Evolving multiplayer games beyond UNet

Through our connected games initiatives, we’re revamping how we can make networked games easier, more performant, and multiplayer-ready by default. To make these important changes, we need to start anew. That means existing multiplayer features will be gradually deprecated, with more performant, scalable, and secure technologies taking their place. But don’t worry – games with impacted features will have plenty of time to react.

Over the past few years we’ve offered Unity creators a set of multiplayer tools and services commonly referred to as “UNet.” UNet consists of two major components: Core networking (High Level API/HLAPI and Low Level API/LLAPI) and enabling services (Relay Server and Matchmaker). These features work together to enable peer-to-peer (P2P) multiplayer games.

UNet has been a tremendous learning experience for all of us, and we’ve seen our community ship some incredible multiplayer games.

The journey of these games hasn’t been without challenges, however, and we’ve heard your feedback: Unity game developers need more than what the current version of UNet can offer. Notably, you want more-scalable and transparent core networking and fully supported server-authoritative games that enable the security, stability, and consistent performance required for all levels of success. The future at Unity holds great promise for large-scale projects that are networked-by-default with the Entity Component System (ECS) .

To achieve these goals, a complete rethinking of our real-time multiplayer technology was required. Here’s our plan.

UNet transition overview

UNet powers many active games today, and we take this responsibility very seriously. As a result, we are ensuring the following long-term support for developers who depend on our existing technology:

1. The HLAPI and LLAPI will no longer ship with Unity after 2018.4 (LTS): Critical fixes will be provided for two years following the 2018.4 (LTS) ship date, consistent with Unity’sLong-Term Support policy.
2. Relay Server and Legacy Matchmaker Services: Continued operation for at least three years following 2018.4 (LTS) ship date, with a clear transition plan provided before this date.

While UNet features are being deprecated, next-generation networking features will be made available soon, including:

1. Game Server Hosting services, which replace the P2P-enabling Relay Server.
2. New networking code, which replaces existing UNet HLAPI/LLAPIs. Early versions will be ECS compatible.
3. A new Matchmaker service that works seamlessly with Game Server Hosting.

For more on what we’re working on, check out our blog post onconnected games.

Stay in touch

• Keep track of what we’re working on by visiting unity3d.com/connectedgames .
• Have feedback? Please share it in the sticky threads of the Connected Games forum .
• Interested in alpha testing some of the new technologies?Contact us here.
• Keep watching the blog.  We’ll share more about what we’re working on soon.