PlayFab launches free backend games dev tools

PlayFab, a US provider of backend services for games developers, has made much of its offering available to customers for free.

The new PlayFab Free Tier, which launches today, gives studios unlimited access to key features of its service, which are primarily aimed at live games looking to improve their monetisation and player retention.

Features include receipt verification, authenticated logins and real-money purchasing, with cross-platform authentication allowing devs to create games that players can continue seamlessly across multiple devices.

The Free Tier can be integrated at any stage of a game’s development, with support available for Unity, Unreal, Javascript, Flash and more. The tools have been designed to work with games across all major platforms, including iOS, Android, Xbox, PlayStation, Steam and Facebook.

PlayFab already has a number of studios signed up, including AdVenture Capitalist developer Hyper Hippo Games.

PlayFab CEO James Gwertzman said: “As game development becomes increasingly expensive and complex, these studios are looking for resources that allow them to cost-effectively do what they do best: create great games.

“Moves by Unity and Unreal to grant developers free access to their engines have been an inspiration, and by launching Free Tier, we are furthering an important movement to open access to technology for the greater game development community.”