- SDK: Gameye requires no SDK in your game server binary. Multiplay required
IMultiplayService,MultiplayEventCallbacks, andReadyServerForPlayersAsync()in every build. - Egress: Gameye includes all bandwidth. Multiplay billed per server-hour plus bandwidth charges.
- Infrastructure: Gameye runs across 21 providers with automatic failover. Multiplay ran on Unity-managed infrastructure — single operator.
- Status: Multiplay shut down March 31, 2026. Rocket Science Group licensed the software. Gameye has been running for 7 years with 120M+ sessions. Migration checklist.
What was Unity Multiplay?
Unity Multiplay Game Server Hosting was the dedicated server fleet orchestration layer within Unity Gaming Services. It provided fleet management, autoscaling, and a server SDK for lifecycle management — all tightly integrated with Unity Matchmaker. Multiplay's strengths were deep Unity ecosystem integration, fleet-based scaling, and a familiar dashboard for Unity developers.
On December 4, 2025, Unity announced Multiplay would shut down on March 31, 2026. Unity licensed the underlying software to Rocket Science Group, a company founded by original Multiplay engineers. Rocket Science continues to offer the service as a standalone product, but the transition has left many studios in limbo — the shutdown deadline has passed and a significant number of developers are still without a migration path in place.
Critically, only the game server hosting layer shut down. Unity Matchmaker, Relay, Lobby, Distributed Authority, and Netcode for GameObjects are all unaffected and continue to work with third-party hosting providers including Gameye.
What changed vs. what didn't
- Multiplay Game Server Hosting
- Unity fleet management dashboard
- Multiplay server SDK (
IMultiplayService) - Built-in Multiplay features in Unity 6.0+ LTS
- Unity Matchmaker (now supports third-party providers)
- Unity Relay
- Unity Lobby
- Distributed Authority
- Netcode for GameObjects
Gameye vs Unity Multiplay: feature-by-feature comparison
| Criteria | Gameye | Unity Multiplay |
|---|---|---|
| Platform status | ✓ Active — 7 years, 120M+ sessions | ✗ Shut down March 31, 2026 |
| Game server SDK | ✓ None — no code in your server binary | Multiplay SDK required (IMultiplayService, ReadyServerForPlayersAsync) |
| Unity Matchmaker | ✓ Compatible — third-party provider support | ✓ Native integration |
| Egress fees | ✓ None — included in pricing | Per-GB bandwidth charges on top of compute |
| Pricing | $0.07/vCPU/hr, publicly stated, no egress | Per server-hour + bandwidth (was not publicly listed) |
| Container start time | 0.5 seconds | Fleet-based — minutes for warm-up |
| Infrastructure | 21 providers, 200+ datacenters — bare metal + cloud | Unity-managed infrastructure (single operator) |
| Failover | ✓ Automatic cross-provider | Single operator — no cross-provider failover |
| DDoS protection | Game-aware profiles across all 21 providers | Included (Unity-managed) |
| Fleet management | Managed by Gameye — or configure warm pools | Studio-configured fleet profiles and scaling rules |
| Uptime SLA | 99.99% — publicly stated | Not publicly stated |
| Onboarding | Sandbox in 24 hours | N/A (shut down) |
Migration: what actually changes in your codebase
The migration scope is the hosting infrastructure layer — not your game logic. Your authoritative server code, networking model, client connection flow, and matchmaking rules stay unchanged.
Remove the Multiplay SDK
Strip out IMultiplayService, MultiplayEventCallbacks, ServerConfig reads, and ReadyServerForPlayersAsync(). With Gameye, there is no replacement SDK — your server binary runs as-is in a Docker container.
Replace the allocation call
Wherever your backend called Multiplay's fleet allocation API, replace it with a single POST /session to the Gameye API. The response returns the host IP and port immediately — no fleet warm-up, no pre-provisioning.
Keep Unity Matchmaker
Unity updated Matchmaker to support third-party providers before the shutdown. Your matchmaking rules, ticket logic, and player grouping stay unchanged. The only change is what happens when a match is found — Gameye allocates the server instead of Multiplay.
Your options after the shutdown
Rocket Science Group (Multiplay continuation)
Founded by original Multiplay engineers, Rocket Science licensed the software from Unity and offers a direct continuation. Least migration effort for live games. However, pricing is not published, and studios trade Unity dependency for a new vendor dependency with a smaller company.
Edgegap
Edgegap has a dedicated Unity plugin and documented migration path. Self-serve onboarding, 615+ edge locations, pay-per-second pricing. Best for studios that want to stay close to Unity ecosystem tooling. See Gameye vs Edgegap comparison →
Gameye
Seven years of production, 120M+ sessions. No SDK in your server binary. $0.07/vCPU/hr with no egress fees. 21 providers, 200+ datacenters. Sandbox in 24 hours. Works alongside Unity Matchmaker with no connector required. Migration checklist →
When to choose Gameye
- No SDK in your game server binary — remove Multiplay SDK, don't replace it
- Predictable pricing with no egress fees
- Sub-second session starts (0.5s) vs. fleet warm-up minutes
- Multi-provider infrastructure with automatic failover
- Unity Matchmaker compatibility — rules and ticket logic unchanged
- Publicly stated pricing you can model before a sales call
- A sandbox running in 24 hours
- A live game that can't tolerate any migration window
- Heavy reliance on Multiplay-specific fleet features
- Willingness to adopt a new vendor relationship without published pricing
- Existing Multiplay SDK integration you want to preserve
What studios say about Gameye
"It's reassuring to know that we could scale up indefinitely as we prepare for platform events and sales."
Read case study: 60%+ cost reduction →"We felt there was a personal relationship, and if there was a problem, we knew Gameye would be there."
Read case study: 250K players at launch, zero downtime →Frequently asked questions: Gameye vs Unity Multiplay
Did Unity Multiplay shut down?
Yes. Unity Multiplay Game Server Hosting shut down on March 31, 2026. Unity licensed the software to Rocket Science Group. Unity Matchmaker, Relay, Lobby, and Distributed Authority are all unaffected.
Do I need a Gameye SDK in my Unity server?
No. Gameye requires no SDK in your game server binary. Remove the Multiplay SDK (IMultiplayService, MultiplayEventCallbacks, ReadyServerForPlayersAsync) and don't replace it. Your server just starts, listens on its port, and accepts connections.
Does Unity Matchmaker work with Gameye?
Yes. Unity updated Matchmaker to support third-party hosting providers before the shutdown. Your matchmaking rules, player grouping, and ticket logic stay unchanged — only the server allocation backend changes.
How long does migration take?
Studios have completed migrations to Gameye in under two weeks with parallel testing. Gameye provisions sandbox access within 24 hours. See the step-by-step checklist.
What about Rocket Science Group?
Rocket Science Group, founded by original Multiplay engineers, licensed the software and offers a direct continuation. Least migration effort for live games — but pricing is not published, and it replaces Unity dependency with a new vendor. See the full options breakdown.
Does Gameye charge egress fees?
No. Gameye includes all data transfer in capacity-based pricing. Multiplay billed per server-hour with additional bandwidth charges. Most studios see a meaningful cost reduction when bandwidth charges are removed.
Related comparisons
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