Edgegap vs GCP For Games
As part of the Google Cloud Platform, GCP for Games offers a range of cloud-based services, including computing, storage, and networking, tailored for game developers. GCP for Games is built on Google's infrastructure and primarily focuses on the Google Cloud ecosystem. This means that while it provides powerful tools and services, it is limited to Google's regions and zones for latency optimization.
On the other hand, Edgegap is a platform that emphasizes edge computing and multi-cloud support for gaming. Edgegap automatically configures edge locations for optimal latency, offering a more seamless experience for players worldwide. Unlike GCP for Games, Edgegap leverages 16+ global providers, including GCP, AWS, and Azure, to deliver a broader network infrastructure that helps reduce latency and improve performance.
Furthermore, Edgegap provides a built-in matchmaker optimized for latency and player preferences, simplifying the matchmaking process for game developers. In contrast, GCP for Games requires developers to build or integrate their own matchmaking systems.
The main differences between GCP for Games and Edgegap lie in their approach to network infrastructure, latency optimization, and matchmaking. Edgegap offers a more versatile and globally focused solution with its multi-cloud support and built-in matchmaker, while GCP for Games provides a robust set of tools and services within the Google Cloud ecosystem.
Initial setup
With Edgegap, the initial setup is simplified, as it manages the underlying cloud infrastructure across multiple cloud providers, including GCP. Users only need to integrate Edgegap's SDK and API into their game. Edgegap automatically configures edge locations for latency optimization and includes a matchmaker to streamline connecting players based on various criteria.
Google Cloud Platform (GCP) for games requires integrating their SDK and API into your game and using the Google Cloud Console to set up and manage server instances, scaling policies, and other settings. GCP does not provide a built-in matchmaking solution, so developers must create custom matchmaking logic or utilize third-party solutions.
Connectivity
Edgegap's connectivity revolves around utilizing multiple cloud providers, including AWS, GCP, Azure, and over 16 additional providers worldwide. This allows Edgegap to offer better global coverage and latency optimization through edge computing, automatically selecting servers based on latency. Edgegap manages load balancing by optimizing connections based on latency and server performance.
Google Cloud Platform (GCP) for games provides connectivity within the GCP infrastructure, which limits its global reach to GCP Regions and Zones. GCP offers region-based server selection, which may not be as optimized for latency as the edge computing approach. Load balancing and connectivity within GCP are managed using GCP network services, such as Cloud Load Balancing.
Performance
Edgegap offers edge computing, which optimizes superior latency by automatically selecting servers based on latency. Edgegap's multi-cloud approach, utilizing multiple cloud providers and edge locations, ensures better global reach, increased redundancy, and optimized resource allocation. Load balancing is managed by Edgegap and optimized based on latency and server performance. Autoscaling with Edgegap is seamless across multiple cloud providers.
Google Cloud Platform (GCP) for games provides region-based server selection, which may not be as optimized for latency as the edge computing approach. GCP's global reach is limited to its Regions and Zones, and its load balancing and resource allocation depend on GCP resources and configuration. GCP offers autoscaling within its infrastructure and network redundancy based on its data centers and network services. Customization options for performance are limited to GCP services and resources.
Scalability
Edgegap provides seamless auto-scaling across multiple cloud providers, including AWS, GCP, Azure, and over 16 additional providers worldwide. This multi-cloud approach ensures better global coverage and optimized resource allocation across various cloud providers and edge locations. Edgegap manages load balancing, optimizing connections based on latency and server performance, and simplifying infrastructure management.
Google Cloud Platform (GCP) for games offers autoscaling within its infrastructure. While GCP provides multi-region support, its global reach is limited to Regions and Zones. GCP manages load balancing based on server instances and regions. GCP does not have built-in multi-cloud support, so its scalability is confined to its infrastructure. Scalable infrastructure management within GCP requires manual management of resources and configurations.
Pricing
Edgegap offers a usage-based pricing model with the advantage of turning off server costs when not in use and automatically scaling for capacity, potentially leading to lower costs. The infrastructure is designed to turn off server costs when not in service, leading to lower prices than GCP.
On the other hand, Google Cloud Platform (GCP) for games follows a pay-as-you-go pricing model, accounting for usage in terms of computing, storage, data transfer, and additional services like load balancing. With GCP, you may need to pay for idle servers based on anticipated capacity, and manual scaling adjustments might be necessary.
Switching from GCP for Games to Edgegap
Switching from GCP for Games to Edgegap should be manageable since both platforms provide multiplayer gaming infrastructure and support various game engines. However, you'll need to follow some specific steps and considerations during the migration process. Here's a general outline of the steps to switch from GCP for Games to Edgegap:
Analyze your current GCP for Games implementation: Understand the architecture, features, and services used within your GCP for Games setup. This will help you identify the necessary components to migrate to Edgegap.
Familiarize yourself with Edgegap's features and services: Review Edgegap's documentation and features, including matchmaking, edge computing, and multi-cloud support. This will help you determine how to map your current GCP for Games implementation to Edgegap's services.
Plan the migration: Create a detailed plan outlining the steps to migrate your game from GCP for Games to Edgegap. This may include reconfiguring your game server logic, updating your matchmaking system to use Edgegap's matchmaker, and setting up the necessary integrations with Edgegap's API.
Migrate game server logic: Adapt your game server logic to work with Edgegap's infrastructure. This may involve modifying server-side code or implementing new game server features to take advantage of Edgegap's unique offerings.
Update matchmaking: Replace GCP for Games' matchmaking with Edgegap's matchmaker. Ensure that your game properly connects to Edgegap's matchmaking service and that the logic for creating and joining game sessions works as intended.
Test the migration: Thoroughly test your game after migrating to Edgegap, ensuring that all features and services function correctly and the performance meets your expectations.
Monitor and optimize: After successfully switching to Edgegap, monitor your game's performance and resource usage. Make any necessary optimizations to improve the gaming experience further.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Edgegap
Google Cloud for Games
Leverages edge computing through the world's multi-cloud network for optimized latency and performance.
Managed Game Server Service
Distributed edge computing deployments nearest to players to lower latency & improve multiplayer experience.
GCP-hosted servers
Extensive global distribution with over 17+ providers with 615+ locations worldwide.
40 regions and 187 edge locations.
Pay-as-you-go by the minute, paying only for active use and traffic, with precise costs calculations.
Pay-as-you-go pricing model, accounting for usage in terms of computing, storage, data transfer, etc.
Plugins for native support within the Unity & Unreal editor, and support for Godot, Cocos. Soon available for Bevy.
Deployable with major game engine supporting containerization.
Up to 14M CCCU with dynamic rapid-scaling of 40 deployments per seconds for 60 minutes sustained.
Auto-scaling with high upside of wasted capacity due to low optimization.
Comprehensive documentation, dashboard, and 24/7 support for clients.
Documentation, dashboard and support for clients.
"One click" plugins for major game engine (Unreal, Unity), alonside seamless SDK/API integration. Video tutorials for major engine, netcodes & more.
Configure server instances, scaling policies, and other settings.
Optimized, low-latency network due to the world's largest edge computing network built by Edgegap.
Region-based server selection.
17+ providers, including public cloud and Bare Metal, for multi-cloud to ensure automatic rerounting of traffic for the ultimate resilience.
GCP Regions and Zones.
