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You must have heard of Unreal Engine if you have ever developed a game before. The popular game engine created many AAA titles including Batman: Arkham City, Street Fighter 5, and Fortnite. These games reserved a massive market share ever since their launch. After these games’ massive popularity, especially Fortnite, developers turned their attention towards Unreal engine game development cost.
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Introduction to Unreal Engine
After Fortnite’s launch in 2017, Epic Games, the studio behind Unreal Engine, has been keen to capitalize on the rising popularity of the popular game engine. In an attempt to lock game makers in the ecosystem, Epic recently came out with a generous offer for Unreal game developers. Any game or software that uses Unreal Engine for commercial purposes doesn’t owe any royalty to Epic Games until the gross revenue of the software exceeds the $1 million mark.
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Does this mean Unreal engine game development is booming? Yes! It is one of the most significant investments in the game development industry. With over 7 million users and a market share of 13% Unreal engine is one of the best technologies to create stellar AAA games. The rising popularity of Unreal has urged developers to try their hand at Unreal engine app development to create scalable game titles.
Are you also intrigued by Unreal game development? Undoubtedly, it is one of the best game engines for developing graphics-intensive AAA titles. However, the foremost question remains, what is the unreal engine game development cost? Fret not, in this blog, we will provide you with answers to all your queries about Unreal game development costs but first, let us learn why you should invest in Unreal Engine.
Benefits of Unreal Engine Game Development
If you are thinking about investing in Unreal Engine game development, it is better to know the benefits you can avail yourself by choosing Unreal Engine 4. Being a top game engine in the industry, there are plenty of benefits to choosing Unreal 4 as the primary engine for your game development.
1. Open-source Platform
Even though Unreal is a pretty popular game Trends for AAA titles, it is still an open-source engine. Hard to believe. Right? It is one of the most economical engines out there and Unreal engine developers can use this engine if they are tight on budget and don’t want to compromise on aesthetics and quality. Moreover, a recent offer by Epic Games states that developers don’t have to pay any royalty until their game cross a gross revenue of $1 million.
2. Cross-platform Development
One of the best perks of Unreal engine game development is that it supports cross-platform compatibility. The game engine supports multiple devices across various platforms. As an investor, you won’t have to invest in multiple game versions for different platforms.
Apart from multiple devices, Unreal Engine 4 also supports multiple operating systems such as Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.
3. Third-party Software Compatibility
The game engine is compatible with a number of external applications to minimize third-party integrations. Unreal Engine 4 supports multiple files, formats, and software. It is a boon for developers who are tight on budget as you can save a lot of your game development budget.
4. Easy-to-Use
Do you want to create an extensive open-world game but lack the technical skills to do so? Fear not, with Unreal Engine even non-programmers can effectively develop games with the help of Blueprints, Unreal visual scripting language. Additionally, the game engine is fairly easy-to-use and is not overly complex.
You don’t need in-depth coding expertise to develop a game on Unreal Engine 4. Moreover, hiring advanced programmers is sure to burn a hole in your pocket. So, you can significantly cut down Unreal Engine game development cost and generate higher revenue.
5. High-Level Graphics
Aesthetics and extensive graphics are the trademarks of Unreal Engine 4. In this era, graphics are essential in increasing the screen time of your game and generating higher revenue. It is one of the first things a gamer notices while playing your game.
However, with Unreal Engine, you don’t have to worry about using third-party software to enhance the quality of your graphics. The game engine supports high-end graphics and allows Unreal Engine developers to provide a visually aesthetic experience effortlessly.
Now that we have understood the benefits of Unreal engine game development, let us learn about the various factors that affect unreal engine game development cost.
Read More:- How To Get Started With Unreal Engine Game Development?
Factors Influencing Unreal Engine Game Development Costs
There are various factors that influence the cost of developing a game using Unreal Engine 4. Like every development process, we have to consider these factors before diving into the development process. Let’s take a look.
1. The complexity of the Features
Including features is essential to the game if you want to attract a large audience. Undoubtedly, features are integral in impressing the audience and getting a positive response. It is recommended to include advanced features and functionalities that are absent from your competition. However, more features will directly affect the development cost.
2. Location of the Developers
One of the most prominent factors that affect the development cost of any project is the location of the developer. If you don’t possess the technical skills, you will have to hire Unreal engine developers. Moreover, it is also recommended to employ dedicated developers so you can complete the development process without any hassle. Every region has different price points and it ultimately comes down to your requirements. The rate of developers in major markets are as follows:
- India-based Developers: $30-$50 per hour
- Australia-based Developers: $70-$120 per hour
- UK-based Developers: $100-$150 per hour
- USA-based Developers: $150-$250 per hour
3. Experience of the Company
Another essential factor that shouldn’t be overlooked is the experience of the company. Now it goes without saying that you should prefer an experienced game development company instead of a newly-established startup. A reputed company will offer more guarantees and will allow you to develop cutting-edge games. However, an experienced and reputed company will cost significantly more than a start-up.
4. The Complexity of the Game
It goes without saying that creating an extensive complex game will significantly increase the Unreal Engine game development cost. Moreover, developing a complex game will increase the duration of the process which in turn increases the development cost, especially if you hire developers on an hourly basis.
5. High-end Graphics
Unreal Engine 4 allows developers to create interactive games with rich and realistic graphics. It is mandatory to integrate high-end graphics if you are developing an AAA game title. However, high-quality graphics are directly proportional to increasing the development cost of the project.
It is best to conduct a budget analysis and set a pre-determined budget before you start the development phase. It will help you complete the development process within an estimated budget.
Read More:- Cross-Platform Game Development: What You Need and How It Works
Unreal Engine Game Development Cost
Now that we have covered the factors that influence the development cost, it is time to answer the main question which is the overall unreal engine game development cost. Make sure to keep the location of the developers in mind as it highly influences the development cost.
Also, the complexity of the game will also play a huge factor in determining the cost. Creating an AAA game will cost you millions of dollars whereas an indie game can be created with a few thousand dollars.
After considering all the factors listed above, Unreal game development costs can range somewhere between $30,000 to $50,000 depending on your game’s specifications. However, the price can go higher if you employ American developers and want to create an extensive game.
Please note that this is just an approximate cost and if you want an exact estimate, you will have to contact an Unreal game development company or dedicated developers. Also, the game’s graphics, features, and specifications ultimately depend on you so you can cut some corners if you are low on budget.
Unreal Engine vs. Unity Engine
Unity 5 is considered the primary competition to Unreal Engine 4. In this section, we will provide a side-by-side comparison of Unity Vs Unreal engines. Let’s get started.
Unity vs. Unreal: Side-by-side Comparison
| Unreal Engine 4 | Unity 5 |
| Over 2 million games | Unity mobile games account for more than 70% of the top 1000 titles. |
| 7 million+ developers prefer Unreal Engine 4 | The user base (developers+users) is 2.7 billion |
| 16k assets | 65k assets |
| 43% increase in revenue since 2020 | Estimated market share is 13% |
| Epic Games’ market cap is $17 billion | Market cap is $28 billion |
| Easy-to-use and blueprints access | Quite complex to use but there are various tutorials available. |
Final Words
Undoubtedly, Unreal Engine 4 is one of the best game engines to develop AAA game titles. By now you must have figured out the Unreal game development cost as well as the various factors that influence the costs. Make sure to create an underlying budget before starting the development phase to complete the process within an estimated budget. Moreover, unreal game development is creating a lot of buzzes right now and this is the perfect time to invest in it.
If you want to hire Unreal engine developers at an affordable price, you can contact BR Softech.
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Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Q.1 Who owns Unreal Engine?
Unreal Engine is not an open-source software and is owned by Epic Games.
Q.2 Can I develop AAA games using Unreal Engine 4?
Yes, Unreal Engine is the optimum choice if you want to develop a complex and detailed AAA gaming experience.
Q.3 What are the alternatives to Unreal Engine 4?
While Unreal Engine is often considered the best choice for AAA game development, game developers can also use game engines like Unity, Godot, and Ogre to develop interactive games.
