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Unreal Engine VS Stride Game Engine

Compare Unreal Engine VS Stride Game Engine and see what are their differences

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.

Stride Game Engine logo Stride Game Engine

Stride is an open-source 3D Game Engine written in C# and released under the MIT License that allows you to build powerful game worlds for free or to generate income.
  • Unreal Engine Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-23
  • Stride Game Engine Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-19

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.

Stride Game Engine features and specs

  • Open Source
    Stride is available under the MIT license, which allows developers to use, modify, and distribute the engine freely, fostering a community of collaboration and innovation.
  • C# Programming
    The engine uses C# as its scripting language, which is popular among developers for its ease of use, versatility, and strong support from the .NET ecosystem.
  • 3D and 2D Support
    Stride provides robust tools for both 3D and 2D game development, making it a flexible choice for various types of game design projects.
  • Graphics and Rendering
    The engine is known for its high-quality graphics capabilities, supporting modern rendering techniques and features like PBR (Physically Based Rendering) out of the box.
  • Modular Design
    Stride's architecture is modular, allowing developers to include only the components they need, which can streamline development and improve performance.

Possible disadvantages of Stride Game Engine

  • Smaller Community
    Compared to more popular engines like Unity or Unreal, Stride has a smaller user base, which can mean less community support, fewer third-party resources, and a smaller knowledge base.
  • Limited Marketplace
    There is a less extensive marketplace for third-party assets and plugins, which could require developers to create more custom content or tools themselves.
  • Learning Curve
    While C# is widely regarded as an accessible language, developers new to Stride may encounter a learning curve due to its distinct architecture and tools.
  • Less Frequent Updates
    The engine may not receive updates as frequently as some of the bigger names in the industry, potentially resulting in longer waits for new features or bug fixes.
  • Limited Platform Support
    Stride does not currently support as wide a range of platforms as some other engines, which might limit the reach of games created using it.

Analysis of Unreal Engine

Overall verdict

  • Unreal Engine is generally considered a top-tier game engine suitable for both beginners and experienced developers. Its high-quality rendering, extensive feature set, and flexibility make it a preferred choice for creating AAA games, architectural visualizations, and even film production.

Why this product is good

  • Unreal Engine is popular due to its powerful graphics capabilities, versatility, and comprehensive toolset. It provides real-time 3D creation tools, robust support for high-resolution graphics, and a plethora of resources and documentation for developers. It is also free to use up to a certain revenue threshold, making it accessible for indie developers and large studios alike. Additionally, its blueprint visual scripting system offers non-programmers an approachable way to prototype and develop gameplay elements.

Recommended for

    Unreal Engine is recommended for game developers who require cutting-edge graphics and performance, individuals interested in virtual production, architects looking for detailed visualizations, and anyone wanting to work on large-scale, high-fidelity projects.

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

Stride Game Engine videos

No Stride Game Engine videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Unreal Engine and Stride Game Engine)
Game Development
96 96%
4% 4
Game Engine
93 93%
7% 7
Gaming Software
0 0%
100% 100
3D 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 Unreal Engine and Stride Game Engine

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 Engineโ€™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 โ€“ 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 itโ€™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 โ€“ taking advantage of its past acquisition of Quixel)...

Stride Game Engine Reviews

We have no reviews of Stride Game Engine yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Stride Game Engine 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.

Unreal Engine mentions (0)

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

Stride Game Engine mentions (2)

  • Unity is merging with ironSource
    I leave this little thing: https://stride3d.net. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Any free-open source alternative but similar game engine to unity?
    You can have a look at Stride - you also write games in C#, and it's open-source entirely. Its documentation has also some nice comparison of Stride to Unity, including some guidance about porting Unity code to Stride: https://doc.stride3d.net/latest/en/manual/stride-for-unity-developers/index.html. Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

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

Unity - The multiplatform game creation tools for everyone.

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

GDevelop - GDevelop is an open-source game making software designed to be used by everyone.

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

G3D Innovation Engine - The G3D Innovation Engine is a commercial-grade C++ 3D engine available as Open Source (BSD...

CryENGINE - The most powerful game development platform is now available to everyone. Full engine source code.