Hathora’s game server hosting platform shuts down May 5, 2026. Hathora’s recommended migration path is GameFabric by Nitrado. Gameye is the other main option. Both are container-based platforms, but they differ in matchmaker integration depth, SDK requirements, pricing model, and infrastructure approach.
This post compares the two so you can make an informed decision based on your stack.
The matchmaker question
Your game server platform sits downstream of your matchmaker. That handoff — from “match ready” to “server running” — is the most latency-sensitive moment in your player experience. It’s also the integration most likely to break when you change platforms.
| Matchmaker | Gameye | GameFabric |
|---|---|---|
| Pragma Engine | Official ServerProviderPlugin | No documented integration |
| Nakama | Native Fleet Manager integration | No documented integration |
| AWS FlexMatch | Documented integration | Documented integration |
| Custom / homebrew | REST API — any matchmaker | HTTP allocator API |
If your game uses Pragma or Nakama, Gameye has native integrations that handle the allocation handoff without custom code. GameFabric’s path for these matchmakers requires building a custom connector. Both platforms support FlexMatch and custom matchmakers.
The Pragma case
Pragma Engine lists its supported game server platforms in its own documentation: Amazon GameLift, Multiplay, and Gameye. Gameye ships as an official ServerProviderPlugin — migrating means updating your Capacity Provider config, not rebuilding matchmaking architecture.
The Nakama case
Gameye implements Nakama’s Go runtime Fleet Manager interface natively. If you’re on a Hathora + Nakama stack, Gameye is a drop-in replacement for the server allocation layer.
SDK requirements
Gameye requires no SDK in your game server binary. Your server runs as a Docker container — it starts, listens on its port, and accepts connections. Gameye manages session lifecycle server-side.
GameFabric is built on Agones, which requires sdk.Ready(), sdk.Allocate(), and sdk.Shutdown() lifecycle calls in your game server binary. This is code in scope for every future build.
Hathora also required its SDK for server lifecycle. If you move to Gameye, you remove the Hathora SDK and don’t replace it. If you move to GameFabric, you replace it with the Agones SDK.
Direct comparison
| Gameye | GameFabric | |
|---|---|---|
| Game server SDK | None required | Agones SDK in every build |
| Pragma Engine | Official plugin | No documented integration |
| Nakama | Native Fleet Manager | No documented integration |
| FlexMatch | Documented | Documented |
| Infrastructure | 21 providers, 200+ datacenters | Nitrado network, 67+ locations |
| Container start time | 0.5 seconds | Not published |
| Pricing | $0.07/vCPU/hr, no egress | Not published — sales consultation |
| Uptime SLA | 99.99% | Not publicly stated |
| DDoS protection | Game-aware profiles across all providers | SteelShield (proprietary) |
| Observability | Real-time log streaming, Admin Panel, 3 months retention | Grafana + eBPF profiling |
| Failover | Automatic cross-provider | Single network (Nitrado) |
| Onboarding | Sandbox in 24 hours | Demo + consultation required |
| Sessions at scale | 120M+ sessions, 1M peak CCU | 80+ games on platform |
Infrastructure and pricing
Gameye runs across 21 infrastructure providers and 200+ datacenters on bare metal and cloud. GameFabric runs on Nitrado’s own network across 67+ locations — a vertically integrated approach that simplifies their operations. Both models have trade-offs: Gameye offers more provider flexibility and cross-provider failover; GameFabric offers a single, integrated network.
Gameye publishes pricing at $0.07/vCPU/hr with no egress fees. GameFabric’s pricing page states “Individual Pricing — Tailored to Your Unique Needs” and requires a sales consultation. Studios evaluating both can model Gameye costs immediately.
GameFabric offers Grafana dashboards with eBPF-based profiling — genuine kernel-level performance visibility that’s a strength of their stack. Gameye provides real-time log streaming during active sessions with 3 months retention in the Admin Panel.
When to choose each platform
Choose Gameye if you need:
- Drop-in Pragma Engine or Nakama compatibility
- No SDK in your game server binary
- Published pricing with no egress fees
- Multi-provider infrastructure with automatic failover
- Sub-second session starts
- Sandbox access without a sales call
Consider GameFabric if you have:
- An existing Agones or Kubernetes workflow
- FlexMatch as your primary matchmaker
- A preference for a single, vertically integrated infrastructure provider
- A team that works with Grafana and wants eBPF-level profiling
- No Pragma or Nakama matchmaker to preserve
The migration window
Hathora shuts down May 5, 2026. Both Gameye and GameFabric are container-based — your Docker images transfer. The difference is what else changes: with Gameye, you remove the Hathora SDK and don’t replace it. With GameFabric, you replace it with the Agones SDK.
If you’re on Pragma or Nakama, Gameye has the native integration. If you’re on FlexMatch, both platforms support it. If you’re using a custom matchmaker, both platforms offer an HTTP/REST allocation endpoint.
Sandbox access in 24 hours. No sales call required. Request your Gameye API key.
Related: Gameye vs GameFabric — full comparison · Gameye vs Hathora · Hathora migration guide — all options · FlexMatch + Gameye integration guide
Frequently asked questions
When does Hathora shut down? Hathora’s game server hosting platform shuts down May 5, 2026. The team is joining Fireworks AI. Studios need a migration plan before the deadline.
Does Gameye require an SDK like Hathora did? No. Hathora required its SDK for server lifecycle management. Gameye requires no SDK in your game server binary — remove the Hathora SDK and don’t replace it.
Which matchmakers does Gameye support that GameFabric doesn’t? Gameye has native integrations with Pragma Engine (official ServerProviderPlugin) and Nakama (Fleet Manager interface). GameFabric has no documented integration with either. Both platforms support FlexMatch and custom matchmakers via REST.
Does Gameye charge egress fees? No. Gameye includes all bandwidth in its per-vCPU-hour pricing. Hathora charged per-GB egress on top of compute. GameFabric’s egress model depends on the underlying Kubernetes provider.