Quickstart Guide: Integrating the PlayFab Online Subsystem with the PlayFab Unreal Engine Marketplace Plugin

2025-05-01

This quickstart guide helps you integrate the PlayFab SDK Unreal Engine (UE) Marketplace Plugin into your existing PlayFab Online Subsystem (OSS) integrated project.

The PlayFab SDK Plugin is used to perform PlayFab admin, client, and server operations such as player authentication, virtual item and currency management, and social feature creation. Used in conjunction with the PlayFab Online Subsystem, your project can access the full suite of PlayFab features for Unreal Engine projects.

When using either the PlayFab OSS or PlayFab SDK Plugin independently of each other, the first step is authenticating a user. Using both in the same project without the appropriate setup means that the PlayFab OSS and PlayFab SDK Plugin will both make a separate authentication call for the same user.

This quickstart guide helps you authenticate via the PlayFab OSS and reuse that authentication with the PlayFab SDK Plugin, for a seamless user auth experience.

Prerequisites

Ensure that you integrate the PlayFab OSS as a plugin in your <game>.build.cs file. In the below example, we create a toggle option to allow integration, and set a definition to allow for #ifdef guarding.

// PlayFab OnlineSubsystem Plugin Settings.
//
// While the PlayFab OSS is integrated with the game at an engine level, we cannot directly access
// PF OSS headers unless we integrate it as a plugin.
//
// `bOSSPlayFabAsPlugin` must be set to true to expose the PlayFab OSS headers directly to the game.
bool bOSSPlayFabAsPlugin = false;
if (bOSSPlayFabAsPlugin)
{
    PublicDependencyModuleNames.AddRange(new string[] { "OnlineSubsystemPlayFab" });
    PublicDefinitions.Add("WITH_OSS_PLAYFAB=1");
}

Ensure that you integrate the PlayFab SDK Plugin in your <game>.build.cs file. In the below example, we create a toggle option to allow integration, and set a definition to allow for #ifdef guarding.

// PlayFab SDK Plugin Settings.
//
// `bPlayFabPlugin` must be set to true to enable compilation and integration with the PlayFab
// SDK Plugin.
// Ensure that the PF SDK Plugin is installed via Engine plugin or as a local game plugin.
bool bPlayFabPlugin = false;
if (bPlayFabPlugin)
{
    PrivateDependencyModuleNames.AddRange(new string[] { "PlayFab", "PlayFabCpp", "PlayFabCommon" });
    PublicDefinitions.Add("WITH_PLAYFAB_PLUGIN=1");
}

After you update your <game.build.cs> file (and every subsequent time you update it), be sure to regenerate your game's Visual Studio project files by right-clicking your .uproject file and selecting Generate Visual Studio Project Files.

PlayFab OSS now offers a public AuthenticateUserComplete delegate that triggers on completion of the PlayFab OSS user authentication flow. Bind to this delegate to retrieve the details of your PlayFab OSS authentication.

/**
* Delegate used on the completion of FOnlineIdentityPlayFab::AuthenticateUser().
*
* @param LocalUserNum the controller number of the associated user that made the request
* @param bWasSuccessful true if authentication was successful, false if there was an error
* @param PlatformUserIdStr user identifier returned from the service.
* @param ErrorStr string representing the error condition
*/
DECLARE_MULTICAST_DELEGATE_FourParams(FOnAuthenticateUserComplete, int32 /*LocalUserNum*/, bool /*bWasSuccessful*/, const FString& /*PlatformUserIdStr*/, const FString& /*ErrorStr*/);
typedef FOnAuthenticateUserComplete::FDelegate FOnAuthenticateUserCompleteDelegate;

Steps

You can also jump to the Full Code Example.

Include the Correct Headers

#ifdef WITH_OSS_PLAYFAB
#include "OnlineSubsystemPlayFab.h"
#endif // WITH_OSS_PLAYFAB

#ifdef WITH_PLAYFAB_PLUGIN
#include "PlayFab.h"
#include "PlayFabCommon.h"
#include "Core/PlayFabClientDataModels.h"
#endif // WITH_PLAYFAB_PLUGIN

Retrieve the PlayFab OSS

FOnlineSubsystemPlayFab* PFOnlineSub = static_cast<FOnlineSubsystemPlayFab*>(IOnlineSubsystem::Get(TEXT("PLAYFAB")));

Bind to the AuthenticateUserComplete delegate

const FOnlineIdentityPlayFabPtr PlayFabIdentityInterface = PFOnlineSub->GetIdentityInterfacePlayFab();
PlayFabIdentityInterface->AddOnAuthenticateUserCompleteDelegate_Handle
(
    0, // LocalUserNum
    FOnAuthenticateUserCompleteDelegate::CreateUObject(this, &UGameInstance::OnAuthenticateUserComplete)
);

Functions that bind to this delegate must have the same signature as the delegate. For example:

void UGameInstance::OnAuthenticateUserComplete(int32 localUserNum, bool bWasSuccessful, const FString& platformUserIdStr, const FString& error)

You can also bind a lambda to the delegate. For example:

// We don't pass the `FOnlineIdentityPlayFabPtr` pointer through the lambda capture since the original
// local isn't guaranteed to live longer than the lambda and we want to avoid dangling references.
//
// You can retrieve `FOnlineIdentityPlayFabPtr` again inside the lambda.
PlayFabIdentityInterface->AddOnAuthenticateUserCompleteDelegate_Handle
(
    0, // LocalUserNum
    FOnAuthenticateUserCompleteDelegate::CreateLambda([this](int32 localUserNum, bool bWasSuccessful, const FString& platformUserIdStr, const FString& error)
    {
        // lambda execution
    });
)

Handle Authentication Result: In the function bound to the delegate, handle the result of the authentication. If the authentication is successful, retrieve the authenticated local user via the platformUserIdStr from the delegate trigger. Then, construct a PlayFab LoginResult from the PlayFab OSS LocalUser.

void UGameInstance::OnAuthenticateUserComplete(int32 localUserNum, bool bWasSuccessful, const FString& platformUserIdStr, const FString& error)
{
    if (!bWasSuccessful)
    {
        UE_LOG(LogOnlineGame, Error, TEXT("OSS PlayFab AuthenticateLocalUser Failed. Error: %s"), *error);
        return;
    }

    UE_LOG(LogOnlineGame, Display, TEXT("[%s] AuthenticateLocalUser Complete"), ANSI_TO_TCHAR(__FUNCTION__));

    FOnlineSubsystemPlayFab* PFOnlineSub = static_cast<FOnlineSubsystemPlayFab*>(IOnlineSubsystem::Get(TEXT("PLAYFAB")));
    const FOnlineIdentityPlayFabPtr PlayFabIdentityInterface = PFOnlineSub->GetIdentityInterfacePlayFab();

    if (PlayFabIdentityInterface)
    {
        if (const auto LocalUser = PlayFabIdentityInterface->GetPartyLocalUserFromPlatformIdString(platformUserIdStr))
        {
            // Setting PlayFab SDK Settings for future API calls
            auto& PFCommonModule = IPlayFabCommonModuleInterface::Get();
            PFCommonModule.SetClientSessionTicket(LocalUser->GetSessionTicket());
            PFCommonModule.SetEntityToken(LocalUser->GetEntityToken());

            // Create EntityKey
            auto LocalEntityKey = MakeShared<PlayFab::ClientModels::FEntityKey>();
            LocalEntityKey->Id = LocalUser->GetEntityId();
            LocalEntityKey->Type = LocalUser->GetEntityType();

            // Create EntityToken
            auto LocalEntityToken = MakeShared<PlayFab::ClientModels::FEntityTokenResponse>();
            LocalEntityToken->Entity = LocalEntityKey;
            LocalEntityToken->EntityToken = LocalUser->GetEntityToken();

            // Create LoginResult
            PlayFab::ClientModels::FLoginResult LoginResult;
            LoginResult.EntityToken = LocalEntityToken;
            LoginResult.LastLoginTime = LocalUser->GetEntityTokenUpdateTime();
            LoginResult.PlayFabId = LocalUser->GetPlayFabId();
            LoginResult.SessionTicket = LocalUser->GetSessionTicket();

            // With `LoginResult` populated, we can now use the PlayFab SDK Plugin APIs
            // however we wish. This state is considered "authenticated".
            //
            // This delegate signature functions does not return anything. You can pass `LoginResult`
            // out of this function however you wish.
            // 
            // Example psuedocode for a non-existent function that takes `LoginResult` as a parameter:
            // void UGameInstance::OnAPILoginSuccess(PlayFab::ClientModels::FLoginResult LoginResult);
        }
    }
}

Use PlayFab SDK Plugin APIs: With LoginResult populated, you can now use the PlayFab SDk Plugin APIs however you wish. This state is considered "authenticated".

Full Code Example

#ifdef WITH_OSS_PLAYFAB
#include "OnlineSubsystemPlayFab.h"
#endif // WITH_OSS_PLAYFAB

#ifdef WITH_PLAYFAB_PLUGIN
#include "PlayFab.h"
#include "PlayFabCommon.h"
#include "Core/PlayFabClientDataModels.h"
#endif // WITH_PLAYFAB_PLUGIN

...

void UGameInstance::Init()
{
    Super::Init();
    ...

    // This is an example scenario of integrating the PlayFab OnlineSubsystem with the
    // PlayFab SDK Plugin.
    //
    // In this scenario, you can authenticate via the PlayFab OSS,
    // and then re-use that authentication with the PlayFab SDK Plugin.
    // 
    // PF OSS offers a public `AuthenticateUserComplete` delegate that can be bound;
    // this delegate triggers on completion of the PF OSS user authentication flow.
    // 
    // Below is an example of a game binding to that delegate, retrieving the
    // authenticated local user via the `platformUserIdStr` from the delegate
    // trigger, and then constructing a PlayFab `LoginResult` from the PF OSS
    // `LocalUser.`
    // 
    // These definitions are defined in `<game>.build.cs`.
#if defined(WITH_OSS_PLAYFAB) && defined(WITH_PLAYFAB_PLUGIN)
    // Explicitly retrieve the PlayFab OSS - we can't assume it's the default OSS.
    FOnlineSubsystemPlayFab* PFOnlineSub = static_cast<FOnlineSubsystemPlayFab*>(IOnlineSubsystem::Get(TEXT("PLAYFAB")));

    UE_LOG(LogOnlineGame, Warning, TEXT("Retrieved PFOnlineSub"));

    if (PFOnlineSub)
    {
        const FOnlineIdentityPlayFabPtr PlayFabIdentityInterface = PFOnlineSub->GetIdentityInterfacePlayFab();

        PlayFabIdentityInterface->AddOnAuthenticateUserCompleteDelegate_Handle
        (
            0, // LocalUserNum
            FOnAuthenticateUserCompleteDelegate::CreateUObject(this, &UGameInstance::OnAuthenticateUserComplete)
        );
    }
    else
    {
        UE_LOG(LogOnlineGame, Error, TEXT("UGameInstance::Init: Unable to find OnlineSubsystemPlayFab"));
    }
#endif // WITH_OSS_PLAYFAB && WITH_PLAYFAB_PLUGIN

    ...
}

void UGameInstance::OnAuthenticateUserComplete(int32 localUserNum, bool bWasSuccessful, const FString& platformUserIdStr, const FString& error)
{
    if (!bWasSuccessful)
    {
        UE_LOG(LogOnlineGame, Error, TEXT("OSS PlayFab AuthenticateLocalUser Failed. Error: %s"), *error);
        return;
    }

    UE_LOG(LogOnlineGame, Display, TEXT("[%s] AuthenticateLocalUser Complete"), ANSI_TO_TCHAR(__FUNCTION__));

    FOnlineSubsystemPlayFab* PFOnlineSub = static_cast<FOnlineSubsystemPlayFab*>(IOnlineSubsystem::Get(TEXT("PLAYFAB")));
    const FOnlineIdentityPlayFabPtr PlayFabIdentityInterface = PFOnlineSub->GetIdentityInterfacePlayFab();

    if (PlayFabIdentityInterface)
    {
        if (const auto LocalUser = PlayFabIdentityInterface->GetPartyLocalUserFromPlatformIdString(platformUserIdStr))
        {
            // Setting PlayFab SDK Settings for future API calls
            auto& PFCommonModule = IPlayFabCommonModuleInterface::Get();
            PFCommonModule.SetClientSessionTicket(LocalUser->GetSessionTicket());
            PFCommonModule.SetEntityToken(LocalUser->GetEntityToken());

            // Create EntityKey
            auto LocalEntityKey = MakeShared<PlayFab::ClientModels::FEntityKey>();
            LocalEntityKey->Id = LocalUser->GetEntityId();
            LocalEntityKey->Type = LocalUser->GetEntityType();

            // Create EntityToken
            auto LocalEntityToken = MakeShared<PlayFab::ClientModels::FEntityTokenResponse>();
            LocalEntityToken->Entity = LocalEntityKey;
            LocalEntityToken->EntityToken = LocalUser->GetEntityToken();

            // Create LoginResult
            PlayFab::ClientModels::FLoginResult LoginResult;
            LoginResult.EntityToken = LocalEntityToken;
            LoginResult.LastLoginTime = LocalUser->GetEntityTokenUpdateTime();
            LoginResult.PlayFabId = LocalUser->GetPlayFabId();
            LoginResult.SessionTicket = LocalUser->GetSessionTicket();

            // With `LoginResult` populated, we can now use the PlayFab SDK Plugin APIs
            // however we wish. This state is considered "authenticated".
            //
            // This delegate signature functions does not return anything. You can pass `LoginResult`
            // out of this function however you wish.
            // 
            // Example psuedocode for a non-existent function that takes `LoginResult` as a parameter:
            // void UGameInstance::OnAPILoginSuccess(PlayFab::ClientModels::FLoginResult LoginResult);
        }
    }
}

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Quickstart Guide: Integrating the PlayFab Online Subsystem with the PlayFab Unreal Engine Marketplace Plugin

Prerequisites

Steps

Full Code Example

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