Azure PlayFab

Azure PlayFab is a full LiveOps back-end platform for building and running live games. It's a collection of tools and services to help developers build, deliver and run live games on a variety of platforms, including clouds, devices and game engines.

PlayFab offers a variety of features to support the full life cycle of live games. These include:

• Multiplayer Services: Cross-network identity, multiplayer servers and party chat to get players more engaged with the game.
• Analytics: Real-time data analysis to understand what's happening and respond accordingly.
• LiveOps: Live game operations to keep players coming back.
• Party Networking and Chat: Easy communication among players using Azure AI Services.
• Matchmaking and Groups: Better player matching and group creation for competitive play.
• Leaderboards and Statistics: Tournaments and leaderboards to track and reward success.
• Cross-Network Identity and Data: Players can link accounts and play across different networks.
• Real-Time Data and Analytics: Real-time insights into game performance and problems.
• Data Management: Game data managed in a managed environment with no extra engineering required.
• Raw Event Data: Direct access to raw event data for analysis.
• Compliance: Support for regulations like GDPR and COPPA.
• Engagement and Retention: Retain players through real-time segmentation and targeted engagement.
• Content Management: Remote updates to game assets through a content delivery network.
• Experiments: Interactive experiments to optimize game strategy.
• Game Monetization: Payments, virtual currency and catalog items.
• Automation: Custom operations and real-time event responses.

Azure PlayFab has flexible pricing. You can start with a free account and get $200 credit for your first 30 days. After that, you move to a pay-as-you-go model with costs for the services you use. There are no upfront costs, and you get free services up to usage limits.

PlayFab integrates with major platforms, engines and stores so you have full support for game development and deployment. PlayFab also has a strong security and compliance program, including $1 billion a year in cybersecurity research and development and more than 3,500 dedicated security experts.

For developers, PlayFab has a variety of guides, quickstarts and SDKs to get you started and get the most out of the platform. This includes role-based guides, tutorials on game manager and data management, and an active community for support and knowledge sharing.

With a powerful set of tools and services, Azure PlayFab enables game developers to build, operate and grow successful live games while reducing costs and increasing engagement.

Published on July 1, 2024