Why Your Game Is Losing Players: The Multiplayer Problem Without brainCloud
Players don't leave because of weak graphics or a simple story. More often, they're driven away by unstable multiplayer: long connection times, crashes in the middle of a match, progress that disappears.
For any online game, retention is directly tied to how quickly and reliably people get into a shared session. Every second of waiting is a percentage of users who close the game and are unlikely to return.
It would seem the problem could be solved on the server side, but building your own network infrastructure from scratch is months of work and constant investment in maintenance.
You need to set up server architecture, monitor loads, fight connection losses, and still manage to ship content updates. While you're spending effort on the technical "back end," competitors are taking your audience with more lively and responsive projects.
That's where brainCloud comes in — a proven multiplayer solution that the developers at Truetech have already integrated into dozens of projects. We take care of the entire server side: player connections, session synchronization, progress saving, and cheat protection.
You don't need to hire a separate team or dig into the nuances of network protocols — just tell us about your game's mechanics.
The result is stable multiplayer that doesn't lose players at the entry stage and keeps them inside the project. Players instantly find opponents, their achievements are saved in the cloud, and you get time to develop your game instead of fighting technical debt.
Implementing brainCloud isn't just buying a tool — it's an investment in retaining your audience and growing their loyalty.
Players don't leave because of weak graphics or a simple story. Most often, what puts them off is unstable multiplayer: long connections, crashes at the height of a match, disappearing progress.
For any online game, retention is directly connected to how quickly and reliably people join a shared session. Every second of waiting is a percentage of users who close the game and are unlikely to come back.
Building network infrastructure on your own means months of work, constant investment in servers, and an endless search for load balancing. You need to configure architecture, watch peak loads, fight connection losses, and still manage to ship content updates.
While you're spending effort on the technical "back end," competitors are taking your audience with more responsive and lively projects.
That's where brainCloud comes in — a proven multiplayer solution that the developers at Truetech have already integrated into dozens of game projects. We take care of the entire server side: player connections, session synchronization, progress saving, and cheat protection.
You don't need to hire a separate team of server engineers or understand the nuances of network protocols — just describe your game's mechanics, and we'll handle the rest.
The result is stable multiplayer that doesn't lose players at the entry stage and keeps them inside the project. Players instantly find opponents, their achievements are saved in the cloud, and you get time to develop your game instead of fighting technical debt.
Implementing brainCloud isn't just buying a tool — it's an investment in retaining your audience and growing their loyalty.
What brainCloud Brings to Multiplayer Development on Unity
Multiplayer isn't just a game mechanic — it's a direct path to revenue growth. Players who play with friends return to a project 1.5–2 times more often than solo players: competition and shared achievements create a habit that's hard to break.
For a publisher, that means stable online numbers, more repeat purchases, and organic audience growth through invitations.
brainCloud is a cloud platform for multiplayer on Unity that handles the entire server side. You don't need to buy and maintain your own servers — we connect ready-made infrastructure: fast matchmaking, stable sessions, shared achievements, and leaderboards.
The client gets a game that doesn't "crash" at peak load, and launching new tournaments and events takes days, not months.
With multiplayer on brainCloud, monetization works more predictably. Seasonal events, team quests, and leaderboards motivate players to spend in-game currency — for example, on unique skins or progress acceleration.
Flexible reward configuration lets you run promotions precisely, targeting key player segments, and quickly see what drives the most revenue.
Finally, multiplayer strengthens brand loyalty. Players feel like part of a community, so they're more willing to stay in the game, take part in activities, and recommend the project to friends.
And brainCloud's built-in analytics shows where players lose interest — so you can adjust balance and economy in time without losing your audience.
At truetech.by, we use brainCloud in projects for clients from the gaming industry: we design multiplayer mechanics around a business goal, configure the platform, and provide support after release. You get a game that retains users and generates profit — not just something that works technically.
Multiplayer Development Formats for Your Task
The choice of format depends on where your project currently stands and what result you need in the near term. For some, it's enough to add network modes to an already working game; for others, multiplayer needs to be built from scratch.
That's why we don't lock ourselves into a single template — we match the development format to the specific business task, from a standalone module to full product support after launch.
Cooperation Formats
| Format | For whom | What the client gets |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone multiplayer module | You have a game and need to add co-op matches or network modes | We integrate brainCloud and launch multiplayer without reworking the rest of the game. You get a working mode in a short timeframe |
| Integration of brainCloud services | You need leaderboards, matchmaking, cloud saves, and rankings | We use the platform's ready-made mechanisms — fewer errors, shorter timelines, and a lower budget than building from scratch |
| Turnkey multiplayer | You're creating a new game or planning to completely rework an old one | You get a release-ready product: from architecture to launch, with load testing and post-launch support |
| Support and ongoing development | The game is already live and you need to retain players and expand functionality | We monitor stability, add capabilities, and respond quickly to user requests |
This approach lets you start small and avoid paying for what you don't need. If you're not sure which format fits your task, we'll send a breakdown of your situation and suggest the optimal option — from brainCloud integration to a full development cycle.
How Multiplayer Development Works: From Brief to Launch
Multiplayer development isn't just a technical task — it's a process where it's essential to align business expectations with what the game can deliver.
We structure the work as a clear roadmap: you know what happens at each stage, what you receive, and when you'll be able to launch the product. Below is a typical project flow, adapted to your game.
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Brief and task audit. We meet and discuss genre, audience, mechanics, and the number of players per session. We lock down the scope of work, timelines, and approval checkpoints — so you know in advance where adjustments can be made.
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Solution design. We determine which events to synchronize, how players will connect, and what to do when a connection drops. We prepare an integration scheme and get it approved before development begins.
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Playable prototype. We build a demo version with the core multiplayer logic: connection, movement, interaction. You test it on real devices and provide feedback.
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Development and integration. We configure the server-side logic through brainCloud: authentication, matchmaking, leaderboards, and saves. We connect everything to your Unity project so players get a stable experience.
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Load testing. We test the game with a large number of concurrent users, looking for synchronization errors and delays. We fix everything found before release — that's the key to good reviews.
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Launch. We publish the game, monitor the first sessions, and respond quickly to issues. You get a finished product ready to offer to players.
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Support and development. We stay in touch after launch: helping you add modes, improve balance, and expand multiplayer capabilities as your audience grows.
This sequence eliminates surprises and drawn-out deadlines. You control the key checkpoints, and we handle the technical complexity — from architecture to release.
What's Included in the Delivery After Multiplayer Development
When development is complete, you receive not just working code but a complete package for independently growing the project. All results are handed over stage by stage and documented in acceptance acts — you can see progress at every step and adjust tasks if priorities change.
The delivery includes:
- Multiplayer source code with clear comments — your team will be able to understand the logic even without our constant involvement.
- Architecture documentation: how the server side and the client are structured, how components exchange data. This is the foundation for any future improvements and scaling.
- Deployment instructions for the server: a step-by-step guide to environment setup, installation, and launch — from the first file to a working system.
- Administrator guide: how to monitor the server state, manage game sessions, handle abnormal situations, and recover after failures.
- Test scenarios and checklists for verifying key functions — you can quickly confirm everything works after updates or changes.
- A training webinar for your team: we walk through the code, explain maintenance processes, and answer questions — this speeds up knowledge transfer.
- Technical support for an agreed period after launch: we provide operational consulting and jointly resolve issues so you're never left alone with problems.
This package covers the typical client fears: dependency on the developer, knowledge loss when switching contractors, and operational difficulties after project handover. You get not a "black box" but a transparent system that your team can maintain and grow.
Real Case: Player Retention Growth After Multiplayer Implementation
One of our clients — a mobile game studio — hit a typical problem: users finished the solo level in an evening and abandoned the project. There was enough content for a few days, and without a live opponent, interest faded. So they decided to add multiplayer to give players a reason to come back.
The implementation was built on the brainCloud cloud service. That made it possible to launch shared game sessions, leaderboards, and matches quickly, without running their own server infrastructure.
The client saves on infrastructure and gets stable performance even as the online numbers grow. We connected the core modes in a short time and shipped the update.
Results
The key metric — player retention — grew by 40% in the first month after release. The average session became noticeably longer: instead of solo playthroughs, there were co-op games with friends and competitions for the top of the leaderboard. Weekly repeat launches grew noticeably — players return to outdo their rivals.
After the initial results, the client expanded the project: we added seasonal events, guilds, and tournament tables. The team continues to develop the game with us, and multiplayer has become the core of the product — regular updates and marketing campaigns are built around it.
This case confirms: a properly designed multiplayer solves the retention problem, not just adds an extra feature. Every client gets a tool that drives product growth.
Frequently Asked Questions About Multiplayer Development on Unity
Before a project starts, clients almost always have the same doubts. We've collected the most common questions and answered them — so you know in advance how multiplayer development on Unity with brainCloud works.
How secure is multiplayer on brainCloud?
Players don't connect directly to each other — all game data passes through a protected server. This prevents data tampering and client-side hacking.
Action verification algorithms are also configured: suspicious events are blocked automatically, so cheaters won't ruin the experience for honest players.
How much does multiplayer development cost?
The cost depends on the set of online features: whether you need rankings, tournaments, co-op playthroughs, or in-game chat. We provide a cost estimate after a short discussion, fix it in the contract, and add no hidden charges. Server rental and cloud platform licenses are already included in the final price.
What are the development timelines?
A typical project takes two to four months — from the first meeting to release. The timeline is affected by the complexity of the mechanics, the need to integrate with your account system, and the scope of testing.
We break the work into stages and show you results after each one, so you can stay in control of the process.
Who will support the multiplayer after release?
After launch, we stay in touch: we help with updates, monitor load, and fix bugs promptly. You can also sign a technical maintenance contract — you pay a fixed amount and get peace of mind that everything is running.
Next Steps: Let's Discuss Your Project and Start Development
To get started, you don't need anything but a technical specification or an idea. Leave a request — within one business day we'll respond, ask a few clarifying questions, and propose a work plan.
Here's how it goes, step by step:
- Request and initial consultation — we look at what game you want to build, who your audience is, and which multiplayer features are critical.
- Project analysis and budget estimate — we check which mechanics are realistically achievable on Unity with brainCloud and prepare a transparent estimate with no hidden costs.
- Prototype and technical specification — we show how the online mode will look and behave, and lock down timelines and milestones.
- Development and testing — we build the multiplayer stage by stage, testing load, connection stability, and data protection.
- Launch and support — we help roll out the update, monitor server performance, and make adjustments after go-live.
After every stage, you receive an intermediate result and see the progress. No "we'll call you in a month, nothing's ready yet" — we work on an agreed schedule.
Discussing your project is free and carries no obligation. Tell us about your idea, and we'll show you how it turns into a working multiplayer on brainCloud. Leave a request on the website — and within a day you'll have a concrete action plan.
How to Choose a Multiplayer Format for Your Game's Specifics
Choosing a multiplayer format doesn't start with technology — it starts with your player. Think about what they do most often in your game: fight in real time, exchange resources, or drop into someone else's world for a hint.
That determines whether they need instant reaction to their actions — or whether seeing the result a few hours later is enough.
The second important question is session scale. If a single encounter involves two or three people, simple rooms are enough.
If you're planning large battles and co-op raids, you'll need to synchronize dozens of players at once, which affects server load and the development budget.
The third question is how often you want to bring players back: short matches retain differently than long campaigns with shared progress.
A practical tip: don't pick a "for life" format. Start with a minimal prototype that tests the core idea using a basic mode. Launch it to a small audience and see which scenario gives you more retention: real-time, turn-based, or asynchronous. It's player behavior that shows where to invest your resources.
We work on the brainCloud platform — it supports different multiplayer schemes without a full rework of the project. So you can confidently start with one format and expand it once the game has proven its demand. That reduces risk and saves budget at the start.
If you're unsure, ask yourself a simple question: what will the player do in the first ten minutes? If your answer is "interact with others," choose formats with instant reaction.
If they play solo at first and competition kicks in later, asynchronous mechanics are enough. We'll help you package the chosen scenario into a reliable solution.