IT & Networking Guide

1.0 Overview

For your school's teams to compete on Rally Cry, including the USAEL platform, your school or district network needs to allow the platforms and applications listed below.

This guide is written for your IT department and is organized into four parts:

Competition Titles Covered in This Guide

Your school only needs the requirements for the titles it actually competes in, plus Section 2.0, which applies to everyone.

2.0 Whitelisting Requirements

Rally Cry competitions are hosted on the Rally Cry competition platform, at your league's web address (for example play.usacademicesports.com or <league>.rally.gg). Students need access to it on each day of competition, and staff need to receive email from Rally Cry and from league staff.

Please allow the domains below on your web filter and firewall, and permit the sender addresses and IPs in Section 2.3 on your mail filter.

2.1 Required Domains

The platform will not function without these.

Important: WebSocket Connections. Live scores, bracket updates, chat and notifications arrive over a WebSocket (wss://) connection to urc-ws-590668323850.us-central1.run.app. Allow WebSocket upgrades to that host, or to *.run.app. Also allow them to *.rallycry.gg, *.rally.gg and ws.usacademicesports.com, so a later move needs no filter change. Some web proxies and content filters block WebSocket upgrades even when the domain itself is allowed.

How to tell: the site loads and students can send Match Chat messages, but new messages, bracket changes and notifications only appear after a page refresh. To confirm, open a match page from a device on cellular data. If it updates on its own there, the school filter is dropping the WebSocket upgrade. Content filters that inspect TLS (Securly, Lightspeed, GoGuardian, Zscaler and similar) usually need the domains above added to their SSL decryption bypass list as well as the allow list.

Shortcut for Wildcard-Capable Filters

Allowing the following nine entries covers everything in the table above:

• *.usacademicesports.com

• *.rallycry.gg

• *.rally.gg

• *.rallycryapp.com

• *.googleapis.com

• *.run.app

• *.r2.cloudflarestorage.com

• accounts.google.com

• lh3.googleusercontent.com

2.2 Feature-Dependent Domains (Recommended)

The platform works without these, but the listed features will not. We recommend allowing all of them; at minimum, review each row against district policy so you know what will and will not work for your students.

2.3 Email Allowance

Please allow the following sending IPs and sender addresses in your spam filter so registration confirmations, competition updates, and league announcements reach staff and students.

Domain Rules Outlast IP Rules. If your mail filter supports domain-based rules, allow the sender domains as well as the IPs. Domain rules survive a provider IP change; IP rules do not. Mail that Rally Cry staff send by hand, such as replies from support@rallycry.gg, goes out through Google Workspace rather than these IPs, so an IP-only rule misses it.

3.0 Game Title Network Requirements

The sections that follow list the firewall exceptions and port requirements for each K-12 competition title. Titles are in alphabetical order. If your IT team has questions about anything in this section, they can reach us at support@rallycry.gg.

3.1 Console and Launcher Baselines

Most console titles do not require game-specific ports. They use the port set published by the platform holder, listed once here rather than under every title. Individual title sections note only the ports that differ from or add to this baseline.

Nintendo Switch: Recommended Approach for Schools. Nintendo does not publish a specific port list. Its connection test reports a NAT Type from A to F; A or B is required for reliable matchmaking. Nintendo's documented remedy for NAT Type D or F is to place the console in a DMZ or forward ports 1-65535 to it.

Because that is effectively an unrestricted inbound rule, most districts should instead place consoles on an isolated esports VLAN with permissive outbound NAT, rather than putting a console in a DMZ on the student or staff network. Try turning off IPv6 on the console first, since that alone often resolves NAT Type D.

3.2 Chess

Platform: Web browser

About: Chess is a turn-based board strategy game played between two players, who compete to checkmate the opponent's king. Matches are played in the browser, so no software installation is required.

Firewall Exceptions

• https://www.chess.com

• https://chess.com

Port Forwarding

None. Standard outbound HTTPS (TCP 443) is sufficient.

Pending Confirmation: chess.com Asset CDN Hosts. If your web filter inspects and blocks page subresources independently of the main domain, chess.com's static asset and image CDN hosts also need to be allowed. chess.com does not publish this list and blocks automated access, so Rally Cry has not been able to confirm the current hostnames.

Symptom to watch for: students can reach the site and sign in, but boards, pieces, or avatars fail to load. If that happens, contact Rally Cry, or have your filter report the blocked hostnames during a test match and allow those.

3.3 Fortnite

Platforms: Epic Games Launcher (PC), Steam (PC), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, GeForce Now, Xbox Cloud Gaming

About: Fortnite is a battle royale video game developed by Epic Games. Players compete to be the last one standing on a shrinking battlefield, collecting resources, building structures, and eliminating other players. It is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB and is known for its cartoon art style and frequent content updates.

Firewall Exceptions

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Epic Games\Launcher\Engine\Binaries\Win64\EpicGamesLauncher.exe

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Epic Games\Launcher\Engine\Binaries\Win32\EpicGamesLauncher.exe

Port Forwarding

macOS Is Not a Supported Platform. Epic stopped updating the macOS build of Fortnite Battle Royale in 2020. Mac hardware should not be counted toward your Fortnite roster capacity, regardless of its specifications.

3.4 iRacing

Platform: Windows PC only. macOS, Linux, and virtual machines are explicitly not supported by iRacing, so VDI and thin-client labs will not work.

About: iRacing is a subscription-based motorsport simulation in which every car and track is built from real-world laser-scan data, and all racing takes place against other people on centrally organized, officiated schedules. Competition is structured around a licensing and safety-rating system, so students advance by driving cleanly and consistently rather than only quickly. It is rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB.

Firewall Exceptions

Allow the entire install folder rather than individual executables. iRacing adds and renames binaries between builds.

• C:\Program Files (x86)\iRacing\ (default install path)

Processes inside that folder that require network access:

• iRacingUI.exe: the launcher and user interface

• iRacingPing.exe: latency tool; contacts every race server farm

• updater\iracingupdater.exe: downloads car and track content

• iRacing.com Helper Service: Windows service; must match the installed UI version

Domains

iRacing uses a third-party content delivery network whose hostnames it does not publish, and its race server farm IP addresses are allocated dynamically. A wildcard rule is the only reliable approach:

• *.iracing.com (recommended)

Individual hosts, if a wildcard is not possible:

• www.iracing.com, members.iracing.com, members-ng.iracing.com, support.iracing.com, forums.iracing.com

• Race farms: us-east-oh, us-west, de-fra, au-syd, jp-tok, br-sao, each as <farm>.iracing.com, plus the <farm>-any.iracing.com and <farm>-orig.iracing.com routing variants

Port Forwarding

None required. iRacing is outbound-only, client-to-server, and needs no inbound rules or port forwarding.

Connection Types iRacing Does Not Support. 5G / LTE cellular wireless and satellite internet (MEO/HEO) are not supported for competition. A wired connection is strongly preferred; DSL at 256 kbps is the documented floor, but cable or fiber is recommended.

3.5 Madden NFL 26

Platforms: PC (EA app or Steam), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One. Windows only on PC; there is no macOS or Linux build.

About: Madden NFL is a football simulation developed by EA Sports, featuring official NFL teams, athletes, and stadiums. Play emphasizes strategy, play-calling, and roster management. It is rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB.

Firewall Exceptions

• C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\EA Desktop\EA Desktop\EADesktop.exe

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe (if installed via Steam)

Port Forwarding

Console platforms use the baseline port sets in Section 3.1. For PC, EA no longer publishes a per-game port list; the ports below are carried forward from EA's earlier guidance and are marked accordingly.

Pending Confirmation: Legacy EA Guidance, No Longer Published by EA.

PC, TCP: 53, 80, 465, 983, 1935, 3074, 3478-3480, 5223, 10070-10080

PC, UDP: 53, 88, 3074, 3478-3479, 3658, 10070

EA has removed per-game port and firewall articles from its help site entirely; its current connectivity guidance covers wired connections, DNS, and router restarts only. The ports above are carried forward from EA's earlier documentation and cannot be re-verified.

If these rules do not resolve a connection problem, the more productive fix is usually to avoid a strict NAT type and permit general outbound traffic for the EA app, rather than adding more port rules.

Install Madden NFL 26, Not Madden NFL 27. Rally Cry competes in Madden NFL 26 for the 2026-27 season. Madden NFL 27 released on 13 August 2026 and is the version schools will find promoted on storefronts, so it is easy to purchase or install by mistake. The two versions do not play against each other.

Confirm the title says Madden NFL 26 before purchasing licenses or imaging machines. The specifications in Section 4.3 are for Madden NFL 26; Madden NFL 27 has a higher floor (Windows 11 minimum) and buying to it is unnecessary for Rally Cry competition.

3.6 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Platform: Nintendo Switch (also playable on Nintendo Switch 2 via backward compatibility)

About: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a kart racing game suitable for all ages, rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a platform fighting game featuring characters from across Nintendo franchises, rated E10+ (Everyone 10+) by the ESRB.

Network Requirements

Recommended Approach. Many schools have the best results by creating a public subnet and assigning a public IP address to the console. With a public subnet, the console needs neither a DMZ nor any port forwarding. Where that is not possible, an isolated esports VLAN with permissive outbound NAT is preferable to placing a console in a DMZ on the student or staff network.

PC specifications: Not applicable. These are Nintendo Switch exclusives.

3.7 Marvel Rivals

Platforms: Microsoft Windows (PC), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

About: Marvel Rivals is a team-based hero shooter developed and published by NetEase Games in collaboration with Marvel Games. Teams combine character abilities to form "Team-Up" skills and compete across destructible maps drawn from the Marvel universe. It is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB.

Firewall Exceptions

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Epic Games\Launcher\Engine\Binaries\Win64\EpicGamesLauncher.exe

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Epic Games\Launcher\Engine\Binaries\Win32\EpicGamesLauncher.exe

Port Forwarding

3.8 Minecraft

Platforms: PC (Java and Bedrock editions), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Chromebook, GeForce Now, Xbox Cloud Gaming

About: Minecraft is a sandbox building and survival game published by Microsoft, in which players create and explore worlds built from blocks. It is rated E10+ (Everyone 10+) by the ESRB.

Firewall Exceptions

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Minecraft Launcher\MinecraftLauncher.exe

Port Forwarding

Which Edition Matters for Cross-Play. Bedrock Edition cross-plays across Windows 10/11, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and mobile. Java Edition cross-plays only between Windows, macOS, and Linux. Confirm with Rally Cry which edition your competition uses before imaging lab machines. The two do not play together.

3.9 NBA 2K26

Platforms: PC (Steam; also Microsoft Store / Xbox app and Game Pass as of April 2026), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2. The Switch Standard Edition is physical media only.

About: NBA 2K26 is a basketball simulation developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K, featuring licensed NBA and WNBA teams and players. Competitive play turns on shot timing, defensive positioning, play-calling, and roster construction. It is rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB.

NBA 2K27 in Some Leagues. Some leagues run NBA 2K27 instead of NBA 2K26. Check which version your rulebook names before buying licenses or installing, because the two versions do not play against each other. The console guidance in this section applies to both.

Firewall Exceptions

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\NBA 2K26\ (allow the folder)

Port Forwarding

2K does not publish game-specific port requirements for NBA 2K26. Use the platform baselines in Section 3.1. 2K's own network guidance for PC is:

Two Items That Affect How Matches Can Be Scheduled

NBA 2K Child Accounts and Age Verification. NBA 2K Child Accounts gate online multiplayer, profile visibility, custom-content sharing, store purchases, and in-game voice chat, and require parent or guardian verification through a third-party service (Kids Web Services). Permissions must be set per NBA 2K game, separately from console-level parental controls.

Plan for this before your first competition date. It is a per-student workflow involving families, not something IT can complete alone. The Current Gen version of NBA 2K26 is excluded from the age verification process.

3.10 Overwatch 2

Platforms: PC (Battle.net or Steam), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

About: Overwatch 2 is a team-based first-person shooter developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. Players compete in objective-based matches using heroes with distinct abilities, with an emphasis on teamwork, communication, and role composition. It is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB.

Note on naming: Blizzard now brands the game simply "Overwatch" across its website, the Battle.net shop, and Steam. Rally Cry continues to use "Overwatch 2" for continuity; they are the same game.

Firewall Exceptions

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Battle.net\Battle.net Launcher.exe

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Overwatch\_retail_\Overwatch.exe

Port Forwarding

Console platforms use the baseline port sets in Section 3.1, with one addition for Nintendo Switch. The PC ports below are carried forward from Blizzard's published Battle.net port set and are marked pending re-confirmation.

Pending Confirmation: Overwatch 2 PC Port List.

PC, TCP: 80, 443, 1119, 3724, 6113

PC, UDP: 3478-3479, 5060, 5062, 6250, 12000-64000

Nintendo Switch, UDP: 1-65535 (all), per the Switch baseline in Section 3.1

Ports 1119 (Battle.net), 3724 (game traffic), and 6113 are longstanding Blizzard ports and are low-risk. The wide UDP 12000-64000 range is the part worth confirming before you open it. Blizzard's support site cannot be read programmatically, so Rally Cry has not verified the current set. Contact us before opening that range if district policy makes it a concern.

3.11 Rocket League

Platforms: PC (Epic Games Launcher), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch. macOS and Linux builds were discontinued in March 2020 and cannot play online.

About: Rocket League is best described as soccer played with rocket-powered cars that can boost and fly. It is rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB and is free to play.

Firewall Exceptions

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Epic Games\Launcher\Engine\Binaries\Win64\EpicGamesLauncher.exe

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Epic Games\Launcher\Engine\Binaries\Win32\EpicGamesLauncher.exe

Port Forwarding

3.12 Splatoon 3

Platform: Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED (also playable on Nintendo Switch 2 via backward compatibility). 9.9 GB download.

About: Splatoon 3 is a team-based, third-person "ink shooter" in which players are squid-like Inklings who cover terrain in colored ink. The main competitive mode, Turf War, is four-on-four and scored on territory covered rather than eliminations, so respawning is part of normal play and there is no blood or realistic weaponry. Competitive depth comes from weapon-class specialization, map control, and special-weapon timing, which makes it read closer to a team sport than a traditional shooter. It is rated E10+ (Everyone 10+) by the ESRB, with a Cartoon Violence descriptor.

Network Requirements

Nintendo Publishes No Domain Allowlist. Nintendo does not publish a list of service domains for the Switch, and it has retired its per-console port article. Schools running deny-by-default web filtering should place consoles on an isolated esports VLAN with permissive outbound rules rather than trying to build a domain allowlist. Nintendo also recommends turning off IPv6 on the console as the first step when NAT type is too restrictive.

PC specifications: Not applicable. Splatoon 3 is a Nintendo Switch exclusive.

3.13 Street Fighter 6

Platforms: PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2. Cross-platform multiplayer is supported, so mixed-platform school rosters are viable.

About: Street Fighter 6 is the current entry in Capcom's one-on-one fighting game series. Competitively it rewards execution and reads: the Drive Gauge resource system forces players to budget offense, defense, and recovery every round, and three control schemes (Classic, Modern, Dynamic) let beginners and veterans play the same character at very different mechanical difficulty. It is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB, with Violence, Mild Blood, Suggestive Themes, Language, and Use of Alcohol and Tobacco descriptors.

Firewall Exceptions

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\bin\cef\cef.win7x64\steamwebhelper.exe (required for Steam sign-in)

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Street Fighter 6\ (allow the folder)

Domains

Port Forwarding

Capcom publishes no port requirements for Street Fighter 6. Use the platform baselines in Section 3.1 for consoles; on PC, the Steam client's standard port requirements apply.

Deployment Blocker for Computer Labs: Read Before Imaging. Street Fighter 6 uses Denuvo Anti-tamper with a limit of five PC activations per 24 hours per account. Imaging or first-launching the game on more than five machines in a single day using the same Steam account will hit that cap and lock further activations.

Plan either per-station Steam accounts or a staggered rollout across several days. This is the single most consequential item for a lab deployment of this title.

3.14 VALORANT

Platforms: PC (Riot Client, also listed on the Epic Games Store), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5. There is no Xbox One or PlayStation 4 version. Riot supports cross-progression and cross-inventory between platforms; cross-play between PC and console is not confirmed, so plan rosters on a single platform.

About: VALORANT is a free-to-play five-on-five team tactical shooter from Riot Games. Two teams of five alternate between attacking and defending, and each player selects an "Agent" with a distinct set of tactical abilities that layer onto precise first-person aiming. Because players get one life per round and each round resets the economy, competitive play rewards communication, map knowledge, and disciplined team execution. It is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB, with Violence, Blood, and Language descriptors. A Riot Account is required.

Firewall Exceptions

• C:\Riot Games\Riot Client\RiotClientServices.exe

• C:\Riot Games\VALORANT\live\VALORANT.exe

• C:\Riot Games\VALORANT\live\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64\VALORANT-Win64-Shipping.exe

If your firewall supports folder rules, allowing C:\Riot Games\ is simpler and survives client updates.

Domains

Pending Confirmation: VALORANT Port List and Executable Paths. This is the largest known gap in this guide. Riot publishes a specific TCP and UDP port list for VALORANT, but its support site cannot be read programmatically and Rally Cry has not been able to retrieve the current version. No port numbers are reproduced here, because supplying them from a forum or wiki would be worse than leaving them out.

The three executable paths listed above are the well-known default install locations but are also unconfirmed, because Riot does not publish them. The reliable fix is to read them off an actual installation on one machine before writing rules for the fleet.

In the interim: permit general outbound traffic for the Riot Games folder, ensure outbound TCP 443 and 80 are open, and avoid a strict NAT type. Email support@rallycry.gg for the confirmed port list before finalizing a restrictive rule set.

Pending Confirmation: Riot Vanguard Anti-Cheat, but Review It Anyway. VALORANT requires Riot Vanguard, a kernel-mode anti-cheat driver that loads at system boot. On managed school hardware this has several consequences worth reviewing with whoever owns your Windows baseline:

• Installation requires local administrator rights, and typically forces a restart.

• On Windows 11, Riot requires TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot to be enabled.

• It is not supported inside a virtual machine, which rules out VDI and thin-client labs.

• It commonly conflicts with virtualization-based security features such as Hyper-V, VBS, and Credential Guard, which are enabled in many district images.

These requirements could not be confirmed against Riot's own documentation, so treat the specifics as provisional, but do not treat the issue as optional. If your standard image enables VBS or Credential Guard, or if students log in without administrator rights, raise this with Rally Cry early. It is the single most common cause of a VALORANT rollout stalling, and it is a security-baseline decision your district may not want to make quickly.

4.0 PC Specifications

The tables in this section give minimum and recommended hardware for each PC title, as published by the game's developer or publisher. Nintendo Switch exclusives (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Splatoon 3) are not listed here.

A note on procurement: "minimum" means the game will launch and run, not that it will run well enough to compete. For any title played competitively, specify to the recommended column. Where a title requires an SSD, that requirement is absolute. The game will not perform acceptably on a mechanical drive.

4.1 Fortnite

4.2 iRacing

4.3 Madden NFL 26

These figures are for Madden NFL 26, the version Rally Cry competes in. Madden NFL 27 requires Windows 11 as a minimum and roughly the GPU tier shown in the recommended column above. Do not specify hardware to Madden NFL 27 for Rally Cry play. See the note in Section 3.5.

4.4 Marvel Rivals

4.5 Minecraft

Minecraft publishes separate requirements for its two editions. Confirm with Rally Cry which edition your competition uses.

Java Edition

Bedrock Edition

Earlier versions of this guide listed 100 GB of storage for Minecraft. That figure was incorrect — Minecraft itself needs single-digit gigabytes. If your school hosts modpacks or persistent worlds on a lab machine, budget additional space for that separately.

4.6 NBA 2K26

Two Easy-to-Miss Requirements. AVX2 support is required. This rules out a number of older and low-end district CPUs that otherwise look adequate on paper. Check the specific CPU model, not just the generation.

An SSD is required, not recommended, and the install is 110 GB per machine. On a lab of twenty stations that is 2.2 TB of solid state storage, which is usually the real constraint on fielding this title.

4.7 Overwatch 2

Earlier versions of this guide listed Intel Iris Xe Graphics in the minimum tier. That entry does not appear in Blizzard's current published minimum and has been removed pending confirmation.

4.8 Rocket League

4.9 Street Fighter 6

4.10 VALORANT

Pending Confirmation: VALORANT Specifications Are Incomplete. The table above omits DirectX version, storage size, and VRAM, because they are absent from the only Riot-supplied source Rally Cry was able to retrieve. Riot also publishes a third high-end tier for competitive play at 144+ frames per second, which is not reproduced here.

Practical guidance in the interim: VALORANT is unusually light, and its published minimum is far below what any machine bought for competition will have. The binding constraints for a VALORANT lab are the Vanguard anti-cheat requirements in Section 5.0 and monitor refresh rate, not CPU or GPU. Contact Rally Cry for the high-end tier before specifying competition hardware.

5.0 Managed Device & Deployment Notes

These items are not network requirements, but they routinely stall an esports rollout on district-managed hardware. They are collected here so whoever owns your Windows image can review them in one pass.

5.1 Kernel-Mode Anti-Cheat

Two Rally Cry titles install a kernel-mode anti-cheat driver on Windows. These load before the desktop, require administrator rights to install, and interact with virtualization-based security features that many district images enable by default.

If your standard image enables virtualization-based security, or if students log in without administrator rights, plan this work before your first competition date. It is the most common single cause of a delayed esports launch.

5.2 Activation Limits on Imaged Machines

Two titles use Denuvo Anti-tamper with a hard cap on machine activations per account per day. Imaging a lab and first-launching the game on every station in one afternoon will hit the cap.

5.3 Virtual Desktops and Thin Clients

Neither iRacing nor VALORANT can run inside a virtual machine. iRacing states this explicitly, and Riot Vanguard blocks it. If your labs are VDI or thin-client based, these two titles require physical workstations. Confirm any other title against its publisher before assuming a virtualized lab will work.

5.4 Storage and Platform Accounts, at a Glance