Private Server Glossary

A reference for the vocabulary used across private MMO servers. Each entry explains what the term means and how it affects your experience when choosing or running a server.

Private server

A game server run by an independent team rather than the game's official publisher. It uses server software that recreates the original game so players can connect with a standard client. Private servers often offer different rules, faster progression or older game versions that the official service no longer supports, which is why players look for them.

Emulator

The server-side software that recreates an MMO's behaviour so an unofficial server can run. The emulator handles logins, the game world, combat and economy, letting an unmodified or lightly modified game client connect to it. The choice of emulator and its build directly affects how stable, complete and bug-free a private server feels.

Rates (x1, x50, x1000)

Multipliers that control how fast you gain experience, drops, adena or other in-game resources compared with the official game. A low-rate server (x1–x5) keeps progression slow and close to the original; a high-rate server (x50 and above) lets you reach the endgame in days. Rates are usually the first thing players filter a server by.

Chronicle / Version

A specific release of the game that a server is based on. In Lineage 2 these named releases are called chronicles (for example Interlude or High Five); other games use version numbers. Each version has its own map, classes, skills and systems, so the chronicle defines almost everything about how a server plays.

PvP (Player versus Player)

Combat between players rather than against computer-controlled monsters. PvP-focused servers centre on duels, sieges, open-world fights and faction warfare, and often adjust rules to keep these encounters frequent and balanced. Players who enjoy competition against real opponents look for servers that highlight PvP content.

PvE (Player versus Environment)

Gameplay against the game world itself — monsters, raid bosses, dungeons and quests — rather than against other players. PvE-oriented servers emphasise cooperative content, character progression and exploration, with safer rules around open-world death. Many servers blend PvE and PvP, but the label signals where the main focus lies.

Wipe

A reset that clears characters, progress or the whole server back to an empty state. A full wipe restarts the economy and the race for top positions, giving every player an equal start. Some servers schedule periodic wipes by design (see seasons); on others a wipe is a one-off event announced in advance.

Season

A fixed period of play that ends with a planned wipe, after which a fresh season begins. Seasonal servers attract players who enjoy a clean start, a defined finish and a level playing field each cycle. Between seasons the server may add new content or rule changes to keep each run distinct from the last.

OBT (Open Beta Test)

A public testing phase before a server's official launch, open to anyone who wants to join. During open beta the team checks stability and balance under real load, and progress made in this phase is often wiped before the grand opening. Open beta is a good time to try a server with no commitment.

CBT (Closed Beta Test)

A limited testing phase before open beta, restricted to a smaller invited group. Closed beta lets the team find major bugs early in a controlled environment. Access is usually granted through registration, keys or community selection, and as with open beta, characters created in closed beta are normally reset before launch.

Grand opening

The official launch of a server, when the persistent game world goes live and progress finally counts. The grand opening is the moment most players wait for, since everyone starts together and the competition for early advantages begins. Servers announce the date in advance so players can plan their groups and starting strategy.

GM (Game Master)

A staff member with administrative powers who runs the live server: helping players, moderating chat, hosting events and acting against rule-breakers. The conduct of the GM team shapes a server's reputation, especially around fairness — players value administrators who stay neutral and do not give themselves or friends an advantage.

Donation

An optional payment that supports a server's running costs, sometimes in exchange for cosmetic items, conveniences or premium services. The key question players ask is whether donations affect game balance: a server is called "pay-to-win" when paying buys real power, and "cosmetic-only" when purchases do not change the outcome of play.

Pay-to-win (P2W)

A server where spending real money buys a direct in-game advantage — stronger gear, faster levelling or items that change the outcome of fights — rather than only cosmetics or convenience. Players use the term as a warning, since heavy pay-to-win can undermine fair competition. How much a server leans toward P2W is one of the most common things people check before joining.

Freeshard

A term that took root in the Lineage 2 community for a server operated outside the official infrastructure. It is not a legal or official label — it simply reflects how the early scene grew around separate emulator builds, or "shards", each run by a different team. Players in other MMOs rarely use the word and say "private server" instead.

Voting

A system where players cast a daily vote for their favourite server on a listing site, helping it rank higher and gain visibility. Rankings driven by votes reflect community support rather than advertising spend. On BestGames each account can vote once every 24 hours, and anti-fraud checks keep the results honest.