Question Free multiplayer tools exist?

Heyy,

It has been a while since I last developed a game using Unity, and I was wondering if there are any built-in APIs or features that allow for peer-to-peer (P2P) connections. I am specifically interested in enabling players to connect directly with each other without the need for a dedicated server.

I would prefer to avoid the cost of setting up and maintaining a server for the game. Instead, I envision a scenario where one player can simply enter their friend's IP address to establish a connection. It would be great if there is a way to create a lobby where players can gather and exchange IP addresses.

My goal is to upload the game without worrying about ongoing maintenance or unexpected expenses.

Can anyone provide guidance on whether Unity offers such capabilities or suggest alternative approaches to achieve this? I appreciate any assistance you can provide. Thank you!

 

I believe what you are looking for is Unity Relay and Lobby, these 2 services allow you to connect players together without the need for IP address sharing too, and It can be done by the lobby.
You can check Unity's docs on Relay and Lobby for more info, but this is what I'm using for my game to connect 2 players together it seems to work fine now!
Just waiting for the new lobby update with events

 

The only truly free services I know of are Steam P2P (only works on Steam) and Epic Online Services (cross-platform, but harder to use/integrate).