Photon Integration: Photon + PlayFab Authentication

Photon + PlayFab Authentication links your backend identity (PlayFab) with your multiplayer identity (Photon).
This ensures that every player in a Photon room is tied to a real PlayFab account, preventing identity spoofing, cosmetic hacking, and ban evasion.

This page explains how authentication works, why it’s required, and how VR fangames use it to secure multiplayer.

1. What Photon + PlayFab Authentication Is

Photon normally identifies players using a UserID.
PlayFab identifies players using a PlayFabID.

Photon + PlayFab Authentication makes Photon use the PlayFabID as the Photon UserID.

This creates a single, unified identity across:

• Backend systems

• Multiplayer rooms

• Cosmetics

• Moderation

• Stats

• CloudScript

It is the foundation of secure multiplayer.

2. Why VR Fangames Need This

Without PlayFab authentication, Photon cannot verify:

• Who the player is

• What cosmetics they own

• Whether they are banned

• Whether they are staff

• Whether they are muted

• Whether they are age‑restricted

• Whether they are using a spoofed identity

With authentication, Photon can enforce:

• Bans

• Mutes

• Staff permissions

• Cosmetic ownership

• Age restrictions

• Secure room access

This prevents exploiters from bypassing your systems.

3. How Authentication Works (High‑Level Flow)

Step 1 — Player logs into PlayFab

PlayFab returns:

• PlayFabID

• Session ticket

• Player profile

Step 2 — Game connects to Photon

Photon is told:

• “Use this PlayFabID as the UserID.”

Step 3 — Photon authenticates with PlayFab

Photon sends the PlayFab session ticket to PlayFab.

Step 4 — PlayFab verifies the ticket

If valid:

• Photon accepts the connection

• Player joins multiplayer

If invalid:

• Photon rejects the connection

• Player cannot join rooms

Step 5 — Player enters a room

PhotonView.Owner now represents the correct PlayFabID.

4. What This Enables

A. Secure Cosmetics

Players can only equip cosmetics they actually own.

B. Moderation Enforcement

• Banned players cannot join rooms

• Muted players cannot use voice chat

• Staff permissions sync correctly

C. Identity Protection

Players cannot:

• Spoof usernames

• Pretend to be staff

• Fake badges

• Join as someone else

D. CloudScript Validation

Photon events can be validated server‑side.

E. Anti‑Cheat

Photon can verify:

• Player identity

• Room join legitimacy

• Cosmetic ownership

5. Photon Authentication Providers

Photon supports multiple authentication types:

• Custom Authentication (used for PlayFab)

• Steam

• Oculus

• Meta

• Device ID

• Email/password

For PlayFab, you use Custom Authentication with the PlayFab session ticket.

6. Best Practices

• Always use PlayFabID as Photon UserID

• Never trust client‑side identity

• Validate Photon authentication using PlayFab session tickets

• Sync cosmetics through PlayFab, not locally

• Use CloudScript for secure stat updates

• Use Photon Custom Properties for cosmetic syncing

• Use Photon Room Properties for game mode settings

• Reject players with invalid or expired tickets

7. Why This Matters for VR Fangames

VR fangames rely heavily on:

• Cosmetics

• Multiplayer identity

• Moderation

• Progression

• Events

• Stats

All of these require PlayFab + Photon working together.

Without authentication, your game becomes vulnerable to:

• Identity spoofing

• Cosmetic hacking

• Fake staff accounts

• Bypass bans

• Fake stats

• Exploiters joining rooms

Authentication prevents all of this.