Metaplay vs LootLocker: Which Game Backend Should You Choose?

Quick comparison: Metaplay vs LootLocker at a glance

Category	Metaplay	LootLocker
Type	Source-available server-authoritative platform	Hosted backend-as-a-service (API/SaaS)
Built for	Live-service games at scale	Indies and small/mid studios shipping fast
Hosting	Metaplay Cloud, managed by Metaplay on AWS; self-host via Private Cloud	LootLocker hosts everything
Source access	Full C# server, Unity SDK, Vue dashboard	Open-source client SDKs; backend is closed SaaS
Engine support	Unity (client SDK); WebGL; consoles via custom work	Unity, Unreal, Godot, GameMaker, Construct, GDevelop + REST
Architecture	Server-authoritative; shared C# client/server logic	API calls to hosted services; client-driven
Player systems	Auth, profiles, segmentation, GDPR tools	Auth, unified accounts, profiles, friends, files, metadata
Economy	Server-authoritative currencies, inventory, IAP validation	Currencies, catalogs, commerce, Stripe + store purchases
LiveOps	A/B testing, live events, offers, OTA configs, leaderboards	Progressions, leaderboards, content management, drop tables
AI & developer tooling	Metaplay Agent (public preview) + Docs/Portal MCP servers; no in-product ML	No first-party AI tooling or in-product ML documented; open-source SDKs are AI-readable
Free tier	Free for local development; full SDK	30-day trial up to 1,000 MAU
Entry pricing	€195/month (Starter)	Paid plans after trial; Publisher overage $0.015/MAU

Overview: two backends built for different ambitions

These two products solve overlapping problems for different teams. Which one matches a project depends on how ambitious the game is and how much operational work the team wants to own.

LootLocker is a hosted backend-as-a-service founded in 2019 (Stockholm) by people with backgrounds in the games industry whose careers span Mojang, DICE, Avalanche Studios, Crytek, and King (About LootLocker). It provides authentication, player profiles, progressions, leaderboards, currencies, and a content/commerce layer through APIs and open-source SDKs. LootLocker hosts the backend; you call it. Progression and leaderboards can be live without provisioning a server or managing infrastructure.

Metaplay was founded in 2019 by people with backgrounds in the game and software industries and takes the opposite shape. It ships as full source code: a C# game server, a Unity SDK, and a Vue.js LiveOps Dashboard, and is hosted by default on Metaplay Cloud, a managed service Metaplay operates on AWS; self-hosting in your own AWS account is available via the Private Cloud plan at scale. Game logic is written once in C# and runs deterministically on both the Unity client and the .NET server, with the server holding authority over all game state (Metaplay architecture). Studios building on Metaplay include Metacore, Trailmix, and Lessmore.

The two target different stages and scales. LootLocker is built for solo developers and small indie teams that want progression, leaderboards, and a simple economy live quickly with low operational burden; it is hosted, and its paid plans are lower-priced. Metaplay is built for live-service games that need server-authoritative logic, full source access, custom LiveOps, and headroom to scale; it runs a server backend, is hosted by default on Metaplay Cloud, and is priced for studios committed to a live-service title.

Architecture: server-authoritative source vs hosted API

Aspect	Metaplay	LootLocker
Model	Source-available platform you run	Hosted backend-as-a-service
Server language	C# (.NET), source provided	N/A (managed service)
Client SDKs	Unity (C#)	Unity, Unreal, Godot + REST
State authority	Server-authoritative	Client calls hosted APIs
Custom server logic	Direct C# modification	Configuration + server-side rules within LootLocker
Hosting	Metaplay Cloud (managed on AWS); self-host via Private Cloud	LootLocker's cloud
Data ownership	You own the source code and can self-host or fork	Data lives in LootLocker's hosted backend

LootLocker architecture

LootLocker is API-first. Your game authenticates a player, then makes HTTPS calls to hosted services for profiles, progressions, leaderboards, currencies, and purchases. Engines with a dedicated SDK get a typed wrapper around those calls; anything else can hit the Game API directly over HTTP. You configure behavior (currencies, catalogs, progression tiers, drop tables) through a web console, and LootLocker runs the backend for you.

With this design you write little backend code and operate no infrastructure. Game-critical logic generally runs where the client can influence it, and the deeper server-side rules are bounded by what LootLocker exposes. For casual and mid-core games, this keeps integration light. For competitive or economy-heavy games where cheating is a threat, the client-influenced model is a factor to weigh.

Metaplay architecture

Metaplay compiles your game logic for both Unity (client) and .NET (server). When a player takes an action, it runs locally on the client for responsiveness, then the server re-runs and validates it and persists the result. If client and server diverge, the server is authoritative. Because both sides run the same deterministic C#, a class of client/server sync bugs is avoided.

This model requires Unity and C#, runs a server cluster (hosted by default on Metaplay Cloud, or self-hosted in your own cloud via Private Cloud), and involves more to learn on day one than calling a REST endpoint.

AI and developer tooling: where each invests

AI appears in two places: tooling that helps your team build (assistants, MCP servers, codegen), and AI/ML that runs in your live game (churn prediction, ML matchmaking, moderation). Metaplay ships first-party developer AI tooling; LootLocker currently advertises none.

Dimension	Metaplay	LootLocker
Developer AI tooling	Metaplay Agent (public preview): SDK "skills" that turn Claude Code, Cursor, and similar tools into a Metaplay developer; plus Docs and Portal MCP servers and the MetaplayGPT docs chatbot	No first-party AI assistant, MCP server, or code generation documented; its open-source client SDKs are at least readable by AI coding tools
In-product AI / ML	None built in: matchmaking, segmentation, and A/B testing are rules- and config-based; analytics stream to your own warehouse	No in-product AI/ML (churn, ML matchmaking, AI moderation) documented

Metaplay concentrates its AI investment in developer and operator tooling. The Metaplay Agent, currently in public preview, installs SDK skills so a coding agent works like a Metaplay developer, and Docs and Portal MCP servers expose documentation, SDK source, and live infrastructure to AI tools. Because the source is included, an agent reads the system it is changing rather than working against an API alone.

LootLocker does not currently market AI features in either category. Its open-source SDKs are AI-readable like any public code, but there is no documented MCP server, coding assistant, or in-product ML. They diverge on developer AI tooling: Metaplay ships first-party developer AI tooling, and LootLocker documents none.

Core features: auth, progression, and economy compared

Both platforms cover the standard backend surface area. They diverge in depth and where authority lives.

Authentication and player identity

Feature	Metaplay	LootLocker
Device/anonymous auth	Yes (automatic)	Yes
Social login	Google, Apple, Facebook, Steam	Apple, Google, Steam, Epic, white-label
Console auth	Custom integration	Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, Meta (paid tiers)
Unified cross-platform accounts	Yes	Yes
Friends / followers	Via guilds and social framework	Built-in friends and followers

LootLocker provides cross-platform identity and console sign-in, with first-party platform linking, friends, and followers available out of the box (What is LootLocker). Console authentication sits on its paid plans. Metaplay provides automatic anonymous device auth plus social logins and account recovery (Metaplay auth docs); console platforms are supported through custom integration rather than a turnkey switch.

Progression and leaderboards

Feature	Metaplay	LootLocker
Progression systems	PlayerModel state + Player Stats	Point-based progressions with tiers and rewards
Leaderboards	Leagues (sharded, ranked)	Leaderboards with resets and rewards
Seasonal competition	Leagues with divisions and seasons	Time-based leaderboard resets
Authority	Server-validated	Configured in the hosted backend

LootLocker's progressions and leaderboards are configured in its hosted console. Metaplay handles leaderboards and seasonal play through its Leagues system, which shards divisions to rank across millions of players, with progression tracked as authoritative state in the PlayerModel.

Economy and storage

Feature	Metaplay	LootLocker
Virtual currencies	Multiple, server-authoritative	Multiple, earn/purchase/spend
Inventory / catalogs	Config-driven, server-held	Asset catalogs and content management
IAP validation	Server-side (App Store, Google Play, Steam)	Store purchases + Stripe payments
Web shop	Build your own	Built-in personalized web shop
Player files / storage	PlayerModel state	Player file storage and metadata
Transaction authority	Server	Hosted backend

LootLocker's Platform Commerce covers currencies, catalogs, and purchases, and added Stripe in 2026 so you can sell assets, currencies, and progressions directly to players, including a hosted web shop for direct-to-player monetization. Metaplay's economy is server-authoritative end to end: currencies, inventory, grants, and receipt validation all execute on the server, so the client can show an expected result but never decides the outcome.

LiveOps depth: customizable stack vs hosted console

LiveOps is where the two platforms diverge most.

Feature	Metaplay	LootLocker
A/B testing	Experiments with audiences and rollout %	Not a core focus
Remote config	Game Configs via Google Sheets/CSV, OTA	Content/config management in console
Live events	Scheduled events with phases and targeting	Content scheduling
Offers	Offer groups, placements, segment targeting	Catalog-driven
Player segmentation	Rules on any player property	Player metadata and graphs
Dashboard	Vue.js dashboard, source-accessible	Web console (hosted, not customizable)
Analytics export	BigQuery, S3	MAU and player data; Player Graphs
Load testing	BotClient (headless bots to millions of CCU)	Not provided

LootLocker provides a web console to manage content, currencies, and player data, plus Player Graphs for tracking activity across a portfolio. The console is hosted and not customizable.

Metaplay's LiveOps stack ships as editable source. It includes A/B testing with audiences and rollout percentages, live events with scheduled phases, game configs driven from Google Sheets or CSV and pushed over the air, player segmentation on any property, an async matchmaker, and GDPR data tooling.

Because the Vue dashboard ships as source, a team can add game-specific pages and actions rather than working within a fixed UI. Metaplay also supports AI-assisted development: the Metaplay Agent installs SDK skills for coding agents, alongside Docs and Portal MCP servers and MetaplayGPT.

Pricing: how MAU and DAU models compare

The pricing models reflect the two philosophies. LootLocker bills by monthly active users (MAU) and opens with a free trial. Metaplay uses flat tiers plus a per-day DAU licence fee, and starts paying once you leave local development.

LootLocker pricing

LootLocker starts with a free 30-day trial that covers up to 1,000 MAU, then moves you onto a paid plan (LootLocker pricing). The trial covers shipping a prototype with real players, but it is a trial, not a permanent free tier.

Plan	Price	Notes
Trial	$0 (30 days)	Up to 1,000 MAU; core player, content, and game systems
Developer	Paid	Adds console auth (Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, Meta); higher MAU allowance
Publisher	Paid	Unified accounts, Twitch Drops, Player Graphs; highest MAU allowance

The Publisher plan bills overage at $0.015 per monthly active user over the included allowance. Exact Developer and Publisher prices are quote-based, so confirm current numbers with LootLocker directly. (LootLocker also runs a Non-Commercial program for students and hobby projects: an eligibility track, not a standard plan.)

Metaplay pricing

Metaplay uses flat monthly tiers, and every feature is included in every paid tier. The variable cost lives in Production: a licence fee of €2.95 per 1,000 DAU charged per day, with the first 5,000 DAU per day included.

Tier	Price	Includes
Free	€0	Local development, full SDK
Starter	€195/month	1 mini environment, 5 DAU cap
Pre-Launch	€995/month	2 small environments, 100 DAU cap
Production	€1,985/month + €2.95 per 1,000 DAU/day	Staging + production, first 5,000 DAU/day included
Private Cloud	Custom	Self-hosted, very high scale (>1M DAU)

The licence fee is charged per day, so it is multiplied across the month. Take a game holding 100,000 DAU every day of a 30-day month: 100,000 − 5,000 = 95,000 billable, so 95 × €2.95 = €280.25 per day, times 30 = €8,407.50, plus the €1,985 base = €10,392.50/month. A steady 50,000 DAU works out to about €5,967.50/month. See Metaplay pricing for the worked example and current details.

At 100,000 DAU, €10,392.50/month is roughly the fully loaded cost of one experienced backend engineer. The alternative to a managed platform is building and operating these systems in-house, which means staffing a full backend and DevOps team for the life of the game. Among the options here, Metaplay is the only one that delivers a source-available backend as a managed service, so a studio gets those systems without building that team and without lock-in. Metaplay's analysis puts an in-house backend build at around $21M over a typical multi-year build: The true cost of building your own backend.

Reading the two models

For a small game, LootLocker costs less: it is free during the trial, then lower-priced paid plans, with no infrastructure to pay for or run. Metaplay's entry tiers are priced for studios already committed to a live-service title and running a server backend, and the per-day DAU fee scales the cost up as a game grows.

The two prices cover different things. With LootLocker you rent hosted services. With Metaplay you own the platform's source code while it runs on managed Metaplay Cloud, which costs more to start and provides control over the stack.

Key differences that decide the choice

Who carries the operational burden

LootLocker runs the backend. You write integration code and configure features; you do not provision servers, manage databases, or handle scaling. Metaplay runs on managed Metaplay Cloud by default, with Metaplay operating the infrastructure on AWS; self-hosting in your own AWS account is available via Private Cloud, where you take on more of that operational relationship. One model removes operational work; the other adds both control and responsibility.

Source access and lock-in

Metaplay ships full source for the C# server, Unity SDK, and Vue dashboard in its paid tiers: you can read, modify, debug, and extend any part, and fork it if you ever leave (source access). LootLocker open-sources its client SDKs on GitHub, so you can read and patch the integration layer, but the backend itself is a closed hosted service you do not run or modify.

Scale ceiling and state authority

Metaplay is built for live-service games that need server-authoritative state and large scale, with dynamic scaling on Kubernetes and load testing via BotClient to millions of CCU. LootLocker scales as a managed service across the indie and mid-size range; its client-driven model and hosted limits define how it handles a cheat-sensitive, economy-heavy title at the top end.

Engine support beyond Unity

LootLocker covers more engines. It offers SDKs for Unity, Unreal, and Godot, lighter integrations for GameMaker, Construct 3, and GDevelop, and a REST Game API any engine can call (SDKs). Metaplay's client SDK is Unity-focused: there is no Unreal SDK, and other engines get API access only, with WebGL supported and consoles handled through custom integration.

When each platform fits your game

LootLocker fits...	Metaplay fits...
You are a solo dev or small indie team	You are building an ambitious live-service game
You want progression/leaderboards live this week	You need server-authoritative game logic
You want minimal or zero ops	You want full source access and no lock-in
You are on Unreal, Godot, GameMaker, or web	You are on Unity with shared C# client/server logic
Shipping fast and cheaply matters most right now	You need deep, customizable LiveOps and A/B testing
You want a hosted web shop and quick monetization	You need headroom to scale to millions of players
Cross-platform identity and console auth are the priority	Cheat resistance and economy integrity are critical

For teams that are early, small, or experimenting, LootLocker gets a game live quickly at a lower cost with no server to run. For a live-service title where server authority, source control, and customizable LiveOps are requirements, Metaplay supplies those at the cost of operating the platform. Which one matches depends on those needs.

Still weighing options? Compare Metaplay vs Nakama for the open-source self-hosting route, or read about building vs buying a game backend. To talk through specifics, get a demo.

FAQ

How much does LootLocker cost, and is it free?

LootLocker is free for a 30-day trial covering up to 1,000 MAU: enough to ship a prototype, but not a permanent free tier. After the trial you move to a paid plan (Developer or Publisher); the Publisher plan bills overage at $0.015 per monthly active user above its included allowance. Developer and Publisher prices are quote-based, so check LootLocker pricing for current numbers.

Which is better for a game scaling to millions of players?

Metaplay is built for server-authoritative live-service games at large scale, with dynamic scaling on Kubernetes and load testing via BotClient to millions of concurrent users. LootLocker scales as a managed service across the indie and mid-size range; its client-driven model and hosted limits define how it handles a cheat-sensitive, economy-heavy title at the very top end.

Is LootLocker or Metaplay better for an indie developer?

LootLocker opens with a free 30-day trial up to 1,000 MAU, has almost no operational overhead, and ships SDKs for nearly every engine. Metaplay is built for studios committed to a live-service game and running a server backend. The fit depends on whether minimal ops and broad engine support or server authority and source access matter more for the project.

Does LootLocker support Unreal and Godot?

Yes. LootLocker has full SDKs for Unity, Unreal, and Godot, plus lighter integrations for GameMaker, Construct 3, and GDevelop, and a REST Game API any engine can call. Metaplay, by contrast, is Unity-focused: there is no Unreal SDK, and other engines get API access only.

Can I use Metaplay without Unity?

The Metaplay client SDK is Unity-focused and there is no Unreal SDK; other engines get API access only. WebGL is supported, and consoles are handled through custom integration. LootLocker provides SDKs for Unreal, Godot, and GameMaker (Metaplay limitations).

Does LootLocker give me server-authoritative game logic?

LootLocker is API-driven and primarily client-initiated, with rules configured in its hosted backend. Metaplay runs shared C# logic that is validated on the server, so the server holds authority over game state. The two models handle cheat-sensitive competitive and economy-heavy games differently.

Who hosts the backend?

LootLocker hosts and operates its backend; you call its APIs. Metaplay ships as full source and is hosted by default on Metaplay Cloud, a managed service Metaplay operates on AWS; self-hosting in your own AWS account is available via the Private Cloud plan, so you always own the source (Metaplay deployment).

Can I move off either platform later?

Metaplay provides full source, so you can fork and run it yourself with no vendor lock-in. With LootLocker you would export your data and rebuild backend behavior elsewhere, since the backend is a hosted service rather than code you run.

Last updated: June 2026. Pricing and features change often, and LootLocker's Developer and Publisher prices are quote-based. See Metaplay pricing and LootLocker pricing for current information, or get a demo to talk through your specific game.