UGC Game Server Launch Guide
This guide is for game studios and publishers that want to launch a UGC/community focused multiplayer game. Based on decades of experience, the team at Nodecraft are experts in launching server infrastructure, fostering meaningful community engagement, & leveraging UGC to not just launch multiplayer but foster growth.
Using these guides as a foundation to plan, build, and deploy your project gives your team the best chance at a successful multiplayer launch. We grant game studios and publishers a free license to incorporate these concepts into their titles at no cost.
What This Guide Covers
Section titled “What This Guide Covers”Each section tackles a specific area of server preparation, ordered by when you’ll encounter these decisions during development.
Server Executable
Building a server executable that is performant, container-friendly, and easy for hosting providers to run is the foundation of a successful multiplayer launch.
Configuration
Make your server customizable so that UGC creators & players can create bespoke experiences.
Persistent Content
UGC Multiplayer games depend on persistent player-generated content.
Mods & Plugins
Allowing creators to extend & modify your game gives your community the tools to create new experiences and keep your game fresh for years.
Distribution & Operations
Allowing creators to extend & modify your game gives your community the tools to create new experiences and keep your game fresh for years.
Server Discovery
How players share and discover servers is a critical part of the multiplayer experience, especially for UGC games.
Host Partnerships
Working with a Game Server Provider (GSP) can help your game by adding revenue, offloading customer support, and more.
Launch Checklist
A quick reference for the most important things to verify before launch day, and the most common issues that arise in the first 48 hours.
How This Guide Relates to Other Docs
Section titled “How This Guide Relates to Other Docs”This guide focuses on general best practices for building and shipping dedicated servers. It applies whether you use Nodecraft, another hosting provider, and when players self-host.
For Nodecraft specific integration & SDK, see Game Engine SDKs.