The game development industry is a rapidly growing field, and with it, the demand for game engines. Game engines are software development kits that provide the tools and infrastructure needed to create video games. They can be used to create games for a variety of platforms, including consoles, computers, and mobile devices. There are many different game engines available, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Some of the top game engines in 2023 include:
- Unity
- Unreal Engine
- GameMaker: Studio
- Godot
- Construct 3
These game engines are used by a wide range of developers, from indie game makers to large AAA studios. They offer a variety of features and capabilities, making them suitable for a variety of projects.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the most commonly used game engines in 2023. We will discuss their features, capabilities, and who they are best suited for.
Unity
Unity is a cross-platform game engine developed by Unity Technologies. It is used to create both 2D and 3D games, as well as simulations and other interactive experiences. Unity is one of the most popular game engines in the world, and it is used by a wide variety of developers, from indie game makers to large AAA studios.
Advantages of Unity
- Cross-platform: Unity supports a wide variety of platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and consoles. This makes it a great choice for developers who want to create games that can be played on multiple platforms.
- Comprehensive toolset: Unity comes with a comprehensive set of tools that developers can use to create their games. These tools include a 3D modeling and texturing tool, a physics engine, a particle system, and a lighting system.
- Active community: Unity has a large and active community of developers who can provide support and help with development. This community is a great resource for developers who are new to Unity or who need help with a specific problem.
- Free for personal use: Unity is free for personal use. This makes it a great option for indie game makers who are on a budget.
Disadvantages of Unity
- Can be complex: Unity is a complex engine, and it can take some time to learn how to use it effectively. This can be a barrier for developers who are new to game development.
- Not as powerful as Unreal Engine: Unity is not as powerful as Unreal Engine, which is another popular game engine. This means that Unity may not be the best choice for developers who need to create games with high-end graphics.
- Can be expensive for commercial use: Unity is free for personal use, but it costs money for commercial use. The cost of a commercial license varies depending on the size of the team and the number of users.
Games made with Unity
- Among Us
- Baba Is You
- Cities: Skylines
- Dyson Sphere Program
- Fallout Shelter
- Hearthstone
- Kerbal Space Program
- Layers of Fear
- Ori and the Blind Forest
- Phasmophobia
- Subnautica
- Superhot
- Unravel
- VALORANT
- V Rising
Unreal Engine 5
Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) is a game engine developed by Epic Games. It is the successor to Unreal Engine 4 and was first released in early access in 2021. UE5 is designed to be used for creating high-fidelity, real-time 3D graphics and is used by a wide variety of industries, including games, film, television, and architecture. It is consider as one of the top game engines of all existed.
Advantages of Unreal Engine 5
- Real-time ray tracing: UE5 supports real-time ray tracing, which is a technique for simulating the way light behaves in the real world. This allows for more realistic and immersive graphics.
- Nanite: Nanite is a new technology that allows for the creation of incredibly detailed objects without the need for LODs. This means that artists can create objects with millions of polygons without impacting performance.
- Lumen: Lumen is a new global illumination system that allows for dynamic lighting and shadows. This means that the lighting in a scene can change in real time, depending on the position of the sun and other objects.
- World Partition: World Partition is a new feature that allows for the creation of large, open worlds without the need for loading screens. This makes it possible to create more immersive and engaging experiences.
- MetaHuman Creator: MetaHuman Creator is a new tool that allows artists to create photorealistic digital humans in minutes. This can be used for games, film, television, and other applications.
Disadvantages of Unreal Engine 5
- Cost: UE5 is a commercial product and requires a subscription to use. The subscription costs $19 per month or $1,500 per year.
- Hardware requirements: UE5 is a demanding engine and requires powerful hardware to run. This can be a barrier for some users, especially those who are working on older machines.
- Learning curve: UE5 is a complex engine and can be difficult to learn. This can be a barrier for some users, especially those who are new to game development.
Games that use Unreal Engine 5
- Fortnite: Fortnite is a popular battle royale game that was released in 2017. It was one of the first games to use Unreal Engine 5 and helped to showcase the engine’s capabilities.
- The Matrix Awakens: The Matrix Awakens is a tech demo that was released in 2021 to showcase the capabilities of Unreal Engine 5. It features real-time ray tracing, nanite, and lumen, and it was created in just four months.
- Keanu Reeves: The Unreal Engine 5 Experience: Keanu Reeves: The Unreal Engine 5 Experience is a short film that was released in 2022 to showcase the capabilities of Unreal Engine 5. It features Keanu Reeves in a photorealistic digital environment and was created in just two months.
- Star Wars Eclipse: Star Wars Eclipse is an upcoming action-adventure game that is being developed by Quantic Dream. It is one of the first games to be announced that will use Unreal Engine 5.
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is an upcoming animated film that is being produced by Sony Pictures Animation. It is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and will use Unreal Engine 5 to create its visuals.
GameMaker: Studio
GameMaker: Studio is a 2D game engine developed by YoYo Games. It is used to create both 2D and 2.5D games, and it is a popular choice for indie game developers.
Advantages of GameMaker: Studio
- Easy to use: GameMaker: Studio is a very easy-to-use game engine, even for beginners. It uses a drag-and-drop interface, so you don’t need to know any programming to get started.
- Powerful: GameMaker: Studio is a powerful game engine, even though it’s easy to use. It has a wide range of features, including a physics engine, a particle system, and a lighting system.
- Cross-platform: GameMaker: Studio can export games to a wide range of platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and consoles. This makes it a great choice for developers who want to create games that can be played on multiple platforms.
- Inexpensive: GameMaker: Studio is an inexpensive game engine. The Personal Edition is free for personal use, and the Professional Edition costs $199 per year.
Disadvantages of GameMaker: Studio
- Not as powerful as Unreal Engine: GameMaker: Studio is not as powerful as Unreal Engine, which is another popular game engine. This means that GameMaker: Studio may not be the best choice for developers who need to create games with high-end graphics.
- Can be limited for complex games: GameMaker: Studio can be limited for complex games. If you’re planning on creating a large or complex game, you may want to consider using a different game engine.
- Can be difficult to learn: GameMaker: Studio can be difficult to learn if you want to go beyond the drag-and-drop interface. If you want to create games with custom code, you’ll need to learn the GameMaker: Studio language, GML.
Games that use GameMaker: Studio
- Undertale
- Hotline Miami
- Celeste
- Shovel Knight
- The Binding of Isaac
- Risk of Rain
- Nuclear Throne
- Cuphead
- Owlboy
- The Messenger
Godot Engine
Godot is a free and open-source game engine that supports 2D and 3D games. It is developed by the Godot Engine Community, and it is used by a wide variety of developers, from indie game makers to large AAA studios.
Advantages of Godot
- Free and open-source: Godot is free and open-source software, which means that it is free to use and modify. This makes it one of the top game engines for developers who are on a budget or who want to have more control over their game engine.
- Cross-platform: Godot can be used to create games for a wide variety of platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and consoles. This makes it a great choice for developers who want to create games that can be played on multiple platforms.
- Powerful: Godot is a powerful game engine that can be used to create games of all types, from simple 2D games to complex 3D games. It has a wide range of features, including a physics engine, a particle system, and a lighting system.
- Easy to use: Godot is a relatively easy-to-use game engine, even for beginners. It has a user-friendly interface and comprehensive documentation.
- Active community: Godot has a large and active community of developers who can provide support and help with development. This community is a great resource for developers who are new to Godot or who need help with a specific problem.
Disadvantages of Godot
- Not as well-known as other game engines: Godot is not as well-known as some other game engines, such as Unity and Unreal Engine. This means that there may be fewer resources available for Godot developers, such as tutorials and documentation.
- Can be complex: Godot is a powerful game engine, but it can also be complex. This means that it can take some time to learn how to use it effectively.
- Not as powerful as Unreal Engine: Godot is not as powerful as Unreal Engine, which is another popular game engine. This means that Godot may not be the best choice for developers who need to create games with high-end graphics.
Games creates with Godot
- A Short Hike
- The Last Campfire
- Spelunky 2
- The Witness
- Gorogoa
- Celeste
- Timespinner
- Inmost
- Children of Morta
- Trover Saves the Universe
Construct 3
Construct 3 is a 2D game engine that is known for its ease of use. It is a drag-and-drop game engine, which means that you can create games without having to write any code. Construct 3 also has a visual scripting language called GML, which you can use to add more complex functionality to your games.
Advantages of Construct 3
- Easy to use: Construct 3 is a drag-and-drop game engine, which means that you can create games without having to write any code. This makes it a great choice for beginners or for people who don’t want to learn how to code.
- Powerful: Construct 3 is a powerful game engine that can be used to create games of all levels of complexity. It has a wide range of features, including a physics engine, a particle system, and a lighting system.
- Cross-platform: Construct 3 can be used to create games for a wide variety of platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and the web. This makes it a great choice for developers who want to create games that can be played on multiple platforms.
- Inexpensive: Construct 3 is an inexpensive game engine. The Personal Edition is free for personal use, and the Indie Edition costs $99 per year.
Disadvantages of Construct 3
- Not as powerful as Unreal Engine: Construct 3 is not as powerful as Unreal Engine, which is another popular game engine. This means that Construct 3 may not be the best choice for developers who need to create games with high-end graphics.
- Can be limited for complex games: Construct 3 can be limited for complex games. If you’re planning on creating a large or complex game, you may want to consider using a different game engine.
- Can be difficult to learn: Construct 3 can be difficult to learn if you want to go beyond the drag-and-drop interface. If you want to create games with custom code, you’ll need to learn the Construct 3 language, GML.
Games made with Construct 3
- Scribblenauts Remix
- Reigns
- The Escapists
- The Room
- Downwell
- Baba Is You
- GRIS
- Underhero
- Noita
- Inscryption
Top Game Engines Comparison Table
Each game engine has its own set of features and capabilities, so it’s important to choose the right one for your project. In this table, we compare the top five game engines based on factors such as price, platform support, and features.
This table can help you narrow down your choices and choose the best game engine for your needs.
| Feature | Unity | Unreal Engine | GameMaker: Studio | Godot | Construct 3 |
| Programming language | C# | C++ and Blueprints | GML | GDScript | Lua |
| Cost | Free for personal and small-team use, $19 per month or $1,500 per year for commercial use | Free for personal and educational use, $19 per month or $1,500 per year for commercial use | Free for personal use, $129 per year for commercial use | Free and open-source | $99 per year |
| Graphics | Good | Excellent | Good | Good | Good |
| Performance | Good | Excellent | Good | Good | Good |
| Toolset | Extensive | Extensive | Extensive | Extensive | Extensive |
| Documentation | Good | Excellent | Good | Good | Good |
| Community | Large and active | Large and active | Large and active | Growing | Growing |
| Ecosystem | Large and growing | Large and growing | Growing | Growing | Growing |
| Best for | 2D and 3D games, VR/AR, simulations, and other interactive experiences | 3D games, especially AAA games, film, television, and architecture | 2D games | 2D and 3D games | 2D games |
The Bottom Line
In conclusion, there are many great game engines available in 2023. The best engine for you will depend on your specific needs and budget. If you are a beginner, I recommend starting with a free or low-cost engine like Godot or Unity. These engines are easy to learn and use, and they offer a wide range of features. If you are a more experienced developer, you may want to consider using a more powerful engine like Unreal Engine or CryEngine. These engines offer more features and flexibility, but they can be more difficult to learn and use.
No matter which engine you choose, make sure to do your research and choose the one that is right for you. With the right engine, you can create amazing games that will entertain and amaze players all over the world.
Here are some additional tips for choosing the right game engine:
- Consider your budget. Some game engines are free or low-cost, while others can be quite expensive.
- Think about your skill level. Some game engines are easy to learn and use, while others can be more complex.
- Consider the features that are important to you. Some game engines offer more features than others.
- Read reviews and compare different game engines before making a decision.
By following these tips, you can choose the right game engine for your needs and budget.
There are many great online platforms available to learn game development. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Udemy: Udemy has a wide variety of game development courses, ranging from beginner to advanced. Many of the courses are taught by industry professionals, and they offer a great way to learn the basics of game development.
- Coursera: Coursera also has a number of great game development courses. These courses are taught by professors from top universities, and they offer a more in-depth look at the subject.
- Skillshare: Skillshare is a subscription-based service that offers a variety of online courses, including game development. The courses on Skillshare are taught by experienced professionals, and they offer a great way to learn new skills and techniques.
- GameDev.tv: GameDev.tv is a website that offers a variety of online courses on game development. The courses on GameDev.tv are taught by industry professionals, and they offer a great way to learn the basics of game development.
- Unity Learn: Unity Learn is a website that offers a variety of free online courses on game development. The courses on Unity Learn are taught by Unity experts, and they offer a great way to learn how to use the Unity game engine.