If you're new to making games in 2025, you've got three amazing options to choose from: Unity, Unreal Engine, and Godot. Each one has its own personality and strengths, kind of like choosing between different art supplies… they'll all help you create, but each works better for different types of projects.
The engine you pick will shape how you work, what devices your game can run on, how much it costs, and even what career opportunities open up for you. Let's explore what makes each one special so you can find your perfect match.
Unity: The Swiss Army Knife
Unity is like the friendly, helpful tool that can do almost anything. It's used by millions of people worldwide because it strikes a great balance… powerful enough for professional games, but approachable enough for beginners. You'll write code in C#, which many people find easier to learn than other programming languages.
Unity powers about 70% of the most popular mobile games and nearly half of all games made with these engines. It's behind hits like Hollow Knight, Cuphead, and Beat Saber, showing it can handle everything from beautiful 2D art to cutting-edge virtual reality.
The good stuff:
- Works everywhere: Unity is a champion at getting your game onto different devices. Make it once, and you can put it on phones, computers, game consoles, websites, and VR headsets… over 20 different platforms in total.
- Huge helpful community: Since so many people use Unity, there are tons of tutorials, forums where you can ask questions, and a marketplace full of ready-made art, sounds, and code you can buy or download for free. Stuck on something? Someone has probably solved it before and shared the answer.
- Great for any type of game: Whether you want to make a retro-style platformer or a 3D adventure, Unity can handle it. It has special tools for 2D games and powerful graphics systems for 3D games that can look almost as good as big-budget titles.
- Easy to experiment: Unity's editor is designed to be intuitive. You can drag and drop things to build your game world, hit play to test instantly, and the visual scripting option lets you create game logic without writing much code.
The not-so-good stuff:
- Can slow down with complex projects: While Unity can make impressive games, really demanding projects (like massive open worlds with ultra-realistic graphics) might need extra work to run smoothly.
- Visual ceiling: Unity can make beautiful games, but achieving the absolute best graphics (like what you see in the latest PlayStation or Xbox exclusives) takes more expertise than with some other engines.
- Learning curve for advanced features: Unity is beginner-friendly for simple games, but mastering everything it can do takes time. Advanced topics like custom graphics programming or high-performance systems can be challenging.
- Cost for bigger projects: Unity is free until your game or company makes $200,000 per year, then you need to pay about $2,200 annually for the professional version.
Best for: People who want to learn game development, teams making games for phones or multiple platforms, anyone who values having lots of resources and community support available.
Unreal Engine: The Hollywood Studio
Unreal Engine is like having a professional movie studio for games. It's Epic Games' powerhouse engine, famous for creating the most stunning, realistic-looking games you've ever seen. The latest version (Unreal Engine 5) introduced mind-blowing features that let you use movie-quality 3D models and lighting in real-time.
This is the engine behind Fortnite, many PlayStation and Xbox exclusives, and increasingly, big-budget games that push the boundaries of what's possible. It's also being used to make virtual sets for movies and TV shows.
The good stuff:
- Incredible visuals: If you want your game to look absolutely stunning, Unreal is unmatched. It can create photorealistic graphics with advanced lighting and lets you use incredibly detailed 3D models without the technical headaches that usually come with that.
- Complete professional toolkit: Unreal comes packed with everything you need for complex 3D games… advanced physics, terrain editing, character animation tools, and even a built-in movie-making system for cutscenes.
- Visual scripting magic: Unreal's "Blueprints" system lets you create game logic by connecting nodes visually, like a flowchart. This means artists and designers can build gameplay features without deep programming knowledge.
- Industry connections: Many professional studios use Unreal, so learning it connects you to a network of high-end tools and techniques used in blockbuster games.
The not-so-good stuff:
- Steep learning mountain: Unreal is powerful but complex. It's like learning to fly a jet plane instead of riding a bicycle. The interface can feel overwhelming, and you'll eventually need to learn C++ programming, which is more challenging than other options.
- Demands a powerful computer: Unreal needs a beefy computer to run smoothly. The editor itself is resource-heavy, and making changes can be slower than with lighter engines.
- Not great for simple games: If you want to make a 2D puzzle game or basic mobile app, Unreal is like using a race car to go to the grocery store… it works, but it's overkill.
- Revenue sharing: While Unreal is free to start, once your game makes over $1 million, Epic Games takes 5% of everything you earn beyond that threshold.
Best for: People who prioritize stunning 3D graphics, teams with technical expertise, anyone aiming to work at major game studios, or developers creating high-end PC and console games.
Godot: The Indie Darling
Godot is the scrappy, independent choice that's completely free and built by the community, for the community. It's like choosing to support a local coffee shop instead of a big chain… you get something crafted with care, and you're supporting an open, collaborative approach to game development.
Godot uses its own friendly programming language called GDScript (which feels like Python) and organizes everything using an intuitive "scene and node" system. While it started with a reputation as mainly a 2D engine, recent versions have greatly improved 3D capabilities.
The good stuff:
- Completely free forever: No subscriptions, no revenue sharing, no hidden costs. Ever. Whether your game makes nothing or millions, you'll never owe anyone money for using Godot.
- 2D game champion: Godot excels at 2D games with tools specifically designed for pixel art, animations, and efficient 2D rendering. Many developers say it's the best engine for 2D projects.
- Beginner-friendly design: Godot's interface is clean and uncluttered. Its programming language is easy to learn, and the whole system is designed to make sense quickly. Many people find it less intimidating than the alternatives.
- Open and customizable: Since it's open-source, you can see exactly how it works and even modify it for your needs. The community actively improves it, and you're never locked into someone else's business decisions.
The not-so-good stuff:
- 3D limitations: While improving, Godot's 3D capabilities still lag behind Unity and Unreal. Complex 3D games with advanced graphics might hit walls or require workarounds.
- Smaller community: Fewer people use Godot, which means fewer tutorials, fewer ready-made assets to buy, and sometimes fewer answers when you're stuck on a problem.
- Less proven at scale: Most Godot success stories are smaller indie games. If you're planning something massive and complex, you might encounter uncharted territory.
- Console publishing complexity: Getting games onto PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch requires extra steps and potentially additional costs, unlike Unity and Unreal which have more direct paths.
Best for: Hobbyists and indie developers, people making 2D games, anyone who values complete creative freedom, developers who prefer community-driven tools over corporate products.
Costs and Making Money
Unity: Free until you or your company makes $200,000 per year, then $2,200 annually per person using it. No revenue sharing… Unity doesn't take a cut of your game's sales. Includes built-in advertising and purchase systems to help monetize mobile games.
Unreal: Completely free until your game earns $1 million total, then 5% of revenue above that amount goes to Epic. Includes all features from day one, but you'll need to integrate your own advertising or purchase systems.
Godot: Free forever, no strings attached. You handle your own monetization solutions, but you keep 100% of everything your game makes.
Which Engine Should You Choose?
If you're just starting out: Godot or Unity are your best bets. Godot if you want something completely free and straightforward, Unity if you want access to lots of learning resources and community support.
If you're making a 2D game: Godot is often the top choice, though Unity is also excellent for 2D projects.
If you want stunning 3D graphics: Unreal Engine will get you there most directly, though Unity can achieve great results with more effort.
If you're planning a mobile game: Unity typically works best for mobile platforms.
If you want to work at a big game studio: Learn Unreal Engine… it's become the industry standard for high-end development.
If you're starting an indie studio: Unity hits the sweet spot of capability and practicality for most small teams.
If you value complete creative freedom: Godot's open-source nature means you'll never be subject to corporate policy changes or licensing surprises.
The Bottom Line
There's no wrong choice here… all three engines can help you create amazing games. The "best" engine is the one that matches your goals and gets you excited to start creating.
Many successful developers know multiple engines and choose different ones for different projects. The skills you learn in one (programming, game design, problem-solving) transfer to others. So pick the one that feels right for your first project, dive in, and start making something awesome.
The most important step is to begin. Choose an engine, follow a tutorial, and make your first game, even if it's just moving a character around a screen. Every expert started exactly where you are now.
Good luck and remember… the best way to learn game development is by actually making games!
Stay Weird.
Phil
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