Update to a new DS Version

Last updated on July 10, 2025

Introduction​

AccelByte Multiplayer Servers (AMS) supports shipping game updates to your players without interruption or down time. Using the approach below will ensure a smooth transition from one version to the next.

Prerequisites​

Update Procedure​

Although there are many viable ways to manage client and server versions, in most cases
using the client version for claim keys is the simplest and recommended approach. Once your game clients are set up to send their client version with any matchmaking tickets or sessions that they create, rolling out a new version can be accomplished as described below. For illustrative purposes, this example uses 1.1 for the current client and server version, and 1.2 for the updated version to be released. The current active fleet should have a claim key of 1.1

Updates when using cloud based fleets​

  1. Create a new fleet using the new 1.2 dedicated server (DS) image and give the new fleet a claim key of 1.2.
  2. Release the new client update to players. As players take the update they will start to claim servers from the new fleet.
  3. Wait until all players have have had an opportunity or will be forced to download the updated version and you no longer want to allow new game sessions to start using the old 1.1 version DS.
  4. De-activate the fleet with version 1.1. This will drain all of the ready servers a allow any unfinished session to finish up.

Updates when using a Bare Metal primary with cloud based fallback​

Because bare metal has a fixed capacity, and having that capacity fully utilized all of the time is desirable for maximum cost effectiveness, upgrading versions using this setup takes a couple of extra steps compared to pure cloud setups. Future improvements are in the works, but in the mean time it is recommended to follow the steps below. This example assumes version 1.1 is running on a primary fleet using bare metal configured to use all of the available bare metal capacity, and with a cloud based fallback fleet:

  1. Create a new cloud based fleet using the new 1.2 (DS) image and give it a claim key of 1.2.
  2. Release the new client update to players. As players take the update they will start to claim servers from the new fleet.
  3. Wait until all players have have had an opportunity or will be forced to download the updated version and you no longer want to allow new game sessions to start using the old 1.1 version DS.
  4. Create a new Bare Metal based fleet using the new 1.2 (DS) image and configured to use all of the bare metal capacity. Give it a claim key of 1.2. de-activate the old 1.1 cloud and bare metal fleets.
  5. Wait until all DS from the old bare metal fleet have exited and DS have started on the new 1.2 bare metal fleet.
  6. Update the configuration of the 1.1 bare metal fleet to add the 1.1 cloud fleet as a fallback.

What's next?​

  • Check out some more ways to use claim keys to see how they can help you manage new dedicated server version rollouts using canary deployments or A/B configuration to test your new DS with a small number of players before rolling it out to everyone.
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