Discover how Edgegap works

Discover how Edgegap works

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Unity Engine

Unity Engine

Deploy to Edgegap

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Published

Published

Last reviewed for accuracy

Last reviewed for accuracy

Last reviewed for accuracy

Unity Engine: How to integrate and host dedicated servers, and add Matchmaking to your multiplayer game

Unity Engine: How to integrate and host dedicated servers, and add Matchmaking to your multiplayer game

This guide shows you how to host a multiplayer game built with Unity on Edgegap's dedicated game servers, whichever netcode you use, then add matchmaking so players are grouped and connected to a server near them automatically.

Once your game server is containerized, Edgegap deploys it worldwide to 615+ Edge Cloud locations (on-demand) from a simple API call and billed exclusively on usage: no entire server to rent, provision or keep running between matches. For persistent servers of reserved capacity, Edgegap offers Private Fleets. Edgegap's Matchmaking builds on top of that and is optional.

Unity doesn't network your game on its own: you need a netcode library. Fortunately, Edgegap has an integration for each popular one: Netcode for GameObjects, Mirror, Fish-Networking, Photon Fusion 2 and PurrNet. This page covers what every Unity project shares; each netcode's page covers its specifics.

This guide covers:

  1. Preparing Unity, your netcode, your Edgegap account and a containerization tool

  2. Connecting your coding agent to Edgegap (optional)

  3. Getting your game ready for dedicated servers, whichever netcode you use

  4. Building and containerizing your game server

  5. Deploying a test server and connecting to it

  6. Adding matchmaking (optional)

  7. Testing the full loop with two players

You can do it two ways, and mix them:

  • With a coding agent. Connect Claude Code, Cursor or another agent to the Edgegap MCP server and its agent skills. The agent edits your project, builds and containerizes the server, deploys it and writes the matchmaking code. You handle the clicks in Unity and the Edgegap dashboard, and playtest.

  • By hand. Every step below also works without an agent.

For building and containerizing the server, Edgegap's automated game server build tool plugin for Unity is optional. It builds your server, containerizes it and deploys it to the cloud from buttons in the Unity Editor, the quickest way to see your server online for the first time (step 4, Option A).

The video in step 4 uses Mirror's Tanks example on Unity 6.3 LTS. Any Unity project that runs as a dedicated server works the same way.

No credit card required. Free tier includes the resources to deploy a real game server.

No credit card required. Free tier includes the resources to deploy a real game server.

Step-by-Step Guide

Detailed Integration Steps

1. Before you start

  • A free Edgegap account. Verify your email. No credit card is needed to test.

  • Unity Engine with the Linux build modules installed. Edgegap recommends an LTS version.

    • Add these modules from Unity Hub: Linux Build Support (Mono), Linux Build Support (IL2CPP) and Linux Dedicated Server Build Support. Restart Unity after adding them.

    • We use Unity 6.3 LTS. The newest non-LTS releases can break netcode packages, so stay on LTS for anything you ship.

    • On Windows, Unity 6 may also ask for the Linux toolchain package (com.unity.toolchain.win-x86_64-linux) the first time you build for Linux.

  • A netcode, working on localhost. Two players should be able to join and play with one instance as the server. No netcode yet? Unity's own Netcode for GameObjects is a good default; for a browser (WebGL) game, use Mirror.

  • A containerization tool, running. We recommend Docker Desktop, installed and running while you build.

    • Other container tools work with Edgegap too, but this guide only covers Docker.

  • For the agent path: an Edgegap API token, from Dashboard → User Settings → Tokens. It is organization-wide, so treat it like a password: never put it in your project, your game client or a chat.

Git: Unity needs a Git client (2.14.0 or newer) on your PATH to install packages from a Git URL, such as the Edgegap plugin. macOS usually has one already (Xcode Command Line Tools); on Windows, install Git.

2. Connect your coding agent to Edgegap

Skip this step if you're doing everything by hand.

The Edgegap MCP server lets your agent create apps and versions, deploy servers, read logs and generate matchmaker configurations on your account. The agent skills give it the tested Unity workflow, C# templates, netcode adapters, the Dockerfile and the known pitfalls.

Claude Code (run in your own terminal, so the token never passes through the chat):

claude mcp add --transport http edgegap https://mcp.edgegap.dev/mcp -H "Authorization: token YOUR_EDGEGAP_API_TOKEN" --scope user

Then install the skills: /plugin marketplace add edgegap/edgegap-agent-skills, then /plugin install edgegap@edgegap. Restart the session.

Cursor, VS Code and other clients that send headers: add https://mcp.edgegap.dev/mcp with the header Authorization: token YOUR_EDGEGAP_API_TOKEN, and install the skills with npx skills add edgegap/edgegap-agent-skills --skill "*".

Claude Desktop: custom connectors can't send the header, so use the local server instead (Node 18+): { "mcpServers": { "edgegap": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@edgegap/mcp"] } } }. It asks for the token on first use.

Check it works:

"List my Edgegap apps."

An empty list is fine. An error about the token usually means the header reads token token ....

3. Get your game ready for dedicated hosting

On Edgegap, no player hosts the match. A headless dedicated server owns the game, so the dedicated server must start on its own, listen on a fixed port and stop when the match is over.

Find your netcode. Each has its own Edgegap integration, with its settings, port and sample:

With your agent:

"Load the edgegap-unity skill and make this project dedicated-server ready for its netcode: server builds start the server headless on 0.0.0.0 and a fixed port, players spawn when clients connect, and the server stops itself when the match ends. Add the Edgegap server lifecycle and matchmaking client scripts with the right netcode adapter. Then check it still works locally with one server and one client."

The skill has tested adapters for Netcode for GameObjects and Mirror, and sends FishNet projects to its edgegap-fishnet skill. For other netcodes, the agent writes the adapter from the library's documentation.

By hand, whatever the netcode:

  • In server builds, start the server, never a host. Nothing on the server path should wait for a menu or a button.

  • Listen on all interfaces (0.0.0.0) at a fixed port: your transport's default from the list above.

  • Spawn players when clients connect, not a local player for the host.

  • Remove relay, lobby or join-code calls from the server path. Keep a direct IP connection for testing.

  • Make sure the scene with your network manager is enabled in Build Settings. Only enabled scenes get built.

  • Set Application.targetFrameRate (30 to 60) on the server, or the headless build spins a CPU core at 100%.

Test locally first: one Editor (or build) as the server, one as a client, with Unity's Multiplayer Play Mode. Don't containerize a game that doesn't work on localhost.

4. Build and containerize your server

Edgegap runs your Linux server build inside a container. Use either option, or both: for example, the plugin for your first deploy and your agent for every build after that.

Option A (optional): Edgegap's automated game server build tool plugin for Unity. The quickest way to a first cloud deploy, all from buttons. It uses Docker to containerize your server. The video below shows this path.

  1. In Unity, select Window → Package Manager, select +, then Add package from git URL, and paste https://github.com/edgegap/edgegap-unity-plugin.git.

  2. Open Tools → Edgegap Server Hosting, sign in, and paste the token it gives you under Connect your Edgegap Account. Select Validate Token.

  3. Select Build Server. The build lands in Builds/EdgegapServer/ServerBuild.

  4. With Docker running, select Validate, then Containerize with Docker. Optionally, Deploy Local Container and connect a client to it.

  5. Select Upload Image and Create App Version. In the browser, set the port to your netcode's port and protocol (step 3), named gameport. The plugin pre-fills 7770/UDP named "Game Port": change both if your transport differs. Submit.

Option B: ask your agent.

"Build the Linux dedicated server, containerize it with the edgegap-unity Dockerfile for linux/amd64, push it to my Edgegap Container Registry with a new tag, then create the app and app version with my netcode's port and protocol, named gameport."

The agent asks you to run docker login registry.edgegap.com yourself, with the username and token from the Container Registry page, so those credentials stay out of the chat. Make sure the app version has the registry credentials set: without them, deployments fail with "Unable to pull image from registry".

Use a new image tag for every build, never latest.

Here's our video tutorial for Edgegap's plugin for Unity, on Unity 6.3 LTS with Mirror's Tanks example:

5. Deploy a test server and connect

Start one server by hand to prove the image, the port and your netcode work before adding matchmaking. Any of these works:

  • From the plugin: choose your app and version, then select Deploy to Cloud.

  • From the dashboard: open your app version in the Edgegap dashboard, select Deploy, pick a location close to you, and deploy.

  • From your agent: "Deploy my latest Edgegap version near me, wait until it's ready, show me the logs, and give me the address and external port."

When the deployment is Ready, copy its Host URL (or Host IP) and External Port, put them in your client's connection settings, then press Play. Some transports, such as Unity Transport, expect the IP rather than the host name; browser (WebGL) clients connect with wss:// to the host name. The external port changes on every deployment, so read it each time. The server can take up to a minute after Ready to accept players.

Stop the deployment when you're done (Stop Last Deployment in the plugin, or ask your agent). The free tier runs one deployment at a time, and a forgotten test server blocks matchmaking.

Here, you picked the location and handed out the address. To group players and start a server near them automatically, add a matchmaker.

6. Add matchmaking

Edgegap's matchmaker is a hosted service: players send a ticket, it groups them by your rules (match size, teams, latency, skill, mode), deploys your server near them and returns the address to every client.

With your agent:

"Generate an Edgegap matchmaker configuration for my app version: one team of 2 to 4 players, and let a lone player get a server after 30 seconds so I can test alone. Save it as matchmaker-config.json."

Then, in the dashboard (this step has no API):

  1. Open Matchmaker and select Create Matchmaker.

  2. Name it, upload matchmaker-config.json, and select Create and Start.

  3. When it's ONLINE, copy the API URL and the Auth Token. The Auth Token is safe to ship in your game client: it gives no access to your Edgegap account.

Back with your agent:

"Put the matchmaker API URL and Auth Token on EdgegapMatchmakingClient, wire my Play button to FindMatch, then rebuild and push the server, create a new app version and tell me what to update in the matchmaker."

By hand: follow the Unity matchmaking guide in our documentation.

Browser (WebGL) games: no latency rule in the matchmaker (browsers can't send latency pings), and list every origin that serves your build in allowed_cors_origins.

When you ship a new server build, update application.version in the matchmaker configuration (Stop, Edit, Start), or matches keep deploying the old build.

7. Test the full loop with two players

  1. Make sure no test deployment is still running.

  2. Run two clients: the Editor plus a build, or two Multiplayer Play Mode players.

  3. Select Find Match in both. The status goes from searching to match found to host assigned, then both clients connect to the same server.

  4. Leave the match. The server logs that it's stopping, and the deployment disappears from the dashboard. That self-stop is what keeps your bill at zero when nobody plays.

On the free tier, the matchmaker stops 3 hours after each start (restart it from the dashboard), deployments stop after 60 minutes, and one deployment runs at a time.

Next Steps

Next Steps

Building for the browser? See Web Games (Unity). Prefer lobbies players browse? See the Server Browser for Unity. Already on Unity Gaming Services? See our UGS Matchmaker guide.

Going live? Ask your agent to run the edgegap-launch skill's checklist: version rollouts, restart policy, maximum duration, cost control.

Stuck? Ask your agent to load edgegap-troubleshoot, or ask our team and other studios on the Edgegap Discord.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about hosting a Unity multiplayer game on Edgegap's dedicated servers, whichever netcode you use.

Can Unity run a dedicated server?

Yes. Build your game for the Linux Dedicated Server target, a headless build with no graphics or player. Your netcode then starts it as a server, and Edgegap runs it in a container, one per match.

Which netcode should I use for a Unity dedicated server?

Netcode for GameObjects, Unity's own, is a good default for desktop and mobile. Mirror's WebGL path is the one verified end to end with Edgegap's matchmaker. Fish-Networking, Photon Fusion 2 and PurrNet also work, and each has an Edgegap integration guide.

Do I need the Edgegap plugin to host a Unity game?

No. The plugin is the quickest way to build, containerize and deploy from the Unity Editor. A coding agent connected to the Edgegap MCP server, or your own Docker build, works too.

Which Unity version works with Edgegap?

Any recent version with the Linux Dedicated Server build modules. Edgegap recommends an LTS version; this guide uses Unity 6.3 LTS. Install a Git client too, to add packages from a Git URL.

How much does it cost to host a Unity game server?

Testing is free, with no credit card. After that, Edge Cloud bills per vCPU per minute only while servers run, so a server that stops at the end of each match costs nothing between matches.

Clients

Learn more from clients who integrated Edgegap

31 case studies are available from studios that moved to Edgegap from another platform.

Key reasons why they chose Edgegap

Discover the impact of Edgegap's automated game server orchestration for a flawless multiplayer experience.

Cost

Pricing

Optimize costs and performance with hybrid orchestration

Optimize costs and performance with hybrid orchestration

Optimize costs and performance with hybrid orchestration

Edge Cloud

On-Demand

$0.00115

/ vCPU

/ MINUTE

Billed by the Minute, Only on Usage

Pay only when players play. 0 active servers = $0

Deploy game servers worldwide, per instance, to all 615+ edge cloud locations. Zero commitment.

Simply add a credit card.

Edge Cloud

On-Demand

$0.00115

/ vCPU

/ MINUTE

Billed by the Minute, Only on Usage

Pay only when players play. 0 active servers = $0

Deploy game servers worldwide, per instance, to all 615+ edge cloud locations. Zero commitment.

Simply add a credit card.

Private Fleet (Bare Metal)

Reserved Capacity

$0.0282

/ vCPU

/ HOUR

Billed Monthly, Always On

$280 per host/month (12 mo rate), or $350 monthly

Optimize the cost effectiveness of your game server with egress-free hosting of Private Fleets.

Persistent, available 24/7, exclusive to your studio.

Private Fleet (Bare Metal)

Reserved Capacity

$0.0282

/ vCPU

/ HOUR

Billed Monthly, Always On

$280 per host/month (12 mo rate), or $350 monthly

Optimize the cost effectiveness of your game server with egress-free hosting of Private Fleets.

Persistent, available 24/7, exclusive to your studio.

Your bill varies per rate and usage; which can vary per game type, player count, & more.

Your bill varies per rate and usage; which can vary per game type, player count, & more.

Model your usage with our estimate calculator ->

Model your usage with our estimate calculator ->

Edgegap's features & price: detailed comparison between Edge Cloud & Private Fleets

Edgegap's features & price: detailed comparison between Edge Cloud & Private Fleets

COMPARE

Free Trial

Edge Cloud

Private Fleets

FEATURES

Analytics & Monitoring

Billing Alarms

Click to Expand

28 more rows

Unlocks

Capabilities are unlocked when a credit card is added to the account.

COMPARE

Free Trial

Edge Cloud

Private Fleets

FEATURES

Analytics & Monitoring

Billing Alarms

Click to Expand

28 more rows

Unlocks

Capabilities are unlocked when a credit card is added to the account.

COMPARE

Free Trial

Edge Cloud

Private Fleets

FEATURES

Analytics & Monitoring

Billing Alarms

Click to Expand

28 more rows

Unlocks

Capabilities are unlocked when a credit card is added to the account.