Migrating from Hathora

Hathora is a multiplayer hosting platform. You write your own game server, package it into a container, and deploy it to their cloud. Hathora runs your server in different regions and handles scaling.

If you need a fully authoritative backend, Hathora is a strong choice.

If you do not need custom server logic, Playroom Kit can simplify your architecture dramatically.

This guide explains when it makes sense to migrate and what changes when you move to Playroom Kit.

Why Playroom Kit?

Hathora focuses on infrastructure. It gives you the environment to run your server. You are still responsible for:

• Writing your WebSocket or TCP server
• Managing rooms and lobbies
• Handling matchmaking
• Syncing game state between players
• Deploying updates safely
• Scaling across regions

Playroom Kit removes that entire layer.

Instead of building and hosting a custom backend, you work directly with shared state in the client. Rooms, participants, and synchronization are handled automatically.

When Playroom Kit is a better fit

Playroom Kit works best when:

• You do not need authoritative server validation
• Your game logic can run on clients
• You want to ship quickly
• You do not want to manage backend infrastructure
• You are building a web-based multiplayer game

Because there is no custom server code:

1. You can drop Playroom Kit into your game and get multiplayer running quickly.
2. Scaling is handled for you. You do not need to deploy containers to multiple regions.
3. You avoid backend maintenance and DevOps work.

If your multiplayer layer looks more like shared state than server-controlled simulation, Playroom Kit is usually simpler.

When Hathora is still the right choice

Hathora makes sense when:

• You require an authoritative server
• You need strict anti-cheat validation
• Your game simulation must run server-side
• You need custom networking protocols
• You want full control over your backend runtime

Playroom Kit is not designed to replace custom authoritative architectures. It is designed to remove complexity when you do not need them.

Feature comparison

With Hathora, you control everything. With Playroom Kit, you give up low-level control in exchange for speed and simplicity.

Guide

Migrating from Hathora to Playroom Kit is less about code conversion and more about changing your architecture.

You move from a server-authoritative model to a shared client model.

1. Remove your custom game server

In a Hathora setup:

• You maintain a backend server
• Players connect through WebSockets
• The server controls state and validates actions

With Playroom Kit:

• There is no custom server
• You initialize multiplayer directly in the client
• State is synchronized automatically

Instead of sending messages to your own backend, you update shared state values.

You can learn how shared state works in Shared State Primitives.

2. Replace server-controlled state with shared state

In a Hathora architecture, your server might look like:

• Receive player input
• Validate
• Update game state
• Broadcast new state to all players

In Playroom Kit:

• Each client updates shared values
• Other participants receive updates automatically
• You render based on the latest state

For example:

setState("score", 10)

This update is automatically synchronized to everyone in the room.

If your game requires fast but non-critical updates, you can also explore Unreliable Transport.

3. Replace matchmaking and room management

With Hathora:

• You create and assign servers
• You manage room IDs
• You handle lobby flows yourself

With Playroom Kit:

• Rooms are handled automatically
• Players join through a simple initialization flow
• A lobby UI is available out of the box

Room behavior is explained in Rooms and Sessions.

4. Adjust your mental model

This is the biggest shift.

Hathora assumes:

Server controls everything.

Playroom Kit assumes:

Clients coordinate through shared state.

For many casual multiplayer games, collaborative apps, and web-based experiences, this model is enough. It is the same pattern used in tools like Figma or Miro, where users see updates instantly without managing servers themselves.

If your gameplay requires strict server-side authority, stay with Hathora.

If your multiplayer layer is mostly synchronization and presence, Playroom Kit will feel dramatically simpler.

Playroom Kit is not about replacing powerful backend platforms. It is about removing them when you do not need them.