Amazon GameSparks is currently in preview. Changes might be made to this service and to this documentation. We don't recommend using this service for production workloads.
What is Amazon GameSparks?
GameSparks is a fully managed AWS service that provides a multi-service backend for game developers. You can focus on building your game and leave managing and scaling your cloud infrastructure to GameSparks. Rather than having to glue all the pieces together yourself, GameSparks integrates them for you to use as building blocks in your cloud code.
Why GameSparks?
With GameSparks you can:
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Quickly get started with ready-to-use game backend features. These standard features require minimal configuration and little to no experience with managing infrastructure. GameSparks is serverless, so you don't have to perform tasks such as provisioning CPU and memory.
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Reduce the cost and time needed to launch a game. GameSparks manages the backend services and updates, leaving you free to focus on the unique aspects of your game.
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Automatically get continuous improvements. When we add new AWS technology, you get the benefits without having to manually upgrade.
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Have predictable scaling. On GameSparks, you don't have to predict how much capacity you'll need as your game grows. Your game automatically has room to grow with the highly scalable and reliable AWS global infrastructure
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Customize the backend and implement your game logic in cloud code. You can make round trip changes and tests all in your browser using test harness.
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Use secure native integrations with other AWS services such as AWS Lambda and Amazon DynamoDB to develop custom features.
Features of GameSparks
GameSparks provides the following features that you can use to implement your game logic in a fully managed backend.
Messages and cloud code
Cloud code (JavaScript ES5.1) is where you implement your game logic and leverage other AWS services. The events, requests, and responses that you define serve as the hub of your game backend.
After you define your messages, you can generate and download code that simplifies writing strongly typed client code. The GameSparks SDK automatically handles identity and anonymous authentication for your game client connections to GameSparks.
GameSparks provides APIs to enable messaging between client and backend. These APIs also handle player data storage and logging to Amazon CloudWatch. A WebSocket-based messaging pipeline provides bidirectional communication between the client and the game backend.
For more information, see Using messages to implement game logic in Amazon GameSparks.
DynamoDB integration
GameSparks integrates with DynamoDB for you to maintain global data, including level maps, item catalogs, teams, and player matching. For more information, see Read and write Amazon DynamoDB tables from Amazon GameSparks.
Lambda integration
Using Lambda functions, you can expand the backend to leverage other AWS resources and to use other third-party services in your game. You can also reuse the same functions in multiple games. For more information, see Using AWS Lambda functions in your Amazon GameSparks game.
Test harness
To iterate and test your cloud code, you don't have to download and integrate code into your development environment every time. GameSparks provides a test harness feature that you can use to test your messages directly in your browser.
Unity integration
Install the GameSparks client SDK in Unity for ready-to-use authentication, connection, and communication with the backend.
Pricing for GameSparks
There is no charge to use GameSparks during the Preview.
