Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

irrlicht VS Unreal Engine

Compare irrlicht VS Unreal Engine and see what are their differences

irrlicht logo irrlicht

This caused the Irrlicht homepage and forum to work badly. Over the last days most things started working again – except the forum continues to be broken. Old posts can be read but everything else is currently not working.

Unreal Engine logo Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine 4 is a suite of integrated tools for game developers to design and build games, simulations, and visualizations.
  • irrlicht Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-19
  • Unreal Engine Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-23

irrlicht features and specs

  • Open Source
    Irrlicht is open source, which provides developers the opportunity to modify the engine's code to suit their particular needs and contribute to the community.
  • Cross-Platform
    The engine supports multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X, which allows developers to target a broad audience with minimal adjustments.
  • Lightweight
    Irrlicht is known for being lightweight and efficient, making it suitable for projects that require lower system resources.
  • Ease of Use
    The engine offers a straightforward API, making it relatively easy for new developers to learn and integrate into their projects.
  • Active Community
    The engine has a dedicated community that contributes to its development and supports other users through forums and shared resources.

Possible disadvantages of irrlicht

  • Limited Features
    Compared to modern engines, Irrlicht may lack some advanced features such as sophisticated physics or advanced rendering techniques.
  • Outdated Technology
    Irrlicht has not seen significant updates in recent years, which can make it seem outdated compared to modern game engines.
  • Lack of Documentation
    Although there is some community-driven documentation, official resources are somewhat limited, which can be challenging for newcomers.
  • Small User Base
    As a less popular engine, there are fewer resources, tutorials, and third-party tools available compared to more widely used game engines.
  • Limited Support for Modern Graphics APIs
    Irrlicht may not fully support the latest graphics APIs and techniques which can be a limitation for developers aiming to leverage cutting-edge graphics.

Unreal Engine features and specs

  • High-Quality Graphics
    Unreal Engine is known for its ability to produce stunning, high-quality graphics and realistic environments, making it a preferred choice for AAA game development and high-fidelity visual projects.
  • Blueprint Visual Scripting
    Unreal Engine offers a visual scripting system called Blueprints, which allows designers to create complex game logic without any programming knowledge, streamlining the development process.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Unreal Engine provides robust support for multiple platforms, including PC, consoles, mobile devices, and VR/AR headsets, enabling developers to reach a wider audience with minimal hassle.
  • Large and Active Community
    The Unreal Engine community is large and active, offering extensive resources, tutorials, and forums which can be invaluable for troubleshooting and learning new techniques.
  • Regular Updates
    Epic Games frequently updates Unreal Engine, adding new features, improvements, and optimizations to keep developers equipped with the latest technology advancements.
  • Marketplace
    The Unreal Engine Marketplace offers a vast array of assets, ranging from 3D models to plugins, which can significantly speed up the development process by providing ready-to-use resources.

Possible disadvantages of Unreal Engine

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Due to its extensive features and capabilities, Unreal Engine can be challenging for beginners to master, requiring a significant investment of time and effort to learn.
  • High System Requirements
    Developing with Unreal Engine often requires a powerful computer with strong hardware specifications, which can be a barrier for developers with limited resources.
  • Large File Sizes
    Unreal Engine projects can result in large file sizes, which can be cumbersome to manage, particularly in terms of storage and transfer bandwidth.
  • Complexity for Simple Projects
    For smaller or simpler projects, the capabilities of Unreal Engine might be overkill, and using it can unnecessarily complicate development when compared to lighter engines.
  • Royalty Fees
    Unreal Engine imposes a royalty fee of 5% on gross revenue after the first $1 million USD per product per year, which can impact the profitability of commercial projects.
  • Less C++ Flexibility
    While Unreal Engine supports C++, the engine imposes certain constraints and abstractions that can limit the flexibility developers might need for highly customized or optimized code.

irrlicht videos

Album Review: Irrlicht by Klaus Schulze

More videos:

  • Review - Klaus Schulze - Irrlicht (1972)

Unreal Engine videos

Why I switched over to Unreal Engine 4 From Unity 5

More videos:

  • Review - Unity vs Unreal Engine | Graphics, Workflow, Price, Level Design and More! (2017-2018)
  • Review - Game Development | Intro to Unreal Engine 4 | No Prior Programming Knowledge

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to irrlicht and Unreal Engine)
Game Development
3 3%
97% 97
Game Engine
3 3%
97% 97
3D Game Engine
4 4%
96% 96
2D Game Engine
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare irrlicht and Unreal Engine

irrlicht Reviews

We have no reviews of irrlicht yet.
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Unreal Engine Reviews

Top 13 Picks for Maxon Cinema 4D Alternatives in 2024
Designed by Epic Games, Unreal Engine is a comprehensive 3D graphics engine initially developed for PC gaming. Since its inception in 1998, it supports a wide array of platforms, including mobile, console, and VR. It is known for its versatility and power in a broad spectrum of industries like film and television.
Source: aircada.com
Game Engines: A Comparative Analysis
Developed by Epic Games, Unreal Engine stands as a titan in the industry, renowned for its stunning graphics and realistic visual effects. It excels in AAA game development, with a powerful rendering engine and an intuitive visual scripting system called Blueprints. Unreal Engine’s prowess lies in its ability to deliver top-notch graphics and cinematic experiences.
Source: medium.com
Best Unity alternatives for game development
Unreal Engine has become one of the most popular engines to date; it's one of the top-of-the-line gaming engines that produces high graphical fidelity and realism for many games. In fact, many mobile games (Injustice 2, Life is Strange) that look incredible are likely using the Unreal Engine. It's a number one choice that often goes head-to-head with Unity due to its great...
Best Game Engines for 2023 – Which Should You Use?
However, many game developers do report that Unreal Engine is better suited for larger projects and projects you intend to work on as a team. Additionally, as the program is heavy on the graphics end, many people will find it requires a more powerful computer compared to other engines like Unity. Beyond this, it is also noteworthy that while Unreal Engine can create 2D games...
The Best Gaming Engines You Should Consider for 2023
2022 saw the official launch of Unreal Engine 5, and it’s already shaping up to be a game changer for game development. Most next-gen consoles, including PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are already using it, and its powerful tools such as Lumen and Nanite (an engine that imports high-detailed photographic source material – taking advantage of its past acquisition of Quixel)...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, irrlicht seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 6 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

irrlicht mentions (6)

  • was there a game engine in the early 2000's called: Jet3D?
    The Irrlicht Engine seams like a better idea then. https://irrlicht.sourceforge.io/ it is supported and has a small community. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • My PC is really old ( 2007ish ) , So what Game engine/Framework that isn't simple but can work with that PC in mind ?
    I'd recommend Irrlicht Engine. It was very popular during mid-to-late 2000's , and it to my knowledge it still supports OpenGL 1.x as well as its' own software renderer. I once had a PC similar to your specs in 2008, and Irrlicht ran decently alongside ODE physics engine. Source: over 3 years ago
  • I want to make a game for Linux. Where do I even start?
    If we're going to list graphics libraries then bgfx and irrlicht are probably worth a mention as well. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Why do I only see tutorials on basic stuff?
    The make or break moment for me was working on an indie game dev team when I was a teenager. I joined a team and was immediately mentored in a way that made programming and code make sense. We developed using open source engines like Irrlichtand Ogre3D, where my mentor was able to detail what came with the different available libraries, and how to utilize them to create a game. He would assign us to create... Source: over 3 years ago
  • Hot loading C++ game code
    Although primarily intended for games, Irrlicht is a relatively simple library (compared to a full game engine). https://irrlicht.sourceforge.io/. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
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Unreal Engine mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Unreal Engine yet. Tracking of Unreal Engine recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing irrlicht and Unreal Engine, you can also consider the following products

Godot Engine - Feature-packed 2D and 3D open source game engine.

Unity - The multiplatform game creation tools for everyone.

OpenSceneGraph - Project website for OpenSceneGraph

Urho3D - Urho3D is a lightweight, cross-platform rendering and game engine implemented in C++ and released...

Blender - Blender is the open source, cross platform suite of tools for 3D creation.

Panda3D - Panda3D is a video game development engine and rendering software. It is developed and maintained by the Carnegie Mellon University Entertainment Technology Center.