There is a legitimate psychological principle at play here: New players scrolling through the server list are naturally drawn to servers that already have a population. Nobody wants to roleplay in an empty city.
It is considered unfair to legitimate, hardworking communities that strive to build a player base organically, as noted in a CFX Community discussion . Conclusion: Is It Worth It? Fake Players Fivem
Join the server and immediately open the player list (F7 or 'P' menu). There is a legitimate psychological principle at play
The motivation behind using fake players almost always boils down to visibility and revenue. 1. Navigating the FiveM Algorithm Conclusion: Is It Worth It
The mechanics themselves vary in complexity. Some fake player solutions simply modify the server's fxserver.exe to report static numbers to the FiveM master list. Others deploy actual client scripts that connect to the server, joining legitimate players in Discord status channels and server commands, but never moving, never speaking, and never interacting. Still others use professional services, maintaining fake player counts around the clock by keeping automated accounts constantly connected. The result is always the same: a server that looks busy but feels hollow.
I’ve tested a few “fake players” (AI bots / dummy pedestrians) scripts for FiveM over the past month, and the results are mixed at best.