Nearsec Arcade is a decentralized, public matchmaking directory designed to connect hosts with players for local-multiplayer gaming. Unlike the private "Direct Share" mode, the Arcade is built for discovery, community testing, and low-friction co-op.
- For Hosts: To provide a platform to share unique local co-op experiences without requiring players to own the hardware or software.
- For Players: To discover high-performance, low-latency gaming sessions globally while maintaining a "browser-first" security posture.
To maintain the quality and safety of the public directory, the following automated rules are enforced on the Arcade backend:
- The 80-Minute "Reaper" Rule: Every session has a strict lifespan of 1 hour and 20 minutes. Once this window expires, the session is automatically unlisted to prevent "ghost links" and ensure the lobby only contains active, reachable games.
- WebRTC Active-Stream Check: A session will only remain visible if it reports an active WebRTC data/video stream. If the host stops capturing their screen, the listing is hidden until capture resumes.
- Infrastructure Requirements: Arcade hosts must use verified tunneling (Cloudflared/zrok) to prevent raw IP exposure.
Note: Hosting via VPS is currently restricted for Arcade listings to ensure the lowest possible input-to-pixel latency.
The Arcade is built on a Zero-Trust model between the Host and the User.
To prevent phishing or malicious redirects, the Arcade frontend strictly enforces a domain whitelist. Only sessions utilizing the following tunnel providers are permitted:
*.trycloudflare.com*.zrok.io*.localhost.run*.serveo.net
Every join attempt is met with a security modal. Users are reminded that while the transport is encrypted via WebRTC, they are connecting to a third-party machine and should never enter personal credentials or download unknown files during a session.
The Arcade automatically checks if the Player's client version matches the Host's version. If a mismatch is detected, a warning is issued to prevent input desync or WebHID gyro failures.
The Arcade supports Nearsec’s Composite Device Driver, allowing hosts to lock users into specific input modes to protect their system:
| Preset Name | Target Genre | Key Mapping Logic |
|---|---|---|
| Standard FPS | Shooters | WASD movement with high-precision mouse-to-stick scaling. |
| Classic Fighter | Fighting Games | D-Pad movement for frame-perfect execution; Mouse disabled. |
| Retro Platformer | 2D Sidescrollers | Mapped for Arrow-key movement and X/Z action buttons. |
Hosts can dynamically switch a player between Gamepad, Raw KBM, or Emulated KBM modes via the dashboard Roster.