Hyperstone

Hyperstone is a game-optimization service for teams that want to tune live settings against player behavior. It suits indie developers through enterprise studios running continual experiments, especially when prices, difficulty, advertising, or LiveOps need adjustment without a new release. Its strongest case is focused experimentation and rollout; its usage threshold and irreversible billing change require a deliberate launch plan.

Overview

Hyperstone can test as many as 1,000 combinations of game configuration at the same time. It changes values per player to pursue a selected outcome, including lifetime value (LTV), average revenue per user (ARPU), or retention. That makes it an optimization layer for an operating game, not a broad backend replacement. Player segmentation, remote configuration, multivariate experimentation, and live-event tools support teams that need to refine a game after launch.

Key features

• Multivariate optimization: Teams can vary prices, difficulty, ad frequency, and LiveOps settings across up to 1,000 combinations. Per-player adjustment can target different behavior patterns, but the team must define the metric that determines success.
• Event-driven dashboards: Engagement, Monetization, and Business reports update as player events arrive, alongside an AI Report. This provides current operational views in addition to the chosen optimization objective.
• SDK configuration delivery: Winning values can be sent through the SDK without a store update. That is useful for live tuning when waiting for app-store approval would slow a response.
• Integration choices: A Unity SDK and Server-to-Server integration are offered, with custom integration available. Unity is the documented engine, so teams using another engine should confirm their implementation path before committing.
• Privacy and transport: The Unity SDK says it collects no personally identifiable information, advertising identifiers, or device identifiers. Communication with Hyperstone servers uses HTTPS encryption in transit, server-side SDK data is purged after 30 days of user inactivity, and collected data is not shared with third parties.
• SDK maturity: The Unity SDK is in Beta, and its APIs, method names, and classes may change. Production teams should allow for maintenance when upgrading integrations.

Pricing

Hyperstone uses a freemium model. The Free plan costs nothing, billed at $0 per month forever. It includes unlimited seats, all platform features, and up to 2,000 installs per month per app. Once an app exceeds that allowance, it automatically moves to pay-as-you-go at $0.001 per additional install. That makes Free practical for prototypes and smaller live games, but the threshold matters for launches with unpredictable acquisition.

The Growth plan is shown as free, billed as 2,000 free installs and then $0.001 per install. It has no monthly commitment, includes all platform features, and scales with usage. This is the straightforward choice when an app is expected to exceed the Free allowance; however, the pricing FAQ says moving from Free to pay-as-you-go is irreversible, so teams should not switch casually.

Enterprise uses custom pricing. It adds SSO through OAuth2 and OIDC, custom installation, invoicing and volume discounts, priority support, and unlimited apps. Enterprise pricing also includes 24/7 support, while email support generally responds within 24 hours. Larger publishers and organizations with identity, deployment, or purchasing requirements have the clearest reason to choose it.

There is no free trial. Free is perpetual, but its install cap and automatic billing transition should be part of launch budgeting.

Platforms

Hyperstone lists Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, web, API, and self-hosted access. Supported game destinations include Google Play, App Store, Steam, Huawei, itch.io, PlayStation, Xbox, iOS, Android, and web browser. The listed engine integration is Unity, with Server-to-Server and custom integration options for other technical setups.

Who it's for

Indie teams can use the free allowance to structure experiments without seat charges. Mid-size studios and publishers gain more from per-player optimization, event-updated reporting, and SDK rollouts across live titles. Enterprise game teams are the audience for SSO, custom installation, unlimited apps, volume terms, and priority support. It is less suitable for a team seeking a general backend or a stable, non-changing SDK contract.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Tests up to 1,000 combinations; optimizes values per player against LTV, ARPU, or retention; delivers winning settings without a store update; dashboards cover engagement, monetization, business metrics, and AI analysis; unlimited seats on Free; broad platform and destination coverage; stated limits on identifiers, retention, and data sharing.
• Cons: Free is capped at 2,000 installs per app each month; exceeding the cap triggers $0.001-per-install billing; the move from Free to pay-as-you-go cannot be reversed; the Unity SDK is beta and may change; no free trial is offered.

Alternatives

Choose GameAnalytics instead when predefined and custom dashboards, funnels, cohorts, retention, and real-time reporting are the priority, with no MAU limit on its Free plan. Metaplay is a better fit for teams wanting a full SDK and local server for unrestricted local development. brainCloud suits projects that need a broader backend with developer-support options. PlayFab is worth considering for teams whose free tier covers titles in Development Mode and an initial player allowance. AccelByte Gaming Services fits organizations comparing public-cloud build access with private-cloud deployment. BACKND is an alternative backend service with free chat-oriented capacity. Crux offers a developer tier with MAU, API-call, server, project, and environment limits. Ondara Game Services is another freemium game-services option. See the Game LiveOps Software directory for more choices.

Verdict

Hyperstone is a strong choice for a live-game team that wants measurable, multivariate tuning and remote delivery of winning settings, particularly when per-player optimization can improve retention or revenue. Look elsewhere if you need a general-purpose backend, a non-beta Unity contract, or billing that can return to a free tier after growth.