What are Minecraft Limbo Servers?
3 min read
•If you've played on large Minecraft networks like Hypixel, you may have noticed that sometimes, instead of being kicked to the main menu when a server crashes or restarts, you're quietly placed in an empty world. That "empty room" is what we often call a Limbo server.
In this post, we'll explore what Limbo servers are, why they're used, and how they improve both performance and player experience. We'll also share some of the most popular tools and software for running your own.
What is a Limbo Server?
A limbo server is a minimal, often void-world server environment used to temporarily hold players instead of disconnecting them. It's especially common in server networks (like those running BungeeCord or Velocity) but can be useful in standalone setups as well.
Players sent to Limbo aren't kicked—they're just relocated to a lightweight environment until the server is ready to take them back or until they reconnect elsewhere.
What Are Limbo Servers Used For?
Limbo servers serve many roles, including:
Fallback During Crashes or Maintenance If a game or lobby server crashes, players are automatically routed to Limbo instead of being kicked to the multiplayer menu. This gives admins time to restart the main server and reconnect players without breaking the session.
AFK Player Management Limbo is often used as an AFK zone. When players go idle for too long, they're moved to Limbo to save resources on the main server.
Waiting Areas or Lobbies Some servers use Limbo as a holding area when lobbies are full or loading. Players can receive custom messages, bossbars, or titles while they wait.
Debugging and Login Filtering Advanced setups use Limbo servers during the login process to filter bots, run authentication plugins, or manage load spikes more gracefully.
Why Not Just Kick Players?
Here's why using a Limbo server is far better than simply kicking users:
| Reason | Advantage |
|---|---|
| Better retention | Players are more likely to stick around if they're not kicked |
| Keeps players connected | Reduces frustration and avoids server abandonment |
| Smooth experience | No abrupt disconnections; feels like a professional network |
| Buffers reconnects | Prevents login server overload during crash recovery |
| Resource-efficient | Void worlds consume almost no memory or CPU |
| Allows messaging | Send updates, status messages, or tips to waiting players |
In short: Limbo keeps your server resilient, your players happy, and your infrastructure stable.
Popular Limbo Server Software
Here's a curated list of open-source server softwares you can use to host your own Limbo server:
| Name | Language | Platform | Version(s) | Active |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PicoLimbo | Rust | Standalone | 1.7–1.21.5 | ✅ Active |
| LOOHP/Limbo | Java | Standalone | 1.21.5 | ✅ Active |
| NanoLimbo | Java | Standalone | 1.7–1.21.5 | 🌀 Forks only |
| FallbackServer | Java | Proxy plugin | 1.7–1.21 | ✅ Active |
| OverflowLimbo | Java (Minestom) | Standalone | 1.21 | ✅ Active |
| LimboService | Java | Standalone | Unspecified | ✅ Active |
| BungeeNanoLimbo | Java | Proxy plugin / Standalone | 1.8–1.19.1 | ❌ Inactive |
| TyphoonLimbo | Go | Standalone | 1.7.2–1.15.2 | ❌ Inactive |
| LiteLimbo | Java | Standalone | 1.7.2-1.15.2 | ❌ Inactive |
| hpfxd/Limbo | Java | Standalone | 1.7.6–1.8.9 | ❌ Inactive |
As of writing, Minecraft 1.21.5 is the latest release. Servers that support 1.21.x are considered actively maintained unless otherwise noted.
Choosing the Right Limbo Software
There's a wide variety of Limbo server software, ranging from ultra-lightweight to fully featured. The best choice depends on your server's needs:
Lightweight & Minimal Servers like PicoLimbo, written in Rust, focus on performance and minimal resource usage. Ideal for handling large volumes of idle players with very low overhead.
Feature-Rich NanoLimbo supports BungeeCord, Velocity, sending boss bars, titles, and chat messages. LOOHP/Limbo even allows loading schematics and supports custom plugins.
Platform Integration FallbackServer integrates directly with BungeeCord or Velocity, making it easy to drop into existing proxy setups.
Experimental / DIY If you're building a highly customized network, consider creating your own Limbo environment with a full PaperMC server or Minestom, a low-level, modern server engine. OverflowLimbo is a good example of this in action.
While many of these projects are stable, open-source projects can become inactive if their maintainers lose interest or time. Be mindful when choosing a solution—active development helps ensure future compatibility with new Minecraft versions.