Amazon GameLift Servers expands instance support with next-generation EC2 instance families

Published
March 27, 2026
https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2026/03/amazon-gamelift-servers-expands-instance-support/

Amazon GameLift Servers Update

Amazon GameLift Servers now supports Amazon EC2 5th through 8th generation instances, offering enhanced price-performance, efficiency, and flexibility for game server hosting. Developers can leverage the latest advancements in EC2 compute, memory, and networking across three main instance families:

  • General Purpose (M-series): Balanced CPU, memory, and networking for a wide range of game workloads.
  • Compute Optimized (C-series): High-performance compute instances with a 2:1 memory ratio, ideal for CPU-intensive game servers.
  • Memory Optimized (R-Series): Optimized for high-memory workloads with an 8:1 memory ratio, supporting complex simulations and large player sessions.

Each new EC2 generation brings significant improvements:

  • 5th Gen: Proven reliability with Intel processors with balanced performance
  • 6th Gen: Includes AWS Graviton2 ARM-based options alongside Intel and AMD variants offering enhanced price-performance efficiency.
  • 7th Gen: The latest evolution featuring DDR5 memory, enhanced networking, and offering significant performance gains over previous generations.
  • 8th Gen: Cutting-edge AWS Graviton4 and Intel Xeon-based instances for demanding workloads

Customers can also choose variants with local storage (d), enhanced networking (n), and different processor architectures (Intel, AMD, Graviton – i/a/g).

What to do

  • Transition workloads to newer EC2 generations for enhanced performance and cost efficiency.
  • Explore the Amazon GameLift Servers documentation for more information on launching fleets with next-generation EC2 instances.
  • Review the EC2 Instance Types overview for detailed specifications and features of each instance type.

Source: AWS release notes




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