THNDR Opens Its Skill-Gaming Network to Outside Studios
THNDR has changed who can put games into its network. From September 23, the platform is accepting titles made by third-party studios. Until now, THNDR’s network was mainly used for games produced within its own ecosystem.
According to the THNDR announcement, an outside developer can submit a head-to-head skill game, get it checked by THNDR and then make the approved title available to operators already connected to the platform.
There are 30+ live operators on that network today.
Five Checks for an Outside Game
THNDR says it uses five checks before accepting a new title. Integration and platform requirements are one part. RNG and matchmaking are checked too. THNDR also looks at whether the outcome depends enough on player skill rather than chance. The review covers possible exploits and bots, followed by security and performance checks.
There is a version control element as well. When a game is approved, THNDR stores its version, the approval date and a hash. Change the build and the previous approval does not automatically apply to the new one.
Results are checked after play too. Completed matches receive a cryptographic record which can be used to verify what happened in the game.
That part stays with THNDR. The studio provides the title, while THNDR takes care of the infrastructure around the match.
160 Million Games Have Already Run Through THNDR
The network was not built for this launch from zero. THNDR’s current platform figures show 160 million+ games played, 30+ operators live and a 99.99% fill rate.
A quick scale check gives another number. Using 30 operators as the denominator, 160 million games works out at roughly 5.33 million games per operator.
What Comes Next
The next useful number will be how many outside studios get games live. The current figures all describe a network that existed before outside publishing opened.
Now there are two numbers worth watching: how many third-party titles reach operators, and whether the fill rate stays near its current level as the catalog expands.