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Unity Multiplayer VS Unreal Engine

Compare Unity Multiplayer VS Unreal Engine and see what are their differences

Unity Multiplayer logo Unity Multiplayer

Create real-time, networked games.

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.
  • Unity Multiplayer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-17
  • Unreal Engine Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-23

Unity Multiplayer features and specs

  • Integrated Solution
    Unity Multiplayer provides a tightly integrated solution within the Unity ecosystem, streamlining multiplayer game development by eliminating the need for external networking tools.
  • Scalability
    The backend services offer scalable infrastructure, allowing developers to handle large numbers of concurrent players without worrying about server capacity and scaling complications.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Unity's multiplayer solutions support cross-platform development, enabling games to connect players across various devices such as PCs, consoles, and mobile devices.
  • Comprehensive Documentation
    Unity provides extensive documentation and resources for developers, facilitating easier adoption and troubleshooting of multiplayer features.
  • Customizability
    Offers developers flexibility to customize networking features and gameplay synchronization to suit unique game requirements and player experiences.

Possible disadvantages of Unity Multiplayer

  • Cost
    Using Unity Multiplayer and its associated cloud services can incur significant costs, especially for games with a large user base or complex networking needs.
  • Complexity
    Implementing multiplayer features can be complex and requires a good understanding of networking concepts, which can be challenging for beginners.
  • Vendor Lock-in
    Relying on Unity's backend services can lead to vendor lock-in, making it difficult to migrate to other platforms or solutions if the need arises.
  • Performance Overheads
    Depending on the implementation, there may be performance overheads associated with using managed networking solutions compared to building a custom solution.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    Developers might encounter a steep learning curve when adapting to Unity's multiplayer framework, particularly if they are accustomed to other networking 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.

Unity Multiplayer videos

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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 Unity Multiplayer and Unreal Engine)
Developer Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Game Development
4 4%
96% 96
Game Engine
3 3%
97% 97
3D 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 Unity Multiplayer 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, Unity Multiplayer seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 2 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.

Unity Multiplayer mentions (2)

  • 3D models, avatars, gestures
    Unity is what they are using, I just know from seeing it in the browser code and researched it a little last year. https://unity.com/solutions/build-backend. Source: about 2 years ago
  • I teach Unreal. I had an easier time making my game in LittleBigPlanet. That cannot be right, what am I missing.
    I never said that Unreal is bad for non BRs, just that it is very good for BRs. The amount of work they put into making Fortnite work as well as it does puts it way above anything else for large match based shooters. I agree that Unity's old multiplayer code was an absolute mess, and I would have previously suggested using a third party solution. I was saying that I've heard good things about their new multiplayer... Source: almost 3 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 Unity Multiplayer and Unreal Engine, you can also consider the following products

Photon Engine - Independent networking engine and multiplayer platform.

Unity - The multiplatform game creation tools for everyone.

PlayFab - PlayFab is a backend platform for games, delivering powerful real-time tools and services for LiveOps.

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

Nakama - Nakama is an open-source distributed social and realtime server for games and apps.

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