Nakama vs Screeps Server (screeps-launcher)

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
FeatureNakamaScreeps Server (screeps-launcher)
CategoryGame ServersGame Servers
LicenseApache-2.0MIT
LanguageGoGo
Setup difficultyMediumMedium
Min. RAM512 MB1,024 MB
Deploymentdocker, kubernetes, binarydocker, binary, source
GitHub stars★ 13,121★ 169
First released20172017
ReplacesPlayFab, FirebaseOfficial Screeps cloud

Why pick each one

Choose Nakama if…

  • Released under the Apache-2.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
  • Mature project with 13.1k GitHub stars
Nakama details

Choose Screeps Server (screeps-launcher) if…

  • Full control over the world
  • Great for learning
Screeps Server (screeps-launcher) details

Frequently asked questions

Is Nakama or Screeps Server (screeps-launcher) better?

Neither is universally better. Nakama has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Nakama and Screeps Server (screeps-launcher) free and open-source?

Yes. Nakama is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Screeps Server (screeps-launcher) under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Nakama and Screeps Server (screeps-launcher) with Docker?

Nakama: yes. Screeps Server (screeps-launcher): yes.

Related comparisons