Tebex Creator Spotlight: WarBandits

Welcome to a new edition of Creator Spotlight! Our blog series dedicated to showcasing the journeys and success stories of talented game developers and game server owners across the Tebex network.

This time, we’re shining a light on WarBandits, a gaming community with a strong foundation in Rust, built on passion and player-first thinking. What began as a deep curiosity in Garry’s Mod evolved into a thriving server empire, fueled by technical know-how and a genuine love for gaming.

Read on to learn - straight from WarBandit's themselves - how WarBandits went from a hobby project to a global phenomenon. 👇

Can you tell us about your background and how it led you to start the WarBandit community and game servers?

I’ve been a gamer since I was a kid – it’s always been a central part of my life. My journey really took off with Garry’s Mod, where I spent hours exploring not just gameplay, but also the inner workings of game servers. That curiosity turned into a real passion for development and IT. I constantly asked myself, “How can I make this better for players?”

That mindset led me to build my own servers, eventually growing into a full community with monetization. What began as a hobby turned into a mission to create immersive, player-first experiences that are always evolving.

What inspired you to start? Was there a specific gap in the market or a unique vision?

We noticed that most game servers were copy-paste clones, with little effort to innovate or listen to the community. We wanted to build something different – a server that felt alive, where players could invest themselves and know their feedback mattered.

How long have you been running your community or store, and what was the journey like from idea to launch?

We got started in 2019, and it’s been a long road. It took years of late nights, experimentation, and learning from mistakes. Building the community was an evolving process, not a single idea executed once. Today, it’s essentially a full-time operation, with hands-on involvement every day to ensure everything runs smoothly and players feel supported.

How did you choose which features, content, or monetization options to implement?

We based everything on what we, as gamers, enjoy most. We integrated those features into our server and refined them through continuous testing until we had a setup that felt right – fun, balanced, and rewarding.

What strategies helped you build a strong player base? (e.g., Discord, influencers, SEO, social media, in-game events)

Growth started organically in 2019. Players found us, enjoyed the game server, and spread the word. Our focus on high-quality content and a welcoming community helped retention. Word-of-mouth has been our biggest driver – players bring friends, and it builds from there.

What tactics have been most effective at driving traffic, engagement, and purchases?

Listening to player feedback and creating genuinely enjoyable experiences has been key. By ensuring everything is fair and fun, we built trust and loyalty – which naturally drove engagement and growth over time.

What are you most proud of so far? Any major highlights or milestones?

A huge milestone this year was hitting over 8,000 concurrent players online – a moment we’re incredibly proud of. We’ve grown into one of the largest communities in our space, with servers hosting thousands of players daily across the globe.

Our global presence ensures players have a smooth experience no matter where they are. Of course, none of this would be possible without our incredible staff team – they’re in the trenches daily, managing operations and handling hundreds of player support tickets.

What advice would you give to aspiring or current server owners and game developers?

If you want to succeed, you have to treat it like a full-time commitment. Running a game server or community at scale isn’t something you can do on the side. It takes consistency, time, and focus every single day.

What do you appreciate most about being part of Tebex’s network?

Tebex simplifies monetization without disrupting the player experience. It’s easy to set up and scale, whether you’re just starting or managing massive servers. Their system saves us time and supports smooth operations behind the scenes.

What’s next for your business and community?

We’re excited to expand into new games and reach even more players. We’ve built a solid foundation and now want to bring the same passion and quality to other titles. The goal is to grow the community beyond a single game and keep offering top-tier experiences across platforms.

A big thank you to Warbandits. Stay tuned for the next edition of Creator Spotlight, where we’ll continue to feature one of the 30,000+ standout creators in the Tebex network, diving deep into their unique success stories and insights.

Tebex is a leading gaming payments solution enabling game developers and creators worldwide to keep more of their revenue while removing the billing and taxes operations headache for every transaction. To learn more, contact Tebex here.