What Is a Game Server? A Behind-the-Scenes Look

Whenever I play a multiplayer game, I have to remind myself just how magical the experience truly is. I’m partaking in a high-resolution, fast-paced game with dozens of players around the world. I’ve even been a part of up to 40-player raids on World of Warcraft, and I’ve read about even larger ones.

All of that happens — the speedy, multiplayer support at any time of the day (or night) — thanks to game servers.

A game server is the computer, or network of computers, that lays the foundational support for all multiplayer games. It’s a central hub that not only stores game files but allows for real-time communications between players, syncing of player actions, and saving of game states.

A game server is both a control center and a referee. It makes sure all actions occur, and it keeps track of those actions for the most seamless gameplay possible. And I’m here to explain everything about game servers, why they’re essential for game developers, and how they work.

In my opinion, game servers work best when you don’t notice them at all. The goal is to have a game server that offers:

• Smooth gameplay
• Real-time communication
• Player synchronization

That should all happen without any lags or other issues that may make you think, “Dangit, the game server is acting up again.”

Below, I’ll explain how game servers work, starting with core functionality, while also covering the client-server model and real-time data exchange.

The Core Functionality

The core functionality behind any game server is actually a combination of three offerings:

1. Enforcing rules in a game
2. Maintaining the game state
3. Processing and relaying all actions made by players

So, if I were to push a button to make a player swing a sword, that button input gets sent to the server. The server then updates the game state to indicate that I’ve pushed the “swing sword” button. After that, the server broadcasts that “change in game state” to the other players.

As a result, everyone playing the game sees, and experiences, that I swung my sword.

This type of processing happens thousands of times each second to ensure each player experiences an illusion of real-time gameplay.

The Client-Server Model

Game servers work by using what’s called the client-server model. This refers to how the game server (the host server) interacts with players using game consoles and computers (the clients).

The relationship works like this: Game servers act as the ultimate authority. They are all-knowing.

Here are the main tasks and roles within the client-server model:

• The server enforces rules and manages authority over the game state
• Clients send inputs (button presses) to the server, then the clients receive replies and updates back from the server
• Servers process every player action
• Clients take data from the server and render the gameplay on screen for the user to see
• The server manages rules and performance measures from a central hub to prevent things like lagging and cheating

You might even think of a game server as the god of the gaming experience, since it’s responsible for rendering the entire reality of each game, from its rules to how the game gets shown on the screen.

Real-Time Data Exchange

I like to look at real-time data exchange in the realm of a real-world tennis match, where each player must respond to how the ball moves in less than a second.

If, however, the player receiving the ball experienced a delay right after their opponent hit the ball, that would ruin the entire game, or at least make it unfair.

That’s how real-time data exchange works on gaming servers. The gaming server must provide low latency and smooth synchronization so none of the players experience delays in gameplay. I’ve noticed this to be particularly true when playing fast-paced games like first-person shooters.

Players are mashing their buttons so rapidly that the game server must respond incredibly fast. Otherwise, the game seems laggy, especially with thousands of players.

Sometimes, game developers manage their own servers. Other times, users may want to host a multiplayer game themselves. When you opt for your own game server, you gain control over the customization of game settings, performance, and even the rules of the game.

The type of game server you choose, however, varies based on the game. Here are my recommendations based on the type of game you plan on playing.

Dedicated Servers

Dedicated servers offer the most power, customization, and stability out of any game server.

However, they are the most expensive. In short, dedicated servers devote all server resources to hosting one game session, instead of having a server manage multiple games at once.

I prefer a dedicated server when you need peak performance for multiplayer games like Battlefield or Call of Duty. I’d argue you’re best off using a dedicated server for any first-person shooter.

Peer-to-Peer Servers

Peer-to-peer servers use the network of client devices, so each player’s device or console functions as both the client and host.

This offers a decentralized, affordable way of running a game server, but it’s not exactly the most reliable or high-performance option.

That’s why I only suggest peer-to-peer servers for older games or casual gameplay.

Cloud-Based Servers

Picture a cloud-based game server as more of a collection, or network, of servers working together to provide the best performance for any type of game.

Next to dedicated servers, this is by far the best option for experiencing real-time processing and fast-paced gameplay.

You can find scalable, and affordable, cloud servers from platforms like Google Cloud, Azure, or Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Listen Servers

A listen server is similar to a peer-to-peer server, except the game is only hosted by a single player throughout the entire session.

That means the player could either host the game on their computer or use a local server.

Either way, it’s impossible to tell whether a listen server will provide a solid gameplay experience. That’s because it all depends on the server management skills of that one person.

I mainly see listen servers during cooperative games and local multiplayer sessions.

Technically, you always need some sort of game server to play a multiplayer game. It’s either a server provided by the game developer or from another player. Whichever one you are, it pays to know the benefits of game servers.

I’ve encountered so many challenges when trying to run my own gaming servers. That’s mainly because I went into the process without much knowledge, but it’s worth mentioning that you will most certainly encounter issues.

That’s why I’d like to explain some challenges and limitations I’ve encountered in the past. This way, you can plan for them and avoid them as much as possible.

Latency Issues

Latency. It’s a death sentence to any fast-paced, multiplayer game. Any slight delay between a user’s clicks and the action on the screen could make the entire game pointless or unfair.

These latency issues produce lag and high ping rates, both of which make playing a game insufferable.

I once played a game where the lag increased so much it looked like my characters were playing the game underwater. In short, you want to find a game server that prevents most latency.

Server Downtime

If you’re a game developer, you must prepare for server outages. When a server goes down, it results in thousands or millions of angry users. The same can be said for personal game servers.

To keep players around, you need to maintain your servers. Here’s my solution: Schedule server maintenance on a regular schedule, like every one or two months. This keeps your server running well while maintaining trust with your users.

Server Costs

There’s no doubt about it, game servers are expensive. I find that to be particularly true whenever I’ve tried to rent game server space for games with hundreds of players. I can only imagine the amount of money it requires to host a game with millions of players.

If you’re a developer of a game, you have to keep your budget in mind when making the game and deciding on the right server.

The goal for game companies is to balance affordability and quality. Players want a seamless gaming experience, but they don’t want to pay too much. If a server is too expensive, that cost almost always gets passed to the user.

Cheating and Exploits

Some users try to cheat in games by using server-side hacks. There could be a security hole somewhere on your server. If that’s the case, someone could use that issue to gain an unfair advantage in the game. Preventing cheating and exploits is an ongoing challenge.

Game developers and personal game managers must constantly patch exploits when they arise. It’s also wise to ask users to report security holes or cheating so you have a chance to respond quickly.

Whether you’re a game developer or simply someone who wants to manage a large group of local gamers, you’ll want the best tools and technologies on your side. Below are my top choices to help you power any multiplayer gaming experience.

Game Engines With Server Support

I see game engines as Swiss Army knives for gaming. In game development, you need sets of tools to establish server-side logic and client-side gaming rules. Game engines are like templates for game developers, allowing them to accomplish complex tasks without hours of coding.

Here are some examples of common gaming engines:

• Unreal Engine
• CryEngine
• Unity

I like CryEngine for its impressive graphics support and networking power. Unity comes in handy for indie developers. Finally, Unreal Engine works best, in my opinion, for massive multiplayer games.

Server Hosting Platforms

When I talk about server hosting platforms, I like to compare them to modern, all-inclusive apartment buildings where you receive everything you could possibly need in exchange for monthly payments.

Server hosting platforms give you access to global servers for a monthly fee, and you don’t have to worry about maintaining the server infrastructure.

Options for server hosting platforms include:

• AWS GameLift
• Google Cloud Game Servers
• Microsoft Azure PlayFab

I usually recommend that game developers and gamers who want to run their own servers go straight to a server hosting platform before anything else. It’s the most efficient way to ensure scalability, reliability, and an overall manageable server environment.

Server Management Software

Server management software is yet another all-in-one software, but it helps you manage your server with things like real-time monitoring, server configurations, and scaling tools.

For instance, I’ve used server management software in the past, and it helped me predict when I’d see load spikes on the server. As a result, I was able to establish a plan of action where I implemented load balancing.

Here are examples of server management software:

• Multicraft
• WindowsGSM
• TCAdmin
• Pterodactyl

Some of these recommendations are open-source, while others require payment. They each offer unique features, but you can almost always expect tools for automation, user management, server isolation, and dynamic scaling.

The main use case for game servers is a game developer. Having said that, it’s not uncommon for individuals to manage their own game servers for local and global play. Regardless, it’s nice to understand the types of games that game servers support in the real world.

• Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOs): I’m referring to games with thousands or millions of players at one time, like “World of Warcraft” and “Final Fantasy XIV”.
• Battle Royale Games: You’ll want a game server for royale games where large groups of people come together to battle it out over the course of a few minutes or hours. Examples of games like this include “Fortnite” and “PUBG”.
• Competitive eSports Titles: The eSport world requires high-performance gaming servers thanks to the fast gameplay, and since people are playing for money or rankings. Examples of these games include “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive” and “League of Legends”.
• Social and Sandbox Games: These games aren’t as resource intensive, but they’re still wildly popular, requiring quality game servers. I’m mainly referring to games like “Minecraft” and “Roblox”.

I still recommend game servers for just about any type of multiplayer game, at least if you want the best experience possible. Even older games make sense on peer-to-peer or listen servers.

Heck, cloud servers have become so affordable, I might even recommend those for any type of game.

Developers and game server managers need to construct detailed plans for the most effective management of their servers. I’ve made countless mistakes while managing my gaming servers, but luckily that has led to several best practices to help me prevent issues in the future.

To make things easier for you, I’d like to share those best practices to ensure your game server management goes smoothly.

Optimize for Latency

You want to minimize latency as much as possible. Otherwise, you’ll end up with users complaining about lagging games and pings.

One of the best ways to optimize for latency is with geographic distribution. That means that I would only pick a server located near most of my users, or I pick a network of servers that chooses the best server based on the location of the user.

Location matters. If I’m playing a game in the US, I don’t want to use a server in the UK.

Another way I like to optimize for latency is with load balancing. This feature tells a network of servers to spread out traffic loads across multiple servers, making it so that one server doesn’t struggle with too much of the load.

Both geographic distribution and load balancing play crucial roles in reducing latency and improving gameplay for everyone involved.

Regular Updates and Maintenance

I can’t stress the importance of regular updates enough. When you manage a game server, you’ll encounter holes in its security and performance issues. Whenever I’ve neglected updates or maintenance for a game server, it shows.

I’ve experienced game crashes, glitches, and severe latency just from skipping a few updates. I’ve even seen cheating happen thanks to a well-known security hole in my server infrastructure.

A server is like a car. You need to maintain it, swap out its oil, and give it a car wash every once in a while. Otherwise, the engine starts failing, the paint chips from too much grime on the exterior, and you may even end up stranded on the side of the road.

Just like that, servers require regular attention. Give it to them, and they’ll return the favor with impressive gameplay.

Monitor Performance

If you don’t monitor the performance of your gaming server, how do you know if it’s offering the best user experience? I know it feels like you can just test out the game yourself a few times and check off the performance box when you see that it runs smoothly.

The issue is that this type of testing doesn’t tell you anything. It says nothing about the server’s speed in numbers. And it’s only a subjective analysis of what you believe to be fast.

Your best bet is to use high-quality server monitoring tools to:

• Address bottlenecks
• Understand your server speeds
• Maintain server health well into the future

This helps you spot issues long before they cause major problems like the degradation of your game performance. The goal is to identify and prevent problems before the user notices them while playing your game.

Enhance Security

When you pay for a game server solution, you may receive some built-in security measures to stop things like cheating and data loss. It’s nice to get these features, but I still want you to implement additional security measures. I’m talking about features like anti-cheat measures and secure communication channels.

The first one, anti-cheat measures, protects all players who often pay big money and spend lots of time playing your game. You’re at risk of losing users if people find out that someone is cheating. And someone who cheats is probably taking advantage of a server-side security issue. So, it’s best to prevent cheating altogether.

On top of that, you’ll want to maintain secure communication channels (preferably encrypted) so players feel comfortable chatting.

Servers. They’re the unsung heroes of the gaming universe. Most players think it’s their decked-out computer and graphics card that makes a game so sweet, but the smoothness of gameplay is most attributed to a solid game server.

It’s a complex world with servers. They balance price, technology, game management, and data logging, all in the background of your favorite game.

The next time you log into your favorite game, be it “World of Tanks”, “Minecraft”, or “Palworld”, take a moment to appreciate the thousands of server-client interactions that occur with each press of the button.

Now combine that by hundreds or thousands or millions to realize the spectacular nature of a gaming server. For all developers and gamers out there, I encourage you to commit to a high-quality gaming server for all your needs — and never let them go unmaintained.