Game servers

Game server development

The quality of a game server directly affects the stability, scalability, and release success of multiplayer titles. In the face of increasing competition in modern game development, the backend is of strategic importance.

Professional game server development provides key functions: it allows you to store and synchronize user data, process game sessions in real time, implement matchmaking, protect against cheating, and guarantee seamless interaction between users around the world.

Even the most sophisticated mechanics, outstanding visuals, cutting-edge 3D animation and game design won't keep players engaged if the title's infrastructure is unstable or buggy. Therefore, creating game servers requires high expertise, specialized experience, and a comprehensive approach.

What is a game server?

Stable online interaction between users in a virtual environment is ensured by a specialized technical platform. This is the server or backend - the basis of a multiplayer game. It is responsible for logic, data exchange between users, saving progress and synchronization.

Such a system can be implemented using software (cloud game server) or a physical device - hardware. In both cases, the platform processes user actions, synchronizes processes in real time, stores information about sessions, world states and characters. The backend also ensures the stability and security of communication between all gameplay participants regardless of their location.

Functionality and purpose:

• support for multiplayer mode (connecting thousands of players simultaneously);
• processing commands from game AI and real users;
• saving progress, inventory, statistics, levels, achievements;
• ensuring interaction between gamers (in battles, trading, communication in chats, etc.);
• counteracting cheating through centralized control of system logic.

How do game servers differ from game clients?

In multi-user online products, the separation between what happens on the user's device and the data that is processed on the remote system side plays an important role. One component is responsible for storing logic, data, and synchronization, while another is responsible for displaying events and controlling.

Clients are programs that are installed on the player's device (PC, mobile gadgets, consoles). Using client software, the user interacts with the game: enters commands, controls the character, etc.

Backend is the part of the system that processes gamers' commands, controls the correctness of actions, updates the game state, sends data, and monitors compliance with the rules.

That is, the client displays the game and its interface to the player, and the remote game server manages the logic, is responsible for storing important data and validating user actions. The first component enables actions to be performed, and the second determines their outcome (achievement of goals, receipt of rewards, etc.).

Such architecture provides transparency, balance and control over gameplay, especially in multiplayer projects. Professional development of custom game servers increases player loyalty and trust. Also, a well-thought-out network architecture improves the user experience, taking into account the specifics of the game development product, target audience and required technical characteristics.

When you need a service to develop your game server

The need to order your own backend arises if the title requires a high level of control, stability, and flexibility of solutions:

Online multiplayer

When a project involves the simultaneous participation of more than two players in real time, it is your own game server that is the key to the effective and stable operation of the title at all levels. A well-thought-out backend ensures correct synchronization of user actions, uniform game rules, and protection against fraud on the client side - that is, fair, scalable multiplayer.

Game logic customization

A private server allows you to implement unique game mechanics. It also opens up opportunities for creating a custom economy, leveling and quest systems, balancing, controlling the behavior of non-player characters, etc.

That is, developing your own game server opens up much more opportunities to stand out from competitors and interest the audience compared to P2P connections or standard backend platform solutions. This is a key advantage over competitors who decide to buy a ready-made game server, rather than create it from scratch for the individual characteristics of their product and target audience.

Scalability and performance

If your project is developing rapidly and thousands of new users are connecting to it, there is a need for horizontal scaling, load balancing, bandwidth optimization, and responsiveness. Our proprietary network architecture allows you to build cluster solutions, run servers in regions, ensuring uninterrupted access during peak load periods, etc.

Security and data protection

The backend stores information about users, in-game currency, inventory, and personal data (the latter is necessary during authorization and payment transactions). Creating your own game server provides reliable encryption, access control, a flexible authorization system, and protection against attacks (DDoS, SQL injections, etc.).

If you are planning to release a game with online mode, customizable logic, active user base and stable performance, your own network architecture is necessary. Regarding the timing, cost of developing such a game server and other details, our specialists can provide more detailed information during a preliminary consultation.

With gamers' growing expectations, security, multiplayer, and maximum personalization are not an optional extra, but a quality standard.

What tasks does your game server solve?

Depending on the type of project and architecture, the backend can perform the following functions:

• Authorization processing – registration, authentication, and account security.
• Implementation of matchmaking – selection of users for sessions according to given parameters (level, rating, region).
• Processing of the gameplay – movements, battles, trade, quests, interactions with objects in the game environment.
• Integration of social functions and lobbies - options for chats, friends, clans and other elements of interaction outside of combat sessions. For this, the game's Discord server is used.
• Backend processing – analytics, in-game purchases, push notifications, implementation of communication with external services.

These functions can be implemented on separate hardware (dedicated game server), in the cloud (remote/virtual game server), or using hybrid solutions (e.g., vps game server).

The architecture and scalability of the title's backend affect the project's performance, its resistance to peak loads, and user comfort during the gameplay. Also, its own network platform allows you to implement custom logic without being tied to the client side: NPC behavior, in-game economy, unique mechanics.

High-quality game server development is the key to the stability, security, and scalability of a game development product.

What types of game servers are ordered from us?

Arionis studio specialists can create a game server of any format and purpose:

• PvP – for titles where users play against each other. Such projects require the most accurate data synchronization, minimal ping, and clear rules for handling combat mechanics.
• PvE – when gamers mostly interact with the environment and non-player characters. Often used in story-driven and cooperative projects. During their development, the focus is on working out progress and controlling the logic of AI for games.
• Cooperative – which involve teams. They prioritize synchronizing actions within groups and implementing effective management of joint tasks.
• MMO – for multiplayer game development products. They require complex architecture, horizontal scaling, and balanced load distribution between a large number of subsystems – maps, locations, trade, chats, etc.
• Hybrid – which combine PvP and PvE scenarios. They require flexible logic, as well as modular architecture – to support variable modes of passage.

Game server development stages

The process of creating a game backend includes designing, programming, testing, and implementing server logic. Each project that Arionis specialists work on goes through several key stages.

1. Requirements analysis and architectural planning

At this stage, designers:

• study the goals and objectives of the project, genre, and mechanics;
• assess the potential load and the expected number of users who will play simultaneously;
• determine the necessary functionality – matchmaking, inventory, sessions, PvP, PvE, etc.;
• select the technology stack and type of server architecture (cluster model, monolith, microservices).

The final stage of the preparatory work is the preparation of the technical specification and architectural scheme of the project. Note: how much the game server will cost becomes clear at this preparatory stage.

2. Prototyping and infrastructure selection

After thorough preparation and data collection, Arionis specialists conduct rapid prototyping of key modules: launch the basic game cycle, implement the connection between the client and the server, and work out the primary logic (for example, user connection, messaging).

In parallel, the project's network infrastructure is selected and configured. This can be an online game server with software and hardware rental, hosted on cloud platforms AWS, GCP, and Azure. The second option is on-premise (on-premise solution), in which the hardware and software are hosted and managed on the developer's or customer's side, and not in the cloud.

3. Server logic development

Once the infrastructure and prototypes are approved, production comes into play. This is the main stage of game server creation, where the key modules of the project are developed:

• authorization and user accounts;
• processing matches and game sessions;
• mechanics (damage, character leveling, in-game currency);
• interaction between gamers (chats, PvP, guilds, clans, etc.);
• saving achievements and loading progress.

At this stage, issues of security, minimizing delays, and product fault tolerance are addressed. Server logic development is the foundation of a stable and fair game.

4. Integration with the client side

Once the backend is ready, Arionis frontend developers combine the server and client logic into a single system that allows users to interact with the game, as well as with each other, in real time, efficiently and without delays.

Our developers perform the following set of works:

• configure interaction protocols (WebSocket, TCP, UDP, HTTP, etc.);
• coordinate game logic on the server and client sides;
• activate information processing – data conversion and integrity monitoring, compression, encryption;
• implement user interaction mechanics – synchronization of movement, attacks, voice and text chats, events, connecting rooms, sessions, matches;
• implement protective mechanisms – request restrictions, data validation, authorization verification, anti-cheat systems, and game process integrity control.

5. Testing and load tests

At this stage of the project implementation, the correctness of the server-client connection is assessed - connections, response speed, load, and error handling efficiency are checked. Stress tests are also conducted for scalability and behavior during peak hours.

Arionis specialists check vulnerabilities, failures, system behavior during connection interruptions, hacking attempts. Functionality, security, fault tolerance, and automation are assessed.

6. Deployment and support

After successful testing and refinement, if necessary, the team moves on to the deployment stage. At the final stage, Arionis developers:

• Prepare the environment. Select and configure the infrastructure (cloud, VPS, dedicated server, or on-premise solution with physical hardware). Also install software, databases, monitoring and logging systems.
• Build and upload the project. Compile or integrate the backend, deploy it on the chosen platform, configure ports, access, and environment variables.
• Configure load balancing. If high traffic is predicted, developers connect load balancers and configure horizontal scaling (additional server instances).
• Final testing is performed. The installed product is re-checked for correct startup, connection stability, and client connectivity. Error response and automatic component restart in case of failures are tested.

Arionis Studio creates and administers game servers with subsequent support by arrangement. This service includes the following types of work:

• Monitoring and logging – tracking memory, CPU load, as well as traffic, number of connections, and errors.
• Implementing updates and patches without stopping the backend – upgrading game mechanics, fixing bugs, introducing new functionality.
• Incident management – handling failures, DDoS attacks, memory overloads, etc., creating SLAs/response policies, backups, rollbacks.
• User technical support – responding to individual failures on the player side, processing requests for lag, connection losses, etc.

Our developers build a reliable server infrastructure adapted to the growth of the online audience, resistant to attacks and overloads. As a result of cooperation, the customer receives a productive, scalable product.

Technologies and tools

When developing game servers, Arionis specialists use a wide stack of technologies, the list of which depends on the type of title, target platform, and scale of the project:

• Programming languages – we will develop a game server in Python, C++, C#, Java, Node.js (JavaScript), Go (Golang).
• Network services – WebSockets / TCP / UDP, HTTP / REST / gRPC / GraphQL, Docker and Kubernetes, Redis / Memcached, RabbitMQ / Kafka, MongoDB / PostgreSQL / MySQL.
• Frameworks and engines – we develop, support, and configure servers on Photonengine, Mirror (Unity), Colyseus, SmartFoxServer, Netty (Java), Nakama (C++).
• Security and analytics – JWT / OAuth 2.0 / OpenID, Sentry / Prometheus / Grafana, Cloudflare / Fail2Ban / DDoS proxy.

The choice of tools depends on the genre, project budget, and target platforms. A properly selected stack is the key to stability and a successful release of a multiplayer title. We create scalable game architecture on the Photon Engine and using other relevant solutions.

Where to order game server development

Arionis developers have many years of experience in creating server architecture for game development products of various genres, from mobile PvP arcades to large-scale MMOs. The team's portfolio includes both fully custom servers and integrations with ready-made game engines and cloud infrastructure.

Our company offers outsourcing of game server development on Photon Engine, Python and other tools, outstaffing, project-based cooperation. We also work from scratch - from concept creation to launch and post-release support. You can read more about all stages of game production here.

We offer server creation, administration, maintenance, implementation of updates, flexible technical support, and the ability to scale as your audience grows.

Our advantages:

• full development cycle, various cooperation formats;
• a team of experienced specialists with deep professional expertise;
• iterative work with the preparation of technical documentation, reporting, testing at key stages;
• strict adherence to deadlines and budget;
• production of game development products in accordance with modern security standards, including data encryption and protection against DDoS attacks (we know how to protect a game server from vulnerabilities, hacking, data manipulation and leakage).