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Photon Server
What Photon Server is
Photon Server is an on-premises real-time socket server and multiplayer framework for teams building and hosting game backends on machines they choose. Its C# server applications can be used as supplied or customized, connecting players and exchanging data in shared sessions. Core transport includes reliable UDP, binary TCP, HTTP, WebSocket and Secure WebSocket, with a client-server network model and matchmaking. The C# framework maps RPC calls to operation instances and uses fibers for message-passing threading. Developers can debug in Visual Studio; Redgate and JetBrains tools are also listed. Photon Server has no persistence layer, although SQL and NoSQL databases usable through .NET on Windows are documented. LoadBalancing (MyCloud) works with Photon Cloud and is recommended for PUN, Photon Voice and Photon Realtime clients. Authentication providers include Epic EOS, Facebook, Oculus, Steam and VIVEPORT. Pricing starts at $500/mo; no free plan is listed.
Who it suits
It suits teams wanting to host and configure their own multiplayer backend with C# and Windows-based database options. It is intended for on-premises deployments requiring supported real-time protocols and matchmaking.
What it does well
- On-premises hosting on chosen machines
- Customizable C# server source
- Multiple real-time transport protocols
- Matchmaking support
- Several authentication providers
What to know first
- No persistence layer included
- Requires a valid license
- Licenses limited to Industries Circle members
- License server and CCU limits apply
Limits
Photon Server has no free plan and pricing starts at $500/mo. A license is restricted to its agreed server count and concurrent-user limit, and each server license covers one application; persistence must be handled with listed SQL or NoSQL databases.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Photon Server license | Licenses available to Industries Circle members · agreed server and CCU limits apply | On request |
As photonengine.com lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the Photon Server website
- Plan a Windows on-premises deployment with .NET/C# clients
- Obtain a valid Photon Server license as an Industries Circle member
- Use the C# server framework as provided or customize its source
- Configure the required transport protocols and authentication providers
- Connect PUN, Photon Voice, or Photon Realtime clients through LoadBalancing (MyCloud)
Verdict
Photon Server provides a customizable, protocol-rich foundation for self-hosted multiplayer services. Teams must supply persistence separately and meet its licensing membership, server-count, CCU and application restrictions.
Questions
How much does Photon Server cost?
Pricing starts at $500/mo. The Photon Server license plan is available to Industries Circle members, with agreed server and CCU limits.
Which platforms does Photon Server support?
It supports Windows, .NET/C# clients, and cross-platform game clients through an on-premises client-server model.
Does Photon Server include matchmaking?
Yes. Matchmaking is included.
Which transport protocols are supported?
Supported transports include reliable UDP, binary TCP, HTTP, WebSocket, and Secure WebSocket.
Does it provide persistence?
Photon Server does not provide a persistence layer. SQL and NoSQL databases usable through .NET on Windows are listed for use with it.
Which authentication providers are listed?
Custom authentication is supported, along with Epic EOS, Facebook, Oculus, Steam, and VIVEPORT.
Facts from Photon Server's own pages
- Authentication
- The documentation lists custom authentication and providers including Epic EOS, Facebook, Oculus, Steam, and VIVEPORT. · doc.photonengine.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Company
- Exit Games was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. · blog.photonengine.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Custom backend
- The server applications provide frameworks for building and running a multiplayer game backend, with C# source code that can be used as provided or customized. · doc.photonengine.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Development framework
- Its C# server framework maps RPC calls to operation instances and uses message passing through fibers to handle threading tasks. · doc.photonengine.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Development tools
- Photon Server can be debugged in Visual Studio and the documentation also lists Redgate and JetBrains development tools. · doc.photonengine.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2003 · photonengine.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Hamburg, Germany · photonengine.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Integrations
- The SDK's LoadBalancing (MyCloud) application is compatible with Photon Cloud and is the recommended setup for clients using PUN, Photon Voice, or Photon Realtime. · doc.photonengine.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- Photon describes Server as an on-premises option for teams that want to host and configure their own multiplayer backend on machines they choose. · doc.photonengine.com, 7 Oct 2026
- License limits
- The license terms restrict use to the agreed server count and CCU per server, and limit each server license to one application. · photonengine.com, 7 Oct 2026
- License requirement
- Photon Server requires a valid license to run, and the comparison page says licenses can be bought by Industries Circle members only. · doc.photonengine.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Persistence limitation
- Photon Server does not provide a persistence layer, though the documentation lists SQL and NoSQL databases usable through .NET on Windows. · doc.photonengine.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Protocols
- The core supports reliable UDP, binary TCP, WebSockets, and secure WebSockets. · doc.photonengine.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Photon Server is an on-premises real-time socket server and cross-platform multiplayer game development framework for connecting players and exchanging data in shared game sessions. · doc.photonengine.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Security
- Secure WebSocket connections can be configured with TLS certificates, with the documentation recommending certificates signed by a trusted certificate authority for production. · doc.photonengine.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- Photon provides a public Discord community, general email contact, and a support form available after logging in. · photonengine.com, 7 Oct 2026
Where Photon Server stands on Freedom251
- Game Networking Middleware#26 of 29