising — that scene lives entirely on the original AC.
Playing the original Assetto Corsa? That's the one we host — as two products. Start a freeroam server for traffic and cruising, or a racing server for a proper grid and lap times.
