I assumed paid services must be better. Free tools felt risky at first. Testing changed my opinion completely.
This post is part of my daily learning journey in game development.
I’m sharing what I learn each day — the basics, the confusion, and the real progress — from the perspective of a beginner.
On Day 47 of my game development journey, I explored EOS (Epic Online Services) and Steam Online Services for multiplayer.
What I tried / learned today
I learned that both EOS and Steam Online Services support multiplayer features like sessions, lobbies, and player management.
The main difference I noticed:
- Steam Online Services require platform-specific setup and fees
- EOS is free to use and supports cross-platform projects
I tested EOS for my multiplayer project for about three days.
For my current use case, it worked smoothly and handled everything I needed.
This made one thing clear:
The “best” service depends on the project, not the price tag.
What confused me
I was confused about:
- Which service is actually better
- Whether paid always means more reliable
- What to choose for long-term projects
- Which option studios usually prefer
Online opinions made things more confusing instead of clearer.
What worked or finally clicked
What finally clicked was simple:
There is no single best option.
I realized that:
- Budget matters, especially for beginners
- Testing a service yourself gives real answers
- Preferences change as project scope grows
What works for learning may not be what studios use — and that’s okay.
One lesson for beginners
- Don’t assume paid tools are always better
- Test services before committing
- EOS is great for learning and small projects
- Steam services require fees and setup
- Project needs matter more than tools
Slow progress — but I’m building a strong foundation.
If you’re also learning game development,
what was the first thing that confused you when you started?
See you in the next post 🎮🚀
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