Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Pixi.js VS Unreal Engine

Compare Pixi.js VS Unreal Engine and see what are their differences

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Pixi.js logo Pixi.js

Fast lightweight 2D library that works across all devices

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.
  • Pixi.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-14
  • Unreal Engine Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-23

Pixi.js features and specs

  • High Performance
    Pixi.js utilizes WebGL to deliver high-performance rendering, which is ideal for building fast and responsive web applications and games.
  • Cross-Platform
    It supports multiple platforms, allowing developers to build applications that work seamlessly across different devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
  • Extensive Documentation
    Pixi.js has comprehensive and well-documented resources that help developers understand how to use the library effectively, including tutorials and examples.
  • Rich Feature Set
    The library comes with a wide range of features such as textures, sprites, and filters, enabling developers to create visually complex and appealing content.
  • Active Community
    Pixi.js benefits from a large and active community, which means frequent updates, a wealth of plugins, and abundant community support.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source library, Pixi.js is free to use and modify, making it accessible to developers with different levels of expertise and budgets.

Possible disadvantages of Pixi.js

  • Learning Curve
    Despite its extensive documentation, beginners may find Pixi.js challenging to learn and integrate into their projects because of its extensive feature set.
  • WebGL Dependencies
    While WebGL provides high performance, it can also cause compatibility issues on older devices or browsers that do not fully support WebGL.
  • Limited 3D Capabilities
    Pixi.js is primarily a 2D rendering engine, so it may not be suitable for projects that require advanced 3D graphics and interactions.
  • Size
    Compared to simpler libraries, Pixi.js can be relatively large in terms of file size, which could impact the loading times of web applications, especially on slower networks.
  • Complex Debugging
    Debugging issues in Pixi.js can be complex, especially in large applications, as it often involves low-level graphics operations and WebGL debugging tools.

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.

Pixi.js videos

PixiJS Crash Course

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 Pixi.js and Unreal Engine)
Javascript UI Libraries
100 100%
0% 0
Game Development
0 0%
100% 100
Development
100 100%
0% 0
Game Engine
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

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

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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, Pixi.js seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 5 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.

Pixi.js mentions (5)

  • Release Radar • March 2024 Edition
    If you're into video game dev, then PixiJS is something you need to know about. It's a HTML5 game engine that provides a lightweight 2D library across all devices. This latest update has a new package structure, custom builds, graphics API overhaul, and lots more. You can read about all these changes in the PixiJS Migration Guide. Also big congrats to PixiJS for being part of the open source community for ten... - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Advice about useful libraries to create a 2D car game (hill climb racing style)
    I would need a renderer to display the graphics of my calculations on the "backend". After some research I think pixijs which is written in TS could be a great tool. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Is programming just not for me?
    And if that seems to up your alley you could look into Javascript game/renderer frameworks. They have 2D engines like https://github.com/photonstorm/phaser or https://github.com/pixijs/pixijs . Or my personal choice A-Frame which is a 3D, AR and VR engine (XR) https://github.com/aframevr/ . Source: over 2 years ago
  • Pixie – A full-featured 2D graphics library for Nim
    This has a high risk of being confused with pixi.js: https://github.com/pixijs/pixijs. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • Custome game engine: what stack ?
    WebGL, I hear, has a similar API to OpenGL. (Also, WebGPU is coming at some point.) Or, you could use a thin library that handles the WebGL drawing of sprites for you. I prefer that option over using a full game engine: I find it's better to only include dependencies when they become necessary. I recently tried a web rendering library called PixiJS, and it seemed like a pretty clean and nice-sized API, and... Source: almost 4 years ago

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 Pixi.js and Unreal Engine, you can also consider the following products

Anime.js - Lightweight JavaScript animation library

Unity - The multiplatform game creation tools for everyone.

p5.js - JS library for creating graphic and interactive experiences

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

D3.js - D3.js is a JavaScript library for manipulating documents based on data. D3 helps you bring data to life using HTML, SVG, and CSS.

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