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NolimitHost

How to Change the Game Mode on Your Space Engineers Server

Last updated: September 18, 2026

Space Engineers supports two game modes: Survival and Creative. You choose which one your server runs with the GameMode value in its session settings.

Step 1: Stop the Server

In the NolimitHost Game Panel, select your Space Engineers server and stop it from the Console page.

Step 2: Set the Game Mode

The setting lives in the SessionSettings block, which is stored in the world's Sandbox_config.sbc file once the world exists:

  1. In the left sidebar, click Files and open Saves/<world>/Sandbox_config.sbc.
  2. Find the GameMode line and set it to your choice: 
    <GameMode>Survival</GameMode>

    or

    <GameMode>Creative</GameMode>
  3. Save the file and start the server again.
Important: If you have not created a world yet, set GameMode in the SessionSettings block of SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg instead. The dedicated config only seeds a new world - once a world exists, the world's own Sandbox_config.sbc is what the server reads. See Configure Your Server.

The Two Modes

Mode Description
SurvivalPlayers mine, weld, and build with resources; requires power and supplies. The standard multiplayer experience.
CreativeUnlimited building with instant placement and no resource costs. Great for building or testing.
Tip: Changing the game mode does not delete the world. If you switch an existing Survival world to Creative, players simply gain the creative building tools on the same save.