The Two Branches of The Isle
If you're new to The Isle or coming back after some time away, the two versions on Steam – Evrima and Legacy – can be a bit confusing. Which one should you play? Which one should you host? The answer matters because the branch you pick determines your dinosaur roster, your admin tools, and honestly the kind of experience your players are going to have.
I've been running Isle servers for a while now, and I want to lay out what's actually different between the two branches, what Evrima gets right, and what you should know before spinning up a server. If you're looking for hosting, check our Isle server page for current pricing and plans.
A Brief History
The Isle hit Steam Early Access in 2015 as an open-world dinosaur survival game. For years, the game – now called Legacy – received updates and built a loyal community around its core concept: you play as a dinosaur in a persistent ecosystem.
In 2020, the devs launched Evrima, a ground-up rebuild with a new engine, better graphics, and completely reworked mechanics. It split the player base for a while because Evrima launched with far fewer dinosaurs than Legacy had.
Fast forward to 2026 and Legacy is effectively frozen. No more patches, no more content. All dev resources go into Evrima, and the roster has grown enough that the gap is closing fast.
Dinosaur Roster Comparison
Legacy Roster
Legacy had a big roster. Carnivores like Tyrannosaurus, Giganotosaurus, Spinosaurus, Allosaurus, Carnotaurus, Dilophosaurus, Utahraptor, and Velociraptor. Herbivores like Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Maiasaura, Shantungosaurus, Camarasaurus, and Puertasaurus.
The problem? Most of them played similarly. Differences came down to stat spreads – speed, damage, health – rather than genuinely different gameplay. A Carnotaurus was basically a faster, weaker Allosaurus.
Evrima Roster
Evrima started small but has been steadily growing. Here's where the roster stands as of early 2026:
Carnivores
Tyrannosaurus Rex sits at the top as the apex predator with its unique Crush ability. Allosaurus works as a strong pack hunter, and Carnotaurus fills the fast mid-tier role with heavy bleed damage. Ceratosaurus is a versatile mid-tier option. Dilophosaurus brings hallucinogenic venom to the table – genuinely disorienting for prey. Deinosuchus is the waterway king, a massive crocodilian ambush predator that will ruin your day if you drink from the wrong river. Omniraptor is a nimble carnivore with exceptional jumping and agility. Herrerasaurus can actually climb, making it one of the more unique predators on the roster. And Troodon rounds things out as a small venomous carnivore that punches well above its weight.
Herbivores
Stegosaurus plays defence with tail spike attacks. Pachycephalosaurus is a headbutting specialist – thick skull, simple game plan. Dryosaurus and Hypsilophodon are both small and fast, great picks for newer players learning the ropes. Tenontosaurus sits in the mid-size range, Diabloceratops brings unique horn attacks, and Maiasaura has healing abilities that make it valuable in group play.
Other
Beipiaosaurus is a semi-aquatic omnivore. Pteranodon is fully playable as a flying reptile. Gallimimus is an omnivore that relies on speed to survive.
The real difference from Legacy is depth. Every Evrima dinosaur has its own mechanics, its own abilities, its own gameplay loop. T-Rex has Crush and short burst speed for ambushes. Deinosuchus owns the water. Herrerasaurus climbs. They genuinely play differently rather than being stat reskins of the same template.
Roster Development
The devs have confirmed plans for over 50 playable species in the final roster. New dinosaurs keep coming with each one getting unique mechanics. The roster isn't just growing – it's growing with purpose.
Gameplay Mechanics
Growth System
In Legacy, growth was simple. Eat, drink, wait. Not much strategy beyond surviving long enough to reach adulthood.
Evrima's growth system is significantly more involved. Each species has specific dietary requirements that affect growth rate. Carnivores need to hunt appropriate prey – eating the wrong food doesn't contribute to growth. Growth speed varies by species, and environmental factors play a role. It creates meaningful gameplay throughout the entire growth process instead of treating it as a timer you endure.
Combat
Legacy combat was slower and stat-driven. Bigger dinosaur, bigger health bar, usually wins.
Evrima overhauled all of it. Combat is faster, more dynamic, and rewards skill. Attacks cause bleed damage over time, making hit-and-run tactics genuinely viable. Heavy attacks can break bones, crippling movement or attack ability. Each dinosaur has unique combat moves. Stamina management forces real decisions about when to engage or run. Some species are built around ambush mechanics, adding a stealth layer to encounters. It's a proper combat system rather than a stat check.
Nesting and Breeding
Legacy had no nesting system. You picked a dinosaur and spawned in.
Evrima has a full nesting system – lay eggs, incubate them, raise offspring. Carnivores can track down and eat eggs for nutrients. Offspring inherit traits from parents, including visual mutations like cannibalism skins. Gender selection is available in the skin editor. On community servers this drives roleplay, territory disputes, and long-term goals in a way Legacy never could.
Diet and Nutrition
Legacy was simple: hunger bar, thirst bar, eat anything, drink water.
Evrima layers it up. Each species has specific dietary needs, different food sources provide different nutritional values, and some species need food from multiple biome types. This naturally creates migration patterns and territorial behaviour – dinosaurs move around the map because they have to, not just because they're bored.
Environment and AI
Legacy had a static environment with basic AI creatures. Evrima has dynamic AI, weather systems, and environmental hazards. You can control AI density, aggression, and respawn rates through RCON. The AI creatures serve as food sources and make the world feel alive.
Server Features
RCON and Admin Tools
Legacy had basic RCON with standard kick/ban commands. Evrima uses a custom RCON protocol with an extensive set of commands covering player management, AI control, weather, time, and server config. One thing to know: standard tools like mcrcon won't work with Evrima. You'll need something like TheIsleEvrimaRCON or The Isle Manager.
Configuration
Legacy gave you basic Game.ini settings. Evrima gives you granular control over growth multipliers, combat tuning, AI behaviour, nesting settings, diet modifications, and more. If you want to dial in a specific experience for your community, the options are there. Our Server Settings Guide covers the details, and we've also written up the best settings for different server types.
Mod Support
Legacy had limited Steam Workshop mod support, though it was eventually taken down. Community mods still circulate through third-party sources, mostly stat modifications.
Evrima doesn't support mods yet. The devs have said they'll consider it once core development is further along. For now, customisation comes through config files and RCON.
Performance
Legacy is lighter on resources thanks to simpler graphics and mechanics. Evrima needs more RAM and CPU – the improved visuals and complex mechanics cost something. If you're comparing hosting plans, keep that in mind. Check our pricing page for current specs and resource tiers.
Why Evrima Makes Sense for New Servers
I wouldn't recommend anyone spin up a new Legacy server at this point. Here's my thinking:
Legacy is frozen. No patches, no bug fixes, no new content. If something breaks, it stays broken. Evrima gets regular updates with new dinosaurs, balance passes, and bug fixes.
The player base is shifting. As Evrima's roster and features grow, more players migrate over. A Legacy server is serving a shrinking audience.
The mechanics are just better. Nesting, diet systems, proper combat, species-specific abilities – it all creates a richer experience that keeps players around longer.
Admin tools give you more control. Evrima's expanded RCON command set means you can actually shape the gameplay experience for your community.
And everything you build on Evrima benefits from future updates. New dinosaurs, new features, new systems – your server gets them all.
Getting Started with an Evrima Server
If you want to host your own Isle server, LOW.MS offers The Isle hosting with enterprise hardware, DDoS protection, automated backups, instant provisioning, and scalable resources. We've also put together a guide on how to set up a dedicated Isle server if you want to understand the full process.
For setup instructions once you've got a server, check our Getting Started Guide. For configuration, the Server Settings Guide covers everything. And if something goes wrong, the Troubleshooting Guide should sort you out.