I'm part of a global game development company, and we're using Azure to manage our game builds. I want to enable our sales team to remotely log in, download the latest game build, and showcase it to customers. Right now, I'm thinking about implementing Azure Virtual Desktop for secure login and using a CI/CD pipeline to publish the builds. However, I'm uncertain about the best Azure-native approach for the publishing and downloading process. I've considered a few options: Azure Image Builder or Shared Image Gallery, but they seem more suitable for VM or OS images rather than game builds. Another possibility is using a Storage Account combined with a CDN or Front Door for global access with authentication. Any suggestions?
4 Answers
Using Azure storage accounts would be perfect for your needs. Your CI/CD can drop the builds directly into the storage using an S3 API. You could then have a script that automatically copies the game files to the local machines. It's a simple solution that works well.
Just a heads up, Azure Front Door isn't great for large downloads like game installers; you'd mostly be paying for bandwidth without added benefits. I recommend looking into solutions like Akamai's Download Delivery, which is optimized for large files. Alternatively, if you decide on a storage account, make sure to have it replicated across key regions for better access. It's about balancing speed and cost based on your needs.
Your setup could definitely work! If your games are not extremely 3D heavy, consider using Azure Files, which you can mount as a network drive in the Azure Virtual Desktop. You can upload the builds into Azure Files through a CI/CD pipeline using some PowerShell scripts. It's pretty straightforward!
Isn't it common for games to have built-in update functionalities either through their storefronts or with an internal update tool? I'm a bit shocked this isn't a solved issue for you, especially if you already have successful games. Consider distributing internal builds through a secure internal channel that requires authentication.
Will this be user-friendly for non-technical salespeople? We want them to log into AVD, access the file share, and download the builds easily.