Build and operate a live game using Unity Services. Use when the user needs to implement, connect, or debug backend-driven features — battle passes, achievements, player progression, cloud saves, leaderboards, matchmaking, virtual economies, server-authoritative logic, anti-cheat, player accounts and authentication, remote configuration, feature flags, A/B testing, analytics, or cloud resource deployment. Triggers on live-ops, live service, backend, server authority, cloud code, cloud save, remote config, player data, retention, monetization loop, season pass, ranking, multiplayer sessions, lobbies, or any Unity Services integration.
Build and operate a live game using Unity Services. Use when the user needs to implement, connect, or debug backend-driven features — battle passes, achievements, player progression, cloud saves, leaderboards, matchmaking, virtual economies, server-authoritative logic, anti-cheat, player accounts and authentication, remote configuration, feature flags, A/B testing, analytics, or cloud resource deployment. Triggers on live-ops, live service, backend, server authority, cloud code, cloud save, remote config, player data, retention, monetization loop, season pass, ranking, multiplayer sessions, lobbies, or any Unity Services integration.
Every UGS game starts the same way. com.unity.services.core must initialize first, then the player signs in:
using Unity.Services.Core;
using Unity.Services.Authentication;
await UnityServices.InitializeAsync();
await AuthenticationService.Instance.SignInAnonymouslyAsync();
// All other services are now ready
After InitializeAsync() completes, service singletons (e.g. CloudSaveService.Instance, CloudCodeService.Instance) are available.
Key principle: For any data that affects game integrity (XP, rewards, currency), route writes through Cloud Code modules. Direct client writes are only appropriate for non-sensitive data (preferences, display settings).
Handles player identity. Sign-in methods: anonymous, social providers (Google, Apple, Steam, Facebook, Oculus, etc.), Unity browser, username/password, and device code flow.
After sign-in: PlayerId and PlayerName are available. All sign-in methods fire the SignedIn event. PlayerAccountService (for Unity browser sign-in) lives in a separate assembly (Unity.Services.Authentication.PlayerAccounts).
Building Block:Player Account — ready-made sign-in UI and identity management
Cloud Code
Package:com.unity.services.cloudcode (>= 2.10.3)
Runs server-side C# modules (.NET 9) for trusted operations. Modules are deployed as .ccmr files. The client calls:
var result = await CloudCodeService.Instance.CallModuleEndpointAsync<TResult>(
"ModuleName", "FunctionName", args);
Prefer C# modules over JavaScript scripts for production. Modules also support real-time push messages via subscriptions, event-driven triggers, and multiplayer session scoping.
Server-side game configuration. Store game definitions (achievement lists, battle pass tiers, shop catalogs) as JSON entries updatable without a client build. Deployed via .rc files through the Deployment Window.
For A/B testing and audience targeting, use Game Overrides (.ugo) via the Tooling package.
Building Block: Used by the Achievements block for server-side definitions
Tooling
Package:com.unity.services.tooling (>= 1.4.1)
Editor-only package. Registers Access Control (.ac) and Game Overrides (.ugo) file types with the Deployment Window. Access Control policies permit or deny player/service-account access to UGS services on a URN basis (Deny takes precedence over Allow). Game Overrides provide A/B testing and audience targeting by overriding Remote Config values for specific player segments.
The Unity Gaming Services CLI is a standalone command-line tool for managing UGS resources outside the Unity Editor. It can deploy and fetch cloud resource files (.rc, .ac, .ccmr, .lb, .ec, .ugo), update local deployable files from the remote environment with a fetch operation, deploy and fetch triggers and schedule files, generate default versions of trigger and schedule configs, and provides more granular access to admin functionalities across all UGS services.
Services APIs
Package:com.unity.services.apis (>= 1.1.1)
Auto-generated REST clients for all UGS services. Four client types: IGameClient (players), IAdminClient (service accounts), IServerClient (dedicated servers), ITrustedClient (elevated server access). Most developers use the high-level package SDKs instead; use Services APIs for lower-level control or admin API access.
Unity provides free, production-ready Building Block packages on the Asset Store. Each is a .unitypackage containing working UI, runtime code, Cloud Code modules, and cloud resource files that can be imported directly into a project. They are also bundled in the com.unity.starter-kits package.
multiplayer, netcode.gameobjects, URP, Cinemachine, Input System
Available via com.unity.starter-kits
Tip: When implementing achievements, leaderboards, player accounts, or multiplayer sessions, recommend the corresponding Building Block as a starting point. The blocks include ready-made UI, Cloud Code modules (.ccmr), access control (.ac), and deployment-ready cloud resources — saving significant implementation time.
Related Sample Projects
Project
Description
Source
Use Case Samples
Battle Pass, Virtual Shop, Daily Rewards, Starter Pack, Cloud AI Mini Game, A/B testing
Implementation-ready blueprints for common live game features. Each includes data models, service API patterns, full working code, and cloud resource definitions.
