Minecraft is one of the most popular video games of all time, with over 140 million monthly active users as of 2022.
Players explore, gather resources, craft tools and structures, and build imaginative projects in a randomly generated blocky 3D world.
Minecraft can be played solo in singleplayer mode, but many players prefer the collaborative and social experience of playing together on a Minecraft server.
A Minecraft server allows multiple players to connect to a hosted world at the same time over the internet or a local network.
There are Minecraft servers located all over the world, but New Zealand-based servers have grown in popularity for players in Australia, NZ, and Asia due to a few key advantages:
- Low Latency – Servers physically closer generally have faster response times and less lag. NZ offers lower latency connections especially for AU/NZ players.
- Fast Local Internet – New Zealand has excellent high speed fibre and cable internet widely available to power servers. Average peak connection speed is 177Mbps.
- Ideal Location – Located between SE Asia and Australia, NZ makes a good midway point for regional players to connect to.
| Peak Internet Speed | 177 Mbps |
|---|---|
| Average Latency | 30-90 ms Australia 100-350 ms Asia |
With the continued growth of Minecraft and advantages of NZ-based servers, interest in servers hosted specifically in New Zealand has risen significantly.
This article explores the NZ Minecraft server landscape further.
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Benefits of New Zealand Minecraft Servers
New Zealand offers some unique advantages as a hosting location for Minecraft servers compared to other countries.
From eco-friendly energy to stable connectivity, NZ has a lot going for it.
Ideal Location for Low Latency
Low latency, or ping times, are critical for good multiplayer performance on Minecraft servers.
New Zealand’s proximity to major gaming markets like Australia and Southeast Asia allows servers hosted there to offer lower latencies than most other location options.
Some key facts about NZ latency:
- Average pings of 30-90ms for Australian players
- Average pings of 100-350ms for SE Asian players
- Up to 200ms faster than EU/NA servers
By being closer physically, there are fewer network hops so data packets have less distance to travel.
This really improves responsiveness in gameplay for the key Asia Pacific user base.
Excellent Internet Infrastructure
New Zealand has invested heavily in digital infrastructure over the last decade, leading to exceptionally fast and reliable internet across the country.
Key metrics highlight the capability of NZ’s networks:
- 177 Mbps average peak internet connection speed
- 99% of population has access to 4G LTE wireless coverage
- Over 80% of households connect via fibre optic cabling
This means NZ Minecraft servers can leverage ultra fast connections to deliver high performance and stable experiences for players.
>1Gbps links are available in all major NZ data center hubs where servers are hosted.
Ideal for Eco-Friendly “Green” Servers
With abundant renewable electricity generation from hydro, geothermal, wind and solar sources, New Zealand energy is over 80% renewable. This makes NZ uniquely suited for operating eco-friendly green Minecraft servers.
Hosting providers emphasize sustainability, and many offer carbon neutral server hosting to appeal to environmentally conscious users. This renewable energy infrastructure powers very cost effective server hosting as well.
Cost Savings Over Australian Hosting
Australia may seem like an obvious nearby hosting choice, but server costs in NZ can be 20-30% cheaper in many cases. This cost advantage adds to the other technological and latency benefits of hosting in New Zealand for regional Minecraft servers.
| Metric | advantage |
|---|---|
| Latency | Up to 200ms faster |
| Internet Speed | 177 Mbps average |
| Energy | Over 80% renewable |
| Cost Savings | 20-30% vs Australia |
With all these benefits combined, New Zealand has become a top choice for Minecraft server hosting for Asia Pacific players. The performance, reliability, sustainability and cost competitiveness are hard to beat.
Top New Zealand Minecraft Hosting Providers
Choosing the right Minecraft hosting provider in New Zealand can be a daunting task, with so many options available.
To help you out, I’ve compiled a list of the top providers based on factors like performance, price, features, and customer support.
1. MCProHosting:
- Pros: MCProHosting is the world’s largest and most popular Minecraft hosting provider, offering a wide range of plans to suit all budgets and needs. They have data centers in Auckland and Wellington, ensuring low latency for New Zealand players. They also offer excellent customer support and a user-friendly control panel.
- Cons: MCProHosting can be a bit more expensive than some other providers.
Costs?
MCProHosting offers nine Minecraft server hosting plans with prices ranging from $7 to $75 per month. Here are the details of their plans:
- Trader: 2GB RAM, 35 player slots, $8.99 per month.
- Llama: 4GB RAM, 70 player slots, $15.99 per month.
- Steve: 1.5GB RAM, 25 player slots, $8.99 per month.
- Villager: 2GB RAM, 35 player slots, $11.99 per month.
- Witch: 4GB RAM, 70 player slots, $22.99 per month.
- Enderman: 6GB RAM, 100 player slots, $33.99 per month.
- Herobrine: 8GB RAM, unlimited player slots, $44.99 per month.
- Titan: 16GB RAM, unlimited player slots, $64.99 per month.
- Ravager: 24GB RAM, unlimited player slots, $84.99 per month.
All plans include unlimited storage space, worldwide server locations, DDoS protection, and 24/7 support.
MCProHosting also offers a 7-day free trial for the “Villager” plan and a step-up “Witch” plan for just $1 for the first month.
2. Apex Hosting:
- Pros: Apex Hosting is another well-known and respected Minecraft hosting provider with data centers in Auckland and Christchurch. They offer a variety of plans with different features, including DDoS protection, automatic backups, and mod support. They also have a great reputation for customer support.
- Cons: Apex Hosting can be a bit more expensive than some other providers.
The pricing for Apex Hosting’s Minecraft server hosting services is as follows:
3. Hostinger:
- Pros: Hostinger is a budget-friendly hosting provider that offers excellent performance for Minecraft servers. They have data centers in Auckland and Wellington, and their plans are very affordable. They also offer a free domain name and SSL certificate with all plans.
- Cons: Hostinger’s customer support can be a bit slow at times.
Hostinger’s Minecraft server hosting plans range from $6.99/month to $25.99/month.
The pricing is based on the specific plan and the resources it offers, such as RAM, CPU, and storage.
The onboarding process for Hostinger’s Minecraft hosting takes less than five minutes, and the service provides features such as dedicated IP addresses, ultra-low latency, fast SSDs, high-clock speed CPUs, and unlimited plugins and mods.
4. ShockByte:
- Pros: ShockByte is a New Zealand-based hosting provider that offers a variety of Minecraft hosting plans with great value for money. They have data centers in Auckland and Wellington, and their plans include DDoS protection, automatic backups, and mod support. They also offer excellent customer support.
- Cons: ShockByte is not as well-known as some of the other providers on this list.
Shockbyte offers Minecraft server hosting in New Zealand starting at $2.50 per month.
The company has been providing hosting services since 2013 and is known for its easy setup, 24/7 customer support, guaranteed DDoS protection, and 100% uptime.
However, there are mixed reviews about Shockbyte, with some users expressing dissatisfaction with the service.
Therefore, it’s advisable to consider these factors when making a decision about using Shockbyte for Minecraft server hosting.
5. Winter Node (formely MinecraftServer.io)
- Pros: MinecraftServer.io is a popular choice for budget-minded Minecraft server owners. They offer a variety of plans with different features, and their prices are very competitive. They also have a user-friendly control panel and excellent customer support.
- Cons: MinecraftServer.io does not have data centers in New Zealand, so you may experience higher latency than with some of the other providers on this list.
The pricing starts at $2.50 per month, and you can create a plan that works best for you.
The service provides AMD Ryzen 3700x or Intel Core i9-9900k or better processors, unmetered NVMe SSD storage, unmetered slots, unmetered MySQL databases, and 12-hour backups. WinterNode also offers gaming-optimized Corero and Arbor DDoS mitigation that blocks L4 and L7 attacks to keep Minecraft servers online.
The company uses Core i9s and Ryzen 7s to host its game servers and exclusively uses NVMe SSD storage to maximize performance.
The service also provides a fast, reliable, and knowledgeable support team that works hard every day to keep your server at its best
Things to Consider When Choosing a Minecraft Hosting Provider in New Zealand:
- Price: Minecraft hosting plans can range in price from a few dollars per month to hundreds of dollars per month. Choose a plan that fits your budget and needs.
- Performance: Make sure the provider has data centers in New Zealand to ensure low latency for your players.
- Features: Some features to look for include DDoS protection, automatic backups, mod support, and a user-friendly control panel.
- Customer support: Choose a provider with good customer support in case you need help setting up or managing your server.
I hope this list helps you choose the best Minecraft hosting provider for your needs in New Zealand.
We’ll discuss further how to pick the best Minecraft server in New Zealand.
For now, let me show you how to set up your own!
Setting Up Your Own NZ-Based Minecraft Server
Foravid Minecraft players and enthusiasts, setting up your own private server in New Zealand can be an exciting endeavor that allows customized gameplay experiences.
Here is an overview of considerations when establishing a DIY NZ-based Minecraft server.
Server Hardware
The physical server machine forms the foundation for hosting smooth and responsive Minecraft multiplayer worlds. Some key components to select when speccing out a server include:
- CPU – Minecraft utilizes single core server performance, so prioritize high GHz clock speeds over core count. Example CPUs: Intel i7/i9 3.6GHz+.
- RAM – More RAM improves mod and plugin support. 16-32GB is recommended for 60+ player servers.
- Storage – NVMe SSD storage delivers fast chunk loading and world access times. 500GB+ capacity.
NZ Internet Connectivity
One advantage when hosting a server in New Zealand is ubiquitous access to high speed fibre and cable internet. Key parameters like:
- High bandwidth – 100Mbps+ recommended
- Low latency – Sub 35ms pings ideal
- Unlimited data – No restrictive caps
Call your regional ISP for best business grade server connections meeting the above criteria. Static IPs preferred.
Server Hosting Choice
While you can host from home, professional server colocation facilities offer higher performance and reliability. Consider providers like:
- PingThing
- WxC Servers
- AklServers
These have data center locations in NZ cities like Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Top virtualization platforms like KVM and XCP-ng can also run Minecraft servers efficiently.
Server Configuration
Once your server hardware is provisioned, now the Minecraft server setup process begins:
- Choose server type – Paper, Purpur and Fabric popular options
- Allocate sufficient RAM – At least 4GB+ advised
- Port forward – Open network ports for external connections
- Install plugins – Server optimization, anti-griefing, etc
- White list approve players – Vet users carefully
Take time to properly configure and test for best stability and performance.
Popular Types of NZ Minecraft Servers
With a well optimized NZ-hosted Minecraft server, you now need to decide which type of gameplay format is most appealing. Some top options include:
| Server Type | Key Gameplay |
|---|---|
| Survival | Open world base building and PVP |
| Creative | Unlimited blocks mega builds |
| Factions | Team battles and land control |
| Prison | Mine, sell, rank advance |
| Skyblock | Floating islands and progression |
Classic Survival and PVP
The original Minecraft game mode remains popular.
Players gather resources during daytime to build tools, shelters and survive against mobs. PVP (player vs player combat) enabled variants add battling other players for supremacy to conquer the Overworld.
Key Features:
- Sandbox open world survival
- PVE fighting hostile mobs
- Optional PVP fights between players
- Build bases and raid enemy bases
Creative Mode Servers
For constructing magnificent buildings and structures without resource constraints, creative mode servers provide endless blocks and flight abilities.
Build to your imagination’s content without survival combat or hunger.
Key Features:
- Unlimited access to all block types
- Flying enabled for easy large constructions
- Focus purely on architectural design
- Showcase talent through immense projects
Faction Servers
Join player created factions claiming land chunks on a large Overworld map.
Coordinate faction members to gather resources, forge alliances and declare wars battling other factions.
Key Features:
- PVP battles between faction teams
- Claim land chunks as your faction’s territory
- Political intrigue through complex faction dynamics
- Raid and grief rival factions
Prison Servers
Progress through different player classes by mining and selling virtual materials.
Acquire wealth to advance in rank and prestige against other prisoners.
Key Features:
- Player classes and prestige ranks
- Virtual currency and shop purchases
- Acquire mining skills and sell materials
- Compete on leaderboards
Skyblock Servers
Spawn on a floating island in a sky dimension.
Complete challenges and unlock farms, mobs and islands while using limited resources.
Trade with other Skyblock islands.
Key Features:
- Floating island spawn platform
- Completing progression challenge trees
- Expanding your sky island ecosystem/farms
- Trading limited resources
With a well-optimized NZ-hosted Minecraft server, you now have endless options on gameplay formats for your community!
Choosing a Server for Your Needs
With the wide variety of Minecraft server types available, it’s important to pick the gameplay format that best matches you and your community’s interests.
Here are some key criteria to evaluate.
Genre Preference
Minecraft servers span genres from survival sandbox to competitive faction wars and prison economies. Decide which genre seems most appealing:
- Sandbox – Do you enjoy open-ended creativity?
- Competitive – Does direct player competition excite you?
- Economy – Are virtual economies and wealth progression compelling?
- Challenges – Do you like defined goals and unlocking progression?
Match genres to the server type. Factions for competitive, prison for economy, etc.
Casual or Hardcore
Some servers are more fast paced and demanding with a competitive playerbase, while others cater to casual builders looking to relax after work or school.
Consider your play style and time commitment when picking hardcore versus casual-friendly:
- Hardcore – Frequent intense play, voice chat expected
- Casual – Occasional play, more relaxed chatting
Community Vibes
Each server attracts certain crowds and regulars over time. Getting a sense of the community values and norms can indicate fit.
Prioritize servers that share your philosophies around areas like:
- Maturity – Family friendly or adult content allowed?
- Toxicity – Strict moderation or open mic nights?
- Competition – Uplifting or cutthroat vibes?
- Building – Master architects or novice doodlers welcomed?
Server Location
For the best multiplayer performance, prioritize local servers in Australia and NZ. But also consider global communities fitting your preferred time zones and peak online hours.
Cost Considerations
Some factors influencing Minecraft server hosting costs include:
- Initial server hardware investments
- Monthly data center colocation payments
- Ongoing administrative effort
Evaluate budgets and willingness to spend for the desired scale and performance.
Getting Connected to a NZ Server
Once you decide on an ideal Kiwi-hosted Minecraft server, here are tips getting connected and active in the community.
Using Server Lists
Public NZ-based servers are listed on directories like:
- MinecraftServers.org
- TopG.NZ
- MCSL.co.nz
Browse genres and tags like mini-games, economy, factions, etc then sort by current player counts and ping.
Joining Community Spaces
Get to know regular players and staff on the owned external platforms:
- Discord – Main hubs for chatting and coordination
- Forums – Discussions, server news and change logs
- Reddit – Subreddits for memes and casual talk
- Guilded – Alternate community chat servers
Onboarding as a New Member
When first joining a server as a new player:
- Review rules carefully
- Set nicknames and customize skins
- Ask questions and get oriented
- Visit community built areas/spawn
Then start meeting faction teammates, pursue mining ranks, build your homestead, or transform an isolated Skyblock!
| Criteria | Description |
|---|---|
| Genre | Sandbox, competitive, economy, challenges |
| Casual vs Hardcore | Intensity and time commitments |
| Community | Maturity, toxicity, competition level |
| Location | Optimal latency based on region |
| Cost | Budget, hardware, admins |
Getting involved on a well-matched and properly configured NZ-based Minecraft server lets you fully experience the vibrant Kiwi gaming communities available.
Have fun!
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