Release 1.56.0 (#4456)

* Release 1.56.0

* fix e2e-image error

Author: Sivasankaran25

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,51 @@
 # Changelog
 
+# [v1.56.0](https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/tree/v1.56.0) (2026-02-24)
+
+[Full Changelog](https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/compare/v1.55.0...v1.56.0)
+
+**Breaking changes**
+- Feat: Move SidecarContainers feature gate to Beta by @AryanBagade in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4364
+- Fix Prometheus installation with helm chart v28.9.0. by @markmandel in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4448
+
+**Implemented enhancements**
+- Build simple-game-server in CI for e2e tests by @IrvingMg in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4401
+- Upgrade Hugo and Docsy by @Sivasankaran25 in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4404
+- add optional agones.metrics.serviceMonitor.additonalLabels map to values.yaml in helm chart by @jessebot in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4424
+- Added dark mode to the website by @thegalacticlor in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4439
+- site: update homepage showcase and navbar styling by @markmandel in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4438
+
+**Fixed bugs**
+- fix(sdk): add validation to SetAnnotation to prevent infinite retry loop by @indurireddy-TF in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4417
+- Fixes post_cloudbuild release by explicitly passing variables as Makefile arguments by @igooch in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4423
+- fix: Ensure the processclient have a correct timeout / fix flacky test by @lacroixthomas in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4402
+- docs: fix alert shortcode syntax to process Markdown content by @markmandel in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4437
+
+**Other**
+- Preparation for Release v1.56.0 by @Sivasankaran25 in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4422
+- chore(sdk/nodejs): update dependencies and migrate to ESLint 9 config by @markmandel in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4412
+- chore(sdk/nodejs): migrate linting from ESLint to Biome by @smazmi in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4426
+- fix(docs): update external links in out-of-cluster dev server guide by @markmandel in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4427
+- test: standardize runtime.ParseFeatures error handling and mutex usage by @markmandel in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4416
+- Add Singularity 6 Palia architecture article to third party content by @markmandel in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4430
+- Add CEDIL slides link for Sega Sonic Rumble CEDEC talk by @markmandel in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4432
+- Add Google Doodle containerized games case study to third party content by @markmandel in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4433
+- docs: add blog entry for "Making and Scaling a Game Server in Kubernetes using Agones" by @noetarbouriech in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4428
+- Document Allocation batching by @markmandel in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4440
+- build(deps): bump github.com/go-git/go-git/v5 from 5.16.4 to 5.16.5 in /build/scripts/example-version-checker by @dependabot[bot] in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4442
+- test: fix flaky allocation metrics test server startup by @srpvpn in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4445
+- docs: convert alert shortcodes to format for markdown rendering by @markmandel in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4446
+- build: improve test-gen-api-docs failure message by @markmandel in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4453
+
+**New Contributors**
+- @smazmi made their first contribution in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4426
+- @IrvingMg made their first contribution in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4401
+- @noetarbouriech made their first contribution in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4428
+- @jessebot made their first contribution in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4424
+- @AryanBagade made their first contribution in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4364
+- @thegalacticlor made their first contribution in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4439
+- @srpvpn made their first contribution in https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/pull/4445
+
 # [v1.55.0](https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/tree/v1.55.0) (2026-01-13)
 
 [Full Changelog](https://github.com/googleforgames/agones/compare/v1.54.0...v1.55.0)

build/e2e-image/Dockerfile

@@ -1,8 +1,15 @@
 FROM gcr.io/cloud-builders/gcloud
 
 RUN apt-get update && \
-    apt-get install -y wget psmisc make gcc jq zip && \
-    apt-get clean
+    apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
+    wget \
+    psmisc \
+    make \
+    gcc \
+    jq \
+    zip && \
+    apt-get clean && \
+    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 # install go
 WORKDIR /usr/local

install/helm/agones/Chart.yaml

@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
 # Declare variables to be passed into your templates.
 
 apiVersion: v1
-appVersion: "1.56.0-dev"
-version: 1.56.0-dev
+appVersion: "1.56.0"
+version: 1.56.0
 name: agones
 description: a library for hosting, running and scaling dedicated game servers on Kubernetes.
 keywords:

install/helm/agones/values.yaml

@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ agones:
         timeoutSeconds: 1
   image:
     registry: us-docker.pkg.dev/agones-images/release
-    tag: 1.56.0-dev
+    tag: 1.56.0
     controller:
       name: agones-controller
       pullPolicy: IfNotPresent