For seasoned developers seeking high graphical fidelity and diverse platform support, Unreal Engine is the clear winner. Yet for budding creators tapping into a vast, active community, Roblox Studio’s ease of use and safeguarded environment make it an attractive choice.

Detailed comparison: Unreal Engine vs Roblox

Key Differences Between Unreal Engine and Roblox

  • Unreal Engine, written in C++, is a series of versatile, high-end graphics game engines developed by Epic Games, offering a robust toolset for serious developers.
  • Roblox, coded in Lua derivative, Luau, is a user-friendly platform fostering collaborative development amongst creators, emphasizing unstructured play and an active community.
  • Unreal Engine charges a 5% royalty for commercial use on revenues exceeding USD 1 million. Meanwhile, Roblox offers potential financial rewards to creators through in-app purchases and virtual currency.
  • While both provide a marketplace for creators, Unreal Engine offers an 88% share of revenue generated, encouraging a more professional development environment. Roblox, aimed at a younger demographic, fosters a sense of community and mutual support.
Comparison Unreal Engine (UE) Roblox
Created by Epic Games David Baszucki and Erik Cassel
Initial Release 1998 2006
Language Developed In C++ Lua derivative, Luau
Popular Games Released Unreal, Daylight Power Simulator, Munching Masters, Magician Simulator
Platform Support Desktop, Mobile, Console, Virtual Reality Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Xbox One, Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, PlayStation 4
Revenue Model 5% royalty on revenue over $1M In-app purchases with virtual currency, Robux
Community Sharing Platform Unreal Engine Marketplace Roblox Studio
Developer Demographics Open to all, popular with professional developers Open to all, popular with amateur developers and budding creators
Special Features UnrealEd level editor, free access for schools and universities Collaborative development, strong player safety features
Unique Selling Proposition Highly advanced, powerful game development engine Massive user-generated game library, encouraging unstructured play and creativity

What Is Unreal Engine and Who’s It For?

Unreal Engine, a powerful 3D graphics engine by Epic Games, has a history dating back to 1998, being first showcased in the game Unreal. This construct is written in C++ and boasts of a broad platform support spectrum, from desktop, mobile, console, to virtual reality platforms. A crucial tool for the gaming industry, Unreal Engine is leveraged across different genres and has permeated into the film and television industry as well.

The versatility of Unreal Engine is targeted at game developers and creators, with advanced features such as a level editor, UnrealEd, an Unreal Development Kit (UDK) for the SDK, and a marketplace for users to sell creations or purchase from developers. The engine also offers robust support for educational institutions, underlining its commitment to serving game development learning.

Colorful image showcasing a game designer at work on Unreal Engine in a high-tech digital lab

Pros of Unreal Engine

  • Wide cross-platform compatibility
  • Rich toolset for a variety of game genres
  • Royalty model waived for games published on Epic Games Store
  • Strong support for learning and education

Cons of Unreal Engine

  • Epic charges 5% of revenues over 1 million USD for commercial use
  • High level of complexity could be daunting for beginners

What Is Roblox and Who’s It For?

Founded in 2004 by David Baszucki and Erik Cassel, Roblox serves as a massive online platform encouraging unstructured game creation and gameplay. Coded in Lua’s derivative, Roblox Studio, the platform sports a rich, user-generated library exceeding 50 million games, attracting over 100 million users monthly in 2021. Female gamer representation surges at 40%, with a strong user presence in the UK.

Roblox entertains an appealing model, rewarding collaborative development and financial benefit to creators. This comprehensive platform is designed for game enthusiasts, developers, and small businesses, featuring strong safety measures for player protection and significant support via an external software compatibility setup.

Colorful depiction of a diverse group of gamers enthusiastically engaged in a Roblox game in a gaming cafe

Pros of Roblox

  • Broad content library featuring user-generated games
  • Enabling collaborative development and unstructured play
  • Potential financial reward for creators
  • High standards of player safety and reporting

Cons of Roblox

  • Critiques for moderation issues and microtransactions
  • Allegations of child-exploitative practices
  • Reports of adult content misuse

Unreal Engine vs Roblox: Pricing

Unreal Engine pushes a revenue-based pricing model, while Roblox relies on an in-app virtual currency system.

Unreal Engine

Epic Games charges a 5% royalty on revenues over $1 million earned through commercial use of the Unreal Engine. This includes products that make more than $3,000 per quarter. However, the royalty model is waived for games published on the Epic Games Store. With the Unreal Engine Marketplace, users can sell their creations or buy those of other developers, of which the content creators receive 88% share of the revenue generated. Furthermore, Unreal Engine is free for educational institutions like schools and universities.

Roblox

Roblox provides an entirely different pricing strategy that involves the use of a virtual currency system called Robux, which players can use for in-app purchases. It also generates revenues by rewarding creators financially, as depicted by a payout of over $100 million in 2019 to developers.

The Final Verdict: Unreal Engine or Roblox?

With both Unreal Engine and Roblox promoting cutting-edge game development, your choice is invariably influenced by individual requirements. Let’s dissect the verdict for different audience segments.

Developers seeking advanced control

Unreal Engine undoubtedly satisfies the appetite of developers wanting to dig deeper into game mechanics. The broad platform support in conjunction with C++ programming yields a robust toolset, aligning perfectly with those eying advanced control for desktop, mobile, console, or VR platforms.

Developer staring at advanced Unreal Engine code on a computer screen

Creators aspiring distinct creation

For creators hungry for game creation with unique flavor, Roblox is the ideal playground. Roblox’s unstructured play and collaborative development allow creators to bring out-of-the-box ideas to life, leveraging Blender integration and the Lua derivative, Luau.

Creator gleefully designing a distinctive game on Roblox

Budding developers seeking to learn

Unreal Engine and Roblox both present goldmines to junior developers. While Unreal provides a free version for schools and universities, Roblox serves excellent teaching resources in the form of online classes and YouTube tutorials.

Junior developer absorbing game development basics from Unreal and Roblox resources

Entrepreneurs eyeing commercial viability

Entrepreneurs envisioning economic returns have a tough call. Although Unreal Engine presents a win-win situation with a 5% royalty after $1 million and 88% share from MarketPlace, Roblox forecasts generous payouts, reflected in the $100M figure for 2019.

Entrepreneur smiling at profitable scenarios with Unreal Engine and Roblox

Unreal Engine, with its comprehensive handling and C++ programming, provides a clear edge over Roblox for advanced game development. However, creators aiming for individualistic and collaborative game creation may find their sweet spot with Roblox.

Tiffany Brise

Content writer @ Aircada, patiently awaiting a consumer AR headset that doesn’t suck.

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