Building small server for hosting game servers/comms app/media.

Budget : $500-$800 Use-Case: home server - games, movies, photo files, comms app. Country of purchase - USA Peripherals needed - none Any other requirements / preferences:**

I would like to build a small computer(or buy used) to host a game server with possibility for lots of mods (Valheim, arma, minecraft-type games), host a fluxer instance(communication), and have media for movies.

I want this to be accessible to friends (at most 3-5 per game server, fluxer instance) who can also stream movies from a drive.

I would like to make it a minipc or at least smaller than atx tower.

I have a personal computer that dual boots win11 and linux(cachyos), but I don't want to keep it on all the time. So I would play/watch from my main computer through the newly built server in the same house, but want friends to be able to access as well.

I just built my main computer and OUCH $$$ so I am looking to buy used or built modestly. Probably under $500-$800. I am trying to understand what level of computer build I need for the above uses and if it's possible to do all three on one server computer.

If adding $50 here and there to get a build that can do all this comfortably and a the same time(?), I dont mind that. I would prefer a better experience for me and friends in game/watching movies via jellyfin.

**I've watched some videos about doing each of these things but am unsure if one comp can do all three.** This server build would sit in a closet connected wired to gigabit internet.

Im ok at computer stuff and only just started learning linux via cachyos, so if there are products like AMP, tailscale, proxmox that people think are good I'd prefer paying a little over having to look up every single issue at every step.

Do I need a separate copy of each game I will be hosting on the server comp?

Drive for OS and server would likely be a 500gb or 1tb ssd nvme or sata. Movie bluray files are large so probably a 2tb drive for that. Is it worth getting an ssd over a Hdd for movie streaming to work well for friends accessing outside of my home?

If the server build is linux only can I sync my current ntfs movie drive on win11 to that server linux drive that would brtfs?

Thanks.

Already had a suggestion from another thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/1xfgd6t/building_small_server_for_hosting_game/19ro96l0t1hpd/