Unity and Unreal are two of the most widely-used game engines today. With its intuitive interface, simplified language and ease of use, Unity attracts starters and mobile game creators. Unreal Engine, on the contrary, has proven its exceptional graphics and gameplay capabilities, hence, used by big studios for triple-A video games.

So, which fits you best, Unity or Unreal? Unreal Engine is undeniably the best bet given its powerful capabilities and visual quality. It’s got great backing and more future-proof than Unity, as other industries like film rely on its technology. While anyone can test the waters with Unity, you’re better off with the best product right away.

To have a clearer perspective on these game engines, we will look at their background stories and compare one to the other. Comparison in terms of software specifics and infrastructure is presented in this article too. Their best ten games and the latest news are included to help assess their past performance and determine future direction.

History And Background

Aside from the gaming milestones that Unity and Unreal have accomplished, a quick glance at their development stories will help us understand how both came to be and what they are aiming for in the future. Here are a few highlights on how these software brands came into existence and fared well in the market.

Unity 3D

History And Development

Unity 3D was born in 2004, as three guys decided to release the engine they used for a game which failed to sell. It was released as a development engine in June 2005 and since then, has become a sought-after platform for 2D and 3D games around the world. It ushered in accessible game development to anyone interested and not just studios or big companies. It is said that almost every indie game developer began with and continued to use Unity as the main tool.

Unity Technologies, its official business based in San Francisco, built this software as a cross-platform licensed game engine supporting over 25 different platforms. Since its launch, several versions have been fully released, the latest of which is Unity 2020 1.9 that came out in October 2020. In June 2020, MARS or Mixed and Augmented Reality Studio was introduced by Unity for added functionality in its AR or augmented reality applications.

Engine Use

Unity has been considered by many as the better platform for flash and mobile games since it’s one of the best bets for 2D games. Its capabilities however, extend even to 3D environments. With the dawn of XR or Extended Reality, an umbrella term for augmented reality, mixed reality, virtual reality (VR) and anything included in these terms, Unity was adopted by XR communities. XR development was found to be similar to game development in several ways.

Aside from its XR capability, Unity is utilized by other industries for their various needs. The two installments of the short film Adam were crafted using Unity under a partnership with Oats Studios. The main reason for the partnership is the use of  Unity’s Cinemachine tool in virtual production.

Volkswagen, a famous automotive brand, also uses Unity’s technology to train its workers across global production sites and then layout virtual assembly lines..

Skanska, an architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firm, implemented a Unity-based VR experience to enhance its standard worker-safety training and ultimately boost its construction-site safety. These are just a few; I will give more real-life examples in the Other Software Uses section.

Unreal Engine

History And Development

Initially written for the production of the first-person shooter Unreal in 1995, this game engine was later developed by Tim Sweeney, its writer and Epic Games’ founder. Epic Games debuted with the release of Unreal Engine in 1998 as an open-source software, though its license was conferred two years earlier.

Unreal Engine carved a name in game development due to its ground-breaking graphics and dominance in triple-A gaming culture. It has now granted access to smaller developers, making it the best contender of Unity.

Its current release is Unreal Engine 4, but version 5 has been revealed last May 13, 2020. Its launch is expected in late 2021, with support for all platforms, including consoles Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.

Engine Use

Unreal Engine is famous for its use in photo realistic, highly graphical and triple A games, but its capability applies to 2D games as well. A myriad of genres can be developed in this software. Platform games made in Unreal include Yoshi’s Crafted World, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, Juju and Abes Odyssey. Fighting games like Crash Force, Daemon X Machina and Darksiders III were also produced in Unreal. 

MMORPGs, an acronym for Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games, can be created in this game engine. Rend, Lineage 2 Revolution, and Kurtzpel – Bringer of Chaos are among its names. Role-playing games or RPGS created in Unreal include Caligula: Overdose, The Bard’s Tale IV, Shenmue III, and Octopath Traveler.

Like Unity, Unreal has also been tapped for virtual filmmaking and architectural services given its real-time capability. For one, the Mandalorian Season 1 production addressed complex demands for filming actors and scenes using Unreal technology. HNTB Corporation, a US-based company, is noted to have been using Unreal to create interactive presentations that its AEC clients need. 

Software Comparison

Despite being in the same market niche, Unity and Unreal differ in a variety of ways. Let us compare these game engines in nine crucial aspects for you to know which suits your skills and requirements, and eventually pick the right alternative.

Graphics And Visuals Quality

Unity

Unity lags behind Unreal when it comes to graphics and high quality visuals. The primary reason is that this engine was originally used in 2D environment production. However, it constantly works to improve in this aspect and seeks to compete with Unreal Engine 4 through Unity 3D’s version 5 that will be out soon. With its current releases, you can somehow obtain high quality visuals by exerting more effort to do the hard work.

It boasts of a quite modern lighting system that supports the latest technology. But you may encounter lighting issues and glitches that will require you to solve strange artifacts.

Your scene lighting may have to be set up repeatedly. Compared to Unreal, shadow details are a bit inferior. Unity’s 2018 update came up with a lighting model that’s more lightweight.

If you want to apply a certain material to faces or objects, Unity has a very basic material editor tab. Base textures with limited parameters, normal maps and occlusion maps are supported in this software.

Unity had a beta containing a material editor, but the very specific graphic settings it required can cause confusion, hence, was not integrated into the platform. Unity’s post-processing effects can improve your application’s appearance but you may be asked to download its post-processing versions from the assets store before you can use them.

Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine is way ahead when it comes to graphics and visual quality. Its Motion Graphics UI Designer can provide a wide range of functionality, that is, from complex particle simulations to advanced dynamic lighting systems. Whatever is your preferred visual style, consider it done with Unreal’s powerful 2D and 3D technology.

With built-in presets that you can easily tweak, Unreal is better than Unity in this concern. Presets can work out of the box and lighting is more accurate and smooth. Your scene lighting can be more amazing while having no graphical glitches or issues to attend to. Shadows have a nicer falloff and more polished looks. 

Unreal Engine has a material editor that uses node graphs and works very similar to Maya, 3DS Max and other 3D software. Post-processing effects are fully integrated, hence, ready for your immediate use. You can also access a lot of options for your needs like volumetric effects, grading and lens flares. With its top-notch ability, Unreal Engine is being developed to support the next generation of consoles.

Toolbox

Unity

Unity shines with its quick and responsive user interface that you can easily navigate. It is loaded with a myriad of tools that include Animation, Lighting, Physics, Audio, Event Triggers and many more. With the usual glitches in this software though, you may need to rebuild your craft from scratch or consider using plug-ins and extensions from its assets store in order to crutch the missing pieces. Unity doesn’t support template-based work, so creating from scratch may be necessary. You may write your own tools instead, if you find the standard package lacking and you’re fed up with all your tweak attempts. Unity uses C# which is a lot simpler than Unreal’s C++.

Unreal Engine

An exact opposite, Unreal’s interface takes more time to navigate as it’s complex and quite bloated. You have a huge number of features and tools to begin with, but the good thing about them is they’re fully integrated! With Unreal, nothing feels hacked together given its robust and well-performing toolset.

Its presets need no further package imports or even fumbling around settings to make them work. You simply drop your pick in, hit play, and test your level instantly. Its terrain editor also beats Unity in a landslide.

A downside with Unreal is that you might feel like being trapped in a maze. But once you’re able to find your way out, you’ll become oriented with the process and nothing will stop you. Like Unity, you may opt to build your own tools when necessary, but remember that Unreal is more advanced, therefore, expect that you’ll have a harder time writing your own tools.

Game Development Process

Unity

If you have a programming background, you’ll appreciate the ease of language that Unity has. Unity supports C# as its programming language and scripting can be done in JavaScript, which is also called UnityScript. While C# is quite similar to C++, it’s easier to learn and write than the latter, justifying the simpler use of Unity.

You can also create games in Unity outside the coding process. When you download Unity editor’s free version via the First-time Users tab, a ready-made Microgame will open as soon as you launch it.

You can make simple changes by following the step-by-step interactive tutorials in accomplishing your creative tasks. You may choose to customize your Microgame with Unity’s Mod collection or asset store tools such as Bolt and Playmaker visual scripting apps.  

Unreal Engine

Unreal supports the arguably hardest coding language you’ll ever work with – C++. While difficult to master, C++ codes are much faster than C# codes, making it a better application solution where high-level performance is required.

C++ is a more likely option when your application development is not efficient with C#, as it allows coding for almost anything. Compiler warnings are shown to reduce serious errors in C#. I hope this suffices as an explanation on why one is better than the other in a particular aspect.

If you’re without any programming or game development experience, Unreal offers its Blueprint visual scripting that is readily available in its platform. Blueprint uses node-based workflows in lieu of the code-based game creation and is helpful for quickly prototyping levels.

Extra diligence is needed though, as complex node workflows may generate performance issues and navigating Blueprint may be challenging. Unreal further supports the Python scripting system.

Virtual Filmmaking Capability

Unity

It was in the 2010s when Unity first explored the film industry for added application of its real-time 3D technology. Its first experiment was the short film Adam, a story about a robot slipping away from prison. Unity partnered with Neill Blomkamp, a filmmaker and the owner of Oats Studios, whose studio utilized Unity’s real-time rendering and Cinemachine tool to produce two computer-generated short films – Adam: The Prophet and Adam: The Mirror.

Unity showcased its 2017.1’s new Cinemachine tool during the Unite Europe conference last 2017 held in Amsterdam as it focused on filmmaking. Disney Television Animation partnered with Unity in 2018 to launch three shorts called Baymax Dreams. This direction has a great potential following the movie industry’s shift towards virtual filmmaking amidst the pandemic.

Unreal Engine

Virtual production is also possible with this game engine. Unreal established partnerships with various entities to forefront virtual workflows in a production pipeline. The Future Group announced in September 2019 that RIOT Games delivered its first live broadcast using Pixotope, Unreal Engine-based AR solution.

This is in partnership with Animatrik for motion capture, Stype for camera tracking, and Cubic Motion for a real-time facial animation. Real-ray tracing makes Unreal a solution to media and entertainment projects.

You can easily create virtual sets with Unreal. These are then rendered to LED projection screens with atmospheric lighting systems and go on tracking with a camera’s motion, for both actors and objects. Westworld, HBO’s hit sci-fi series, employed futuristic techniques behind cameras using Unreal Engine for its season 3 production. The Mandalorian Season 1, in collaboration with Industrial Light and Magic, and Jon Favreau, used Unreal to meet complex filming demands for actors and scenes.

Other Software Uses

Unity

Outside the gaming world, Unity has a special role to play in various industries. With Unity’s automotive arm launched in May 2018, it has been working with automakers to improve different areas, such as vehicle design and employee training. Full-scale models of vehicles can be created in virtual reality, virtual assembly lines can be built and workers can be virtually trained.

Audi, Toyota and Volkswagen are three popular names using Unity’s AR and VR capabilities.

Training artificial intelligence is also feasible with Unity. DeepMind, an Alphabet Inc. company, harnesses this ability for its advantage. SHoP Architects used Unity to track the construction progress of exterior glazing panels in Brooklyn’s tallest building (9 Dekalb Avenue).

Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine’s use outside the gaming industry can be seen in its partnership with computer science programs for C++ learning inputs. HNTB Corporation, a company with offices across the US, designs projects in the civil engineering and AEC spaces and uses Unreal Studio to come up with interactive presentations for clients. 

In the automotive sector, AltSpace, a visualization firm, used Unreal for Robocar’s interactive presentation. Robocar is considered the world’s first autonomous race car that’s purpose-built.

Automaker BMW employs this engine’s latest tech for mixed reality design collaboration to better understand customers’ feel of its cars. Inlusion, an AR/VR firm, also uses Unreal for virtual reality experiences on aircraft repair and maintenance training.

Software Access And Price

Unity

With Unity, you can avail of a free personal plan that’s right for both individuals and small businesses. For bigger businesses, two types of packages are being offered. Its Plus Package is good for businesses with less than $200K in revenues in the immediate year preceding purchase. This package can be on a monthly or annual subscription – $35 monthly and $299 annual fees on a prepaid basis.

Its Pro Package on the other hand, are for those exceeding $200K in revenues in the past year prior to purchase. You can avail of priority customer support and services and exclusive source code access under this subscription, but with separate charges for iOS or Android game development. This can be accessed in three ways: by a 2-year prepaid package amounting to $2,850, by an annual prepaid package worth $1,500 or by a monthly prepaid package costing $125. 

Unreal Engine

You can download a copy of Unreal Engine via the Epic Games Launcher. You may choose between publishing or creator license, depending on your purpose. Creator license is completely free while its publishing license charges 5% royalties if you decide to monetize your game and your product’s lifetime gross revenues go beyond $1,000,000 USD.

Supported Platforms

Unity 

A multi-platform game engine, Unity lets you build once and deploy anywhere, across more than 20 platforms to reach your target audience. It currently supports mobile, AR and VR platforms, consoles and desktops. Included in its list are Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, PS4, XBox One and 360.

Unity is light, and therefore compatible with Windows XP and PC, Android, Mac OS X, Linux, iOS, Windows Phone 8, Samsung Smart TV and Android TV. Tizen, Web Player, WebGL, Playstation Vita, SteamOS, Wii U, and VR including Hololens also work well with Unity.

Unreal Engine

You can deploy your Unreal projects in different available platforms. While it needs at least the 64-bit Windows 7 version, it enables deployment to consoles PlayStation 4 and 5, XBox One and XBox Series X, Nintendo Switch and Google Stadia.

The Unreal Editor runs on Windows, Linux and Mac OS. Other supported platforms include iOS, Android, HTML5, SteamOS, VR, AR, Linux, and Windows PC.

Source Code Access

Source codes are human-readable texts that are written in a certain programming language and set all the rules to run these game engines for your use. With a source code access, developers can modify or create new features in a game engine, to better suit their needs. Unity differs with Unreal in this perspective.

Unity

Unity is not an open-source engine, hence, you won’t have access to actually edit its source code. While an enterprise license can provide an access, this is limited to source code viewing only. In case you want to customize its functionality, plugins and platform-based scripting should be enough. Anyone is welcome to share his or her creations in Unity’s asset store, be it a 3D model, audio, plug in or extension, subject to Unity’s review and approval.

Unreal Engine

As an open-source engine, Unreal allows access to its source code for sharing or modification. You may extend, fork, modify or integrate Unreal’s source code with libraries or other software as long as there is no Copyleft license agreement that covers the other code. Its source code can be accessed through the launcher and via Github if you want to change it. You will have to install the same version of the engine that the sharer has if you want to receive tools or source codes, along with any modification from anyone.

Learning Curve

Unity

If you’re not fond of steep learning curves, Unity is right for you. Its simplicity and understandability is an edge most newbies love. You’d definitely have fun while trying different ideas in its intuitive interface and experimenting with the engine.

It’s so fast to put something together and share it with your friends. Since a vast amount of Unity’s content can be found online, you can be confident that you’ll find the much-needed solution to your concerns. Beginners can have a great start with Unity, making it a stepping stone to advanced game development processes.

Unreal Engine

Unreal is not easy for starters because of its steep learning curve, unless you’re up for the challenge. This game engine is best for those with prior game development experiences given its nice but huge interface and endless pop-up windows that can be confusing, intimidating and even frustrating along the way.

There’s tons of content to learn on your own online. If you can’t find what you’re looking for on Youtube, then best try the huge library of lessons and learning paths on Epic Games’ dedicated site.

You can take a look at all the content here

Infrastructure Comparison

Software use is made even better with available infrastructures that you can conveniently access. Choosing which engine to utilize has to consider secondary factors that complement well to their features. Here are four support fields to get you into the game.

Assets Stores

Unity Asset Store

Name any asset that you need into your game, and Unity’s asset store will most likely have it. Its large number of assets include all sorts, from extensions for AI control to animations and ORK Framework for your RPGs. With its better and advanced assets store, awesome games are possible with Unity. In reality, Unity has 31,000+ 3D assets, quite a number to compete with. You can create quick prototypes and more relevant models without hiring 3D modelers. You can also design virtual props from scratch.

Unreal Marketplace 

Unreal Engine falls below Unity’s asset count, with around 10,000 only in its assets store. Many of its available assets were used in triple A games, hence, are more oriented towards the production of finished games. Among its asset types are monsters, sci-fi tech and castles.

In general thought, the quality of the Marketplace’s top assets is fantastic. Check out Joe Garth’s brushify assets for example. And of course having free access to all the Quixel Megascans assets is a huge plus as well.

Update Releases And Support

Unity

LTS or Long Term Support releases are available on Unity’s platform. The LTS stream can provide you a stable Unity version for maximum stability, should you decide to lock in your production on a specific version. Biweekly updates until mid-2021 are offered for its 2019.4 LTS releases, after which monthly updates will be given until May 2022, exactly two years after the initial LTS release.

Unity 2018.4 is considered a legacy LTS and will be updated monthly until the end of the support cycle in 2021. Notifications to Check Updates will appear once a new download or update is ready for you.

Unreal Engine

The Epic Games Launcher compiles engine versions in the Library so you can access any available version any time, anywhere. You can quickly install any version that you find compatible to your needs. Next to the engine version, you will see a Plus Icon with Add Versions adjacent to it. Clicking on this tab will install the specified engine version. Unreal 4.25 is its most recent version.

Developer’s Community 

Unity

Documentations are not enough in the actual process, as you’d be inevitably left alone to handle issues like glitches, crashes, bugs or code mysteries. The role of community, therefore, becomes a paramount importance. Unity has been in the industry longer, so naturally, you can reach a bigger, indie-developer community. There are 128,000+ threads on Unity’s forum that talk about scripting and 6,100+ topics on virtual reality. 

Unreal Engine

There are more or less 12,000 topics on C++ language and around 4,600 threads on AR and VR development on Unreal’s forum. Its community is further divided into two: developers who are adept with C++ and non-programmers, or those primary users of its Blueprint visual scripting system, who have twice as many threads than C++ programming discussions. This division was initiated because expert developers may not be of much help to non-programmers because they speak different languages.

Launched Games

As major game engine players, Unity and Unreal already have a long list of accomplishments to date.  To give you a glimpse of what’s real and possible with Unity and Unreal, let’s highlight several games they’ve successfully created. 

Unity 10 Best Games

Kerbal Space Program

A space flight simulator game, it allows you to start a space program and then sling Kerbals across the cosmos. 

Escape from Tarkov

An RPG released in 2017, this game will offer a unique game experience with its blend of elements from battle royale, role-playing and survival genres. 

Monument Valley

You can expect to chill out with this puzzle game given its good mental challenge. Perfect for those days when you just want to kill time on your hands.

Risk of Rain 2

A sequel to the popular roguelike games, this game adds a third dimension and allows you to loot your way out while killing everything that blocks your way.

Untitled Goose Game

A game under the puzzle or stealth genre, you can enjoy an opportunity of a lifetime by being the goose you knew you could be.

Hearthstone

The focus of this game is to have a deck of cards that will enable you to climb up, reaching the Legend status. 

Rust

A multiplayer survival game, much like the popular Android survival game app called Last Day On Earth. It offers an intense game experience you won’t regret and forget. Oh, and let me not forget to mention that Rust is now available on Android and iOS devices too.

Cities: Skylines

Comparable to SimCity4, this game can dazzle you with the greatest city simulation experience you’ll ever have. Build your city and watch it flourish as time goes by.

Subnautica

In this underwater survival game, you can build your own aquatic base and have a tour in the ocean’s depths of an alien planet. A player needs to collect resources to survive as well as face different resident creatures.

Cuphead

This 2D side scrolling shooter shook the gaming world with its hand-drawn animation. In this run and gun video game, two players can take control of the characters Cuphead, and Mugman,his brother. The graphics are what really made this game popular because of the early Disney Animation feel it incorporated.

Unreal Engine 10 Best Games

Final Fantasy VII Remake

The stunning visuals of this remake are a proof of what Unreal can do. This game was a financial success and became one of the fastest-selling games in Playstation 4, selling more than 3.5 million copies three days after its release. 

Dragon Ball Fighter Z

This game merely resembles the popular anime or manga series entitled Dragon Ball Z. Positive reviews cited this game as among the best fighting games in the eighth generation of video game consoles.

Borderlands 3

An action role-playing and first-person shooter game, Borderlands 3 can be single or multiplayer. Players complete side missions and quests and new abilities are unlocked as players gain experience. 

Tetris Effect

This fun puzzle game used impressive particle effects for high quality visuals. Like the original Tetris game, the player needs to place tetrominos into the playfield to build complete lines. 

Shenmue III

Crowdfunded on Kickstarter, this game was 20 years in the making and its developer chose Unreal because of the need to quickly produce early prototypes.

Robo Recall

This VR game features a robot service specialist that destroys rogue robots attacking civilians. Robo Recall is a virtual reality, first-person shooter game. 

Street Fighter V

A mainstay at tournaments, particularly EVO, this game boasts of extremely responsive and precise controls. This game features 16 characters; four of them are new to the series. And like the earlier versions, the main point of the game is for your chosen character to fight others to climb up the ranks.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

A testament to the engine’s breathtaking graphics, this game is very close to photorealism. This game blends several genres, including  puzzle solving, hack and slash, and psychological horror. 

Yoshi’s Crafted World

Appearing as an arts-and-crafts creation, this game has levels made of household-like items. Yoshi and his friends try to recover gems that were sent across the world following an attempt to steal the Sundream Stone. This stone is said to make anyone’s dreams come true.

Fortnite

Developed by Epic Games, the Unreal Engine creaters themselves, this massive multiplayer game, has been a recipient of 25 gaming awards, including Game of the Year. It has three different game mode versions – Fortnite: Save the World, a shooter-survival game, Fortnite Battle Royale, which is a player versus player game and Fortnite Creative, which is similar to Minecraft. 

Recent News

Unity

Last September 18, 2020, an Initial Public Offering or IPO was set, as Unity goes public just a day after. The shares are trading on the Nasdaq with the symbol U and aim to sell 25 million.

The software has impressive financial records with its revenue increase and a huge number of users that’s estimated to exceed 1.5 million across 190 countries. This strategic move will expand Unity’s business reach, further improving its operational capacity.

Unreal Engine

Epic Games is currently in a legal battle as Apple revoked its primary app developer account, removed Fortnite from its app store and initiated legal actions against it. This may threaten the existence of Unreal Engine in the next days ahead.

Apple plans to nullify the developer account Epic utilizes to support Unreal Engine on iOS following its policy to remove linked accounts  due to a breach of contract. In the long run it looks as though this won’t hurt the development of Unreal in any way.

Conclusion

Depending on your preferences and overall game development plan, Unity and Unreal can help get your work done. If you’re trying out to see which fits you, consider using Unity to bring your ideas to life. Unity’s approach in making game development easier can be your stepping stone towards better and advanced projects.

If you’re a fan of photorealistic games and with game development experience already, Unreal Engine’s style will complement your background pretty well. Although you can simultaneously use these game engines in reality to match specific needs, I believe that Unreal is the better platform to invest your time and efforts into, should you start from scratch in either program. Your experience with Unreal’s capabilities is the kind you can’t afford to miss out.