This is a Game Dev Podcast with my guest Erick Passos from Photon Engine (Exit Games Inc.), a company that provides networking solutions and server architecture for online multiplayer games. I try to understand more about how how online multiplayer works in general and in particular how to use Photon's Quantum and Fusion to develop online games faster.
➤ Photon Engine: https://www.photonengine.com/
Listen to the podcast on the go (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, etc.):
➤ https://tyrollerjonas.podbean.com/
0:17 - The 3 Layers of Multiplayer Tech
4:56 - Photon’s Products Across the Stack
6:54 - Transport Layers & Steam Relay Limitations
8:02 - Fusion vs Quantum + Designing for the Envelope
10:36 - Start from the Top: When Transport‑Only Makes Sense (MMOs, Server Logic)
15:53 - From PUN to Modern Netcode + Notable Games
21:21 - State Replication vs Determinism Explained
24:49 - Why Shooters Prefer Client‑Server (Lag Comp, Interest Mgmt)
26:11 - Server Build, Shared Mode, and Architecture Clarified
28:04 - Anti‑Cheat in Quantum: Replays, Spectators, Server Sim
31:49 - Grow Gradually: From Zero Servers to Full Validation
34:38 - Under the Hood: Predict‑Rollback, Physics, ECS, AI
38:32 - No Ring Buffer: Constant‑Time Rollbacks
45:28 - Testing Online, Tooling, and Community
46:15 - When to Use Fusion Instead of Quantum
50:29 - Performance: Verified vs Predicted, Clamps & Culling
52:34 - Bots, Matchmaking Math, and AI Costs
56:49 - AI Design: Verified‑Only Planning + Operational Prediction
58:02 - Verified‑Only Code Paths & Performance Targets
01:01:48 - Time Slicing AI for Stability
01:02:52 - RTS in Quantum: Flow Fields, Culling, and Use Cases
01:09:19 - Lockstep vs Prediction: Why He Avoids Lockstep
01:12:04 - Handling Rollback Spikes with Scheduling Tricks
01:13:05 - Auto‑Battlers: Verified‑Only + Snapshot Interpolation
01:15:29 - Hidden Info & Simultaneous Decisions; Server‑Gated Commands
01:21:35 - Using Quantum Offline? Licensing & Terms
01:25:03 - Determinism, ECS, and Quantum’s Hybrid Tables
01:29:22 - Could There Be a Deterministic Engine Built on Quantum?
01:31:08 - Cross‑Engine Experiments & Engine Integrations
01:35:42 - Open Worlds: Fusion Player‑Hosted vs Quantum
01:37:10 - Quantum for Open Worlds: Voxels, Persistence, NavMesh, Procgen
01:46:08 - Where Engines Stand on Multiplayer (Unreal, Unity, Source)
01:51:32 - Pricing: Free 100 CCU and Scaling Costs
01:54:45 - Long‑Tail Costs & Keeping Servers Alive
01:57:40 - Game Preservation: LAN, Offline, and Local Servers
02:04:48 - What’s New: Fusion 2.1, Quantum 3.1, Unreal Betas
02:05:55 - First Multiplayer? Start Small and Prototype
02:08:12 - Prototyping: Quantum vs Fusion (Shared Mode)
02:10:30 - From Prototype to Production: Managing Complexity
02:14:11 - What Makes a Multiplayer Hit? Trends vs Design
02:16:29 - Fusion’s New Physics Forecasting
02:17:47 - Riding vs Making Trends (Landfall’s Streak)
02:21:02 - Dogfooding: Prototyping to Improve the Tools
02:24:26 - Closing & Thanks
➤ Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2239150/Thronefall/
➤ Discord: https://discord.gg/gVYctptyg8
➤ Nintendo Switch: https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Thronefall-2669627.html#Overview
My game "Will You Snail":
➤ Play Will You Snail on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1115050/Will_You_Snail/
➤ Join the Will You Snail Discord: https://discord.gg/G3mRDrK
For the game developers among you:
➤ Join our creative game dev community on Discord: https://discord.gg/Ye6zzfQ