Why I Chose Unreal Over Unity
When I started high school in 2024, I had a choice: App Development or Game Development at Skyro.ai. I picked game dev. If you want to know why, check out my previous blog Why I Stopped with Web Development.
I learned both Unity and Unreal at the start of school. I like both. But I prefer Unreal. Here's why.
Unity Feels Like an Indie-Only Engine
Unity looks like it's made for indie games only. Yeah, there are some incredible games like GTFO, but that doesn't change my mind. Unity feels overrated.
The interface looks like Roblox Studio. And when they added the "Architecture Mode"? Bro, tell me that's not just for investors. Nobody else cares. It looks like you're building your first house from cubes in Roblox.
Unity is trying too hard to be Unreal. Stop it.
The Licensing is Bullshit
Unity charges $4k per seat (per developer). Unreal? Free. You only pay 5% after your game hits $1M in earnings. That's solid.
Why would I pay thousands upfront when I'm just learning? Unreal's model makes way more sense.
Unreal is Built for Realism
If you want realistic graphics, Unreal is the answer. Sure, Unity can look realistic, but you need a bunch of expensive plugins to get there.
Unreal is optimized for realism out of the box. Yes, it's laggy on your grandmother's PC, but who cares? If you're not making realistic games, don't use Unreal. Simple.
Blueprints, C++, and Performance
I like Blueprints. I like that I have the option to use C++ when I need it. Yes, Unity has visual scripting and C# (and even C++ support), but Unreal just feels better.
Performance? Unity games can perform well, but Unreal handles heavy scenes better when you know what you're doing.
What I Hate About Unreal
Let's be real: every engine has problems.
When you play an Unreal game, you can tell it's Unreal. Not because of the build folder structure, but because of the graphics, UI, and that "Unreal look."
And yeah, optimization in Unreal games is often trash. But that's not the engine's fault - it's the developers' fault. Most people don't optimize their games properly.
The Learning Curve
The biggest pain point in Unreal is learning the programming logic. If you're coming from web dev or something simple, it's a jump.
For advanced stuff? Animations. That's where things get complicated.
Community and Resources
Unreal's documentation is better than Unity's. But since most game devs learn Unity, Unity tutorials are often higher quality.
I think Unreal developers assume you should learn a simpler engine first. Maybe that's true. Maybe not. I'm an introvert, so I don't really know what others think.
When Unity is Better
Small, simple, or 2D games? Unity wins. No question.
If you're making a pixel art platformer or a mobile game, Unity is the better choice. Unreal is overkill.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, no engine does your job for you. Delivering a good game is your job. Making the gameplay feel good is your job. Every game is different.
I chose Unreal because I want to make realistic games, I don't want to pay licensing fees while learning, and I prefer the workflow. That's it.
If you're choosing between Unity and Unreal, ask yourself what kind of games you want to make. Then pick the engine that makes sense.
Not the one that's trendy. Not the one everyone says you should use. The one that fits your goals.
TLDR: Unity is overrated, charges too much, and tries too hard to copy Unreal. Unreal is free, built for realism, and has better documentation. But Unity is better for 2D and simple games. Pick what fits your project.