Freedom251 › Game Networking Middleware
DarkRift 2
What DarkRift 2 is
DarkRift 2 is a networking library for multiplayer experiences that use an authoritative server. It follows a client-server model and supports Unity and .NET, with servers that can run embedded in Unity or as standalone processes. Its transport options are TCP and UDP with bi-channel communication; the project says UDP overhead can be as low as 3 bytes. DarkRift 2 also describes server clustering without concurrent-user limits. Built-in Prometheus metrics can connect to monitoring tools such as Grafana or Datadog, and developers can add custom metrics. Other listed capabilities include basic matchmaking and a chat filter. Developers can replace the Bichannel Network Listener with another low-level networking library. The project is free and open source, with most source files under MPL 2.0 and Unity scripts under MIT. Building requires Visual Studio 2022 or newer. The project README says Unordinal is no longer able to maintain DarkRift and that the community now cares for it; support is directed to its community Discord. Release 2.11.0 is marked as a pre-release, with problems still to be resolved.
Who it suits
DarkRift 2 suits developers building multiplayer experiences with authoritative servers who use Unity or .NET. It may also suit teams that want server clustering, matchmaking, or Prometheus metrics and can work with community-driven maintenance and support.
What it does well
- Free and open source, with no concurrent-user limits.
- Supports TCP and UDP with bi-channel communication.
- Can run servers embedded in Unity or standalone.
- Includes Prometheus metrics and basic matchmaking.
- Developers can replace its low-level network listener.
What to know first
- Support is community driven through Discord.
- Building requires Visual Studio 2022 or newer.
- Release 2.11.0 is marked as a pre-release.
- Most source files use MPL 2.0, while Unity scripts use MIT.
Limits
The project is free and has no concurrent-user limits. Release 2.11.0 is marked as a pre-release with problems remaining to be resolved.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| DarkRift 2 | Free and open source · no CCU limits | Free |
As github.com lists them, read 8 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit the project's GitHub page.
- Use Unity or .NET as your supported platform.
- Build with Visual Studio 2022 or newer.
- Use the community Discord for support.
Verdict
Choose DarkRift 2 if you need a free networking library for authoritative multiplayer servers on Unity or .NET and want clustering or built-in metrics. It offers TCP and UDP transport, matchmaking, and extensibility. Look elsewhere if you require vendor-maintained support or a release without pre-release status.
Questions
How much does DarkRift 2 cost?
DarkRift 2 is free and open source.
Which platforms does it support?
It supports Unity and .NET, and its listed platforms include Linux, Windows, and self-hosted use.
What network protocols does it use?
It supports TCP and UDP with bi-channel communication.
Does it support matchmaking?
Yes. Basic matchmaking is among its listed features.
What license does DarkRift 2 use?
Most source files use MPL 2.0, while Unity scripts use MIT.
Who maintains it and where is support available?
The README says Unordinal is no longer able to maintain the project and the community now cares for it. Support is community driven through its Discord.
Facts from DarkRift 2's own pages
- Build requirement
- The project requires Visual Studio 2022 or newer to build because at least one Visual C# project fails in Visual Studio 2019 and earlier. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Extensibility
- Developers can replace the Bichannel Network Listener with another low-level networking library. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- License
- Most source files use MPL 2.0, while Unity scripts use MIT. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Maintenance
- The README says Unordinal is no longer able to maintain the project and the community now cares for it. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Metrics
- Built-in Prometheus metrics can integrate with monitoring solutions such as Grafana or Datadog. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Other features
- The project lists basic matchmaking support, custom metrics, and a chat filter. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Performance
- The project says UDP overhead can be as low as 3 bytes. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- DarkRift is a multithreaded networking library for multiplayer experiences that need an authoritative server. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Release status
- The 2.11.0 release is marked pre-release, with the note that problems remain to be ironed out. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Scalability
- The project describes server clustering and says it has no concurrent-user limits. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Server modes
- It supports Unity embedded servers and standalone servers. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Support
- The project says support is entirely community driven and directs users to its community Discord. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Transport
- DarkRift 2 supports TCP and UDP with bi-channel communication. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Where DarkRift 2 stands on Freedom251
- Game Networking Middleware#5 of 29