Top 5 Game Engines of 2024

No matter if you’re a beginner or an experienced game dev, this blog piece is the definitive guide to the top 5 game engines of 2024. To begin, let us ask ourselves, 

What is a Game Engine?

A game engine is a software development kit (SDK) created to facilitate and optimize the video game development process.

It does so with a repository of reusable code libraries, tools, and components that handle various aspects of game development services, such as rendering graphics, handling user input, implementing physics simulations, managing audio playback, and more. 

Beginning with games like Spacewar! (1962), the proliferation of home computers made it necessary to develop middleware in 90s to provide reusable components for easier game development.

This was further solidified with the transition to 3D graphics and the rise of open-source game engines for indie games. 

• Developers are leaning towards the creation of multi-platform and multiplayer games. In 2024, the Global Game Jam revealed that Unity remains the most popular game engine, although it experienced a significant drop from 61% to 36% year over year.
  
  
• Additionally, the Game Engines Market size was valued at $2.81 billion in 2023, with a projected market size of nearly $8.64 billion by 2030.
  
  

The Best Game Engines in 2024

The moment of truth! Let us now list the game engines that are making a mark in the year 2024.

Whether used by a hobbyist or a professional studio, for 2D or 3D games, these are the game engines being most used this year.

1. Unity (2022.3.6f1)

Unity is a beginner-friendly game engine with a rich feature set and wide platform support that makes it a top choice across a range of genres and skill levels.

Unity game engine is favorable to both indie developers and larger studios and boasts ease of use, customization, and a robust support community/ecosystem. It uses C# and JavaScript(deprecated).

2. Unreal Engine (UE5)

With the distinguished advantage of advanced graphical capabilities and scalability, UE is the favored game engine for AAA and high-end game development.

Although it has a steeper learning curve, it delivers high extensibility with its robust performance, extensive platform support, and Blueprint scripting system. It has abundant assets, a booming community, and offers free access with a royal model for commercial projects. It uses C++.

Related post: Unreal Engine vs Unity

3. Godot 4

Godot is an open-source platform with a growing feature set and ease of use that makes it inviting to beginners while being powerful enough for experienced developers. Despite some gaps in platform coverage, it has a rapidly growing community. It is free to use, versatile, and highly accessible to game developers worldwide. It uses C++, C#, and GDScript. 

Godot has surpassed Unreal Engine to become the second most popular choice.

4. Cocos2d-x 4.0

An open-source software framework known for its simplicity, Cocos2d delivers robust features like graphics, animations, physics, and user interfaces. It is ideal for beginners and indie developers, with a large community for support and resources.

It is also known for its cross-platform capabilities, supporting platforms such as iOS, Android, and web browsers. Cocos2d is free under the MIT License and employs Python, JavaScript, or C++.

5. GameMaker (2023.1)

This is the best game engine for beginners, with an easy-to-learn environment, an active community, an affordable pricing model, and perpetual license option. It balances ease of use with a degree of flexibility and power for game creation.

GameMaker presents a straightforward approach to developing 2D games and (simpler) 3D projects, making it a fan-favorite with indie developers and hobbyists. It uses JavaScript and its proprietary GML (GameMaker Language).

Finding the best 2D game engine depends on several factors but ultimately Godot and GameMaker come out the winners.

"Shoutout to a few other impactful game engines of 2024 including Phaser, CryEngine, RPG Maker, AppGameKit, ARKit, and GDevelop."

This was the ‘What’; now let’s see the ‘Why.’

The Importance of Top Game Engines

Efficiency: With pre-built tools, libraries, and components, game engines allow developers to focus on making their work unique without worrying about implementing older functionalities from scratch.

Consistency: Consistency in features like graphics rendering, physics simulations, audio processing, and input handling is key to providing players a polished and cohesive gameplay.

Cross-Platform Compatibility: Game engines provide support over diverse platforms like PCs, consoles, mobile devices, and VR headsets, which allows developers to reach a wider audience.

Scalability: Game engines allow games to be scaled with complexity, from small indie games to popular AAA titles.

Community: An ecosystem of developers, tutorials, forums, and marketplace allows creators to overcome challenges and accelerate the development process.

Iterative Development: Continuous improvement of existing projects is made possible through game engine features like real-time editing, debugging tools, and asset management systems.

Innovation: Game engines allow developers to push boundaries and pioneer features like advanced rendering techniques, procedural generation, and virtual reality support.

We present a handy-dandy table to you as a quick reference on the 5 game engines.

The Best Game Engines?

A debate over the best game engine would never be settled and could last an eternity. Trust us, we’re still having it. But there is always a game engine that will satisfy your requirements. A consultation with the right game development studio can help you decide better.

Whether you’re looking into Unity game development, integrating AI in games, or custom mobile game development services, EDIIIE has the right expertise and resources to make your game development journey easier.