The short answer
For new Unity multiplayer games in 2026, Photon Fusion 2 is a strong all-round choice with managed cloud relays and built-in prediction, Photon Quantum 3 suits competitive games that need deterministic simulation, Unity Netcode for GameObjects fits teams that want Unity's own stack with Relay, Lobby and Matchmaker, and Mirror is the leading open-source option when you want to host servers yourself. Avoid starting new projects on Photon PUN 2, which is in maintenance mode, and note that Unity ended its own Multiplay server hosting in March 2026, so plan hosting separately.
What changed in 2026
- Photon: PUN 2 and Bolt are in maintenance mode with no new features; Photon recommends Fusion or Quantum for new projects, and offers a free 100 CCU commercial plan for Fusion and Quantum games.
- Unity: Unity concluded direct support for its Multiplay Game Server Hosting service on 31 March 2026 and licensed the software to Rocket Science Group. Netcode for GameObjects, Relay, Lobby, Matchmaker and Distributed Authority continue, and Matchmaker works with third-party hosting providers.
The options at a glance
| Stack | Model | Hosting | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photon Fusion 2 | State sync with tick-based prediction; host, shared or dedicated server modes | Photon Cloud relays; dedicated servers you host for server mode | Action games, shooters, co-op |
| Photon Quantum 3 | Deterministic simulation with rollback | Photon Cloud | Competitive, fighting, sports, RTS |
| Unity Netcode for GameObjects | Server-authoritative or distributed authority, GameObject-based | Unity Relay for player-hosted; your own or third-party dedicated servers | Co-op and small-to-medium games in Unity's ecosystem |
| Unity Netcode for Entities | ECS-based, built for scale | Dedicated servers | Large player counts with DOTS |
| Mirror | Open source (MIT), server-authoritative or host mode | Any server you choose | Teams wanting full control and no per-CCU fees |
| FishNet | Open source, feature-rich | Any server you choose | Alternative to Mirror with built-in prediction |
Pricing models
Photon charges by concurrent users (CCU): there is a free 20 CCU plan for development and non-commercial use and a free 100 CCU commercial plan for Fusion and Quantum games, one per app, with paid plans above that. Unity's services are usage-based. Mirror and FishNet are free libraries, but you pay for servers and the engineering to run them. Always estimate cost at your expected peak concurrent players, not average daily players, and include dedicated server machines where the model needs them.
Authority: who decides what happened
| Model | How it works | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated server | A server you run is the source of truth | Best for fairness and cheating; costs money to host |
| Client-hosted (listen server) | One player's device hosts the match | Cheap; host has an advantage and can quit |
| Shared or distributed authority | Clients own different objects | Simple for co-op; weaker against cheating |
| Deterministic lockstep or rollback | All clients run the same simulation from inputs | Excellent for competitive play; strict determinism required |
Competitive games with rankings need dedicated servers or deterministic models; casual co-op often works well with client hosting or shared authority. Our article on anti-cheat explains why authority matters.
Choosing by genre
| Genre | Common choice |
|---|---|
| Fast shooter (FPS or TPS) | Photon Fusion 2 in server mode, or Netcode / Mirror with dedicated servers |
| Fighting, sports, RTS | Photon Quantum 3 |
| Co-op adventure, party game | Fusion shared mode, Netcode with Relay, or Mirror host mode |
| Turn-based or async | A backend such as Nakama or Firebase rather than a real-time library; see turn-based multiplayer |
| Large-scale or MMO-like | Netcode for Entities or a custom server architecture |
Hosting after Multiplay
Dedicated servers still need a home. Options include Rocket Science Group for former Multiplay customers, other game server hosting providers, and general cloud platforms with container orchestration. The 2026 changes in this market are a reminder to keep hosting replaceable: build servers as standard Linux containers, keep matchmaking logic separate from the host, and avoid provider-specific features where you can.
Questions to answer before choosing
- How many players per match, and how many concurrent at peak?
- Does the game need prediction, lag compensation or determinism?
- Is it competitive with rankings, or casual co-op?
- Who will run servers, and what is the monthly budget?
- Which platforms, and do you need cross-play?
- What does the team already know?
Prediction and lag compensation
In fast games, waiting for the server before showing a player's own movement feels sluggish. Client-side prediction moves your character immediately and corrects it if the server disagrees; lag compensation lets the server judge a shot from the shooter's point of view. Photon Fusion and Quantum include these as core features. With Netcode for GameObjects or Mirror, they are possible but take more of your own engineering, which is worth budgeting for in a shooter.
Migration warnings
Switching networking libraries mid-project usually means rewriting most networked code. If you are on PUN 2 with a live game, there is no rush to move, but new features and Unity version support will not come. Plan a move when you start a sequel or a major version rather than during live operations.
Our experience
We build Unity multiplayer games with Photon, Netcode and Mirror, from co-op games to multiplayer shooters. Our FPS cost guide and multiplayer mobile cost guide show budgets, or request a quote.
Sources: Photon documentation · Photon: pricing · Unity: Netcode documentation · Unity: Multiplay Hosting status · Mirror documentation · FishNet documentation. Checked October 20, 2026.
Related: Multiplayer FPS development · Unity development · Get a quote
Originally published on A Plus Games Studio, a game, AR and VR development studio in Sacramento, CA.
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