The hidden costs of running a successful multiplayer game

Creating a multiplayer game is a dream for many developers. The thrill of building something that connects players around the world is unmatched. But behind the excitement lies a challenging truth: running a successful multiplayer game involves much more than crafting fun gameplay. It’s about managing a complex, ongoing operation with hidden costs that can make or break your studio.

We dive into these challenges and show you how to navigate them to keep your studio thriving.

 

1. Invest in your infrastructure

Multiplayer games live and die by their infrastructure. Players expect short queues, minimal lag, and servers that never go down. But delivering this experience comes at a cost.

• Server costs: Hosting servers can be pricey. Whether you’re using cloud services or bare-metal servers, the expenses can skyrocket as your player base grows. For example, Palworld reportedly spent over $475,000 a month on server costs at its peak.
• Latency issues: Players hate lag. To keep latency low, you need servers close to your players, which means deploying infrastructure across multiple regions. This global reach adds complexity and cost.
• Scaling challenges: What happens when your game goes viral? Can your infrastructure handle a sudden spike in players? If not, you risk losing those new players to frustration and bad reviews.

The lesson? Invest in an orchestration system that can scale dynamically and reduce latency.

 

2. Automate the behind-the-scenes work

Time is money, friends. Running a multiplayer game involves some behind-the-scenes work that keeps everything running smoothly, which can take up your developers’ valuable time:

• Build systems: Creating playable builds is a foundational process. Automating this can save your team hours, letting them focus on creativity rather than troubleshooting.
• Distribution: Transferring large game files to your team or players makes sure everyone is on the same page, speeding up testing and updates.
• Crash reporting: Crashes happen, but with the right tools, you can quickly identify and fix issues. Keeping your players happy.

Find tools for build automation and crash reporting that can save you time and a couple of headaches.

 

3. Keep players engaged with regular updates

Launching your game is just the start. To keep players engaged, you need to regularly update your game with new content, events, and features. But this ongoing effort comes with its own set of costs:

• Content updates: Adding new levels, characters, or events requires a content management system (CMS). Without one, you’ll need to push full-game updates, which can be slow and costly.
• Live operations: Running in-game events, managing economies, and handling player data all require a backend system. Building and maintaining this infrastructure is a significant expense.
• Player support: As your player base grows, so do support requests. Whether it’s fixing bugs or addressing cheating, you need a team (or tools) to handle these issues.

A backend system can streamline these tasks, giving you the tools to manage your game’s economy, analytics, and live ops.

 

4. Empower your team to work smarter

It’s not just about technology – it’s about people. As your studio grows, so do the challenges of managing your team:

• Collaboration: With multiple team members working on different parts of the game, version control and file sharing become critical. A distribution system can help your team collaborate efficiently, even with large files.
• Burnout: The pressure to keep your game running smoothly can lead to long hours and burnout. Automating repetitive tasks can free up your team to focus on creative work.
• Skill gaps: Not every developer is a network engineer or backend specialist. Relying on third-party tools can fill these gaps without requiring expensive hires.

Make sure your team are using the right tools. And give them the support they need.

 

5. Protect your game from downtime and disasters

When your game goes down, players notice – and they’re not shy about sharing their frustration. A single outage can lead to a flood of negative reviews, damaging your game’s reputation.

• Testing: Regularly test your infrastructure to make sure it can handle spikes in traffic. Load testing, soak testing, and spike testing are essential to avoid downtime.
• Monitoring: Use observability tools to monitor your servers and catch issues before they escalate. A “war room” approach during launches or major events can help you stay on top of problems.

By staying proactive, you can minimize disruptions and keep your players happy, even during the most demanding moments.

The hidden costs – infrastructure, ongoing updates, team management, and downtime – can add up quickly. But with the right tools and processes, you can keep these costs under control.

Download our latest report

If you’re ready to dive deeper into how to streamline your studio and reduce these hidden costs, download the full report for a comprehensive guide on building and scaling your game studio.

Because at the end of the day, you’re not just building a game – you’re building a business. And with the right strategies, you can make it a successful one.