20 Best PC Game Development Software Reviewed in 2025

Unity is a real-time development platform used to create interactive 2D and 3D content. It’s commonly used by developers, designers, and artists working across gaming, film, automotive, and other industries that need interactive digital environments.

Why I picked Unity: Unity gives your team the flexibility to build for multiple platforms from a single codebase. Its support for desktop, mobile, console, VR, and AR lets you reuse assets across different outputs.

The Universal Render Pipeline helps you optimize visuals for different devices without rewriting scenes. And Unity's scripting tools support both C# and visual scripting, which helps devs and non-devs work together. If you're managing cross-functional teams or deploying to many platforms, this setup helps keep things efficient.

Standout features & integrations:

Features include real-time rendering that supports dynamic lighting and shadows across complex scenes. You can use the timeline tool for animation sequencing without extra coding. The addressable asset system helps you manage content efficiently as your project scales.

Integrations include GitHub, Visual Studio, JetBrains Rider, Android Studio, Xcode, Unity Ads, Unity Cloud Build, Unity Analytics, and Meta Quest SDK.

Blender is a free and open-source 3D creation suite that supports the entire 3D pipeline, including modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing, motion tracking, and video editing. It's designed for individuals and small studios who benefit from its unified workflow and responsive development process.​

Why I picked Blender: It combines sculpting, modeling, texturing, and animation tools in one place, so you don’t have to switch between different programs. The geometry nodes system lets you build and edit assets procedurally, which helps when you need to make changes later.

You can also use the Cycles and Eevee render engines to preview or render your work without leaving the app. If you or your team wants to create and animate assets in one environment, this setup keeps things simple.​

Standout features & integrations:

Features include a non-destructive workflow with modifiers, so you can tweak models without starting over. The grease pencil tool lets you draw 2D animations directly in 3D space, which is useful for stylized effects or storyboarding. It also has a built-in video sequence editor, so you can cut and edit footage without needing another app.​

Integrations include support for file formats like FBX, OBJ, Alembic, STL, USD, SVG, DXF, and 3DS.

Godot Engine is a free, open-source platform for creating both 2D and 3D games. It offers a flexible scene and node system that lets developers build modular, reusable game elements. The engine supports cross-platform deployment, including desktop, mobile, web, and XR platforms.​

Why I picked Godot Engine: You can write custom scripts using GDScript, a language similar to Python, or opt for C#, C++, or other languages via GDExtension. This flexibility makes it easier to tailor the engine to your project’s needs. Godot’s open-source nature means you can modify the engine itself if needed.

It also supports a dedicated 2D engine and a 3D engine with features like real-time lighting and shadows. When it’s time to publish, your team can deploy games to multiple platforms without worrying about licensing fees.​

Standout features & integrations:

Features include a scene system that lets you organize game elements hierarchically, making complex projects more manageable. The engine also provides a built-in animation system for both 2D and 3D assets, allowing you to create intricate animations without external tools. Additionally, Godot includes a visual shader editor, enabling you to design custom shaders through a user-friendly interface.​

Integrations include support for various programming languages like GDScript, C#, and C++, as well as compatibility with version control systems such as Git, Mercurial, and Subversion. Godot also integrates with external tools like Blender for 3D modeling, and it supports exporting to a range of platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and HTML5.​

GDevelop is a visual development platform designed for creating interactive games across multiple platforms. It caters to individuals and teams who want to build games without needing programming skills. The software enables users to design, test, and publish games using a visual event-based system.

Why I picked GDevelop: If you're just starting out and want to create games without writing code, GDevelop offers a visual event system that lets you define game logic through conditions and actions. You can build games directly in your browser or on your desktop, and export them to platforms like Android, iOS, and desktop.

The built-in asset store provides thousands of free assets to help you get started quickly. You can also preview your game live on different devices without exporting. This setup makes it easier to focus on designing your game rather than dealing with complex code.

Standout features & integrations:

Features include a built-in debugger and profiler to help you identify and fix issues in your game. You can also use the integrated image editor to create and modify graphics directly within the platform. And it supports advanced features like pathfinding and physics behaviors, allowing you to add complex interactions to your game.

Integrations include AdMob, Facebook Ads, Shopify, CrazyGames SDK, and the GDevelop Asset Store.

CryEngine is a development platform designed for building interactive, high-fidelity 3D experiences. It's used by teams creating immersive worlds with dynamic lighting, physics, and animation systems. The software supports large-scale environments and detailed asset workflows.

Why I picked CryEngine: If your team is focused on crafting visually rich, real-time environments, CryEngine offers tools that help bring those scenes to life. Its sandbox editor lets you make changes and instantly see them in action, so you can test ideas quickly.

The engine includes real-time global illumination and dynamic weather systems that react to your world. You can also use its terrain tools to sculpt large outdoor spaces with natural lighting and atmospheric effects. These features make it easier to build immersive settings that feel alive.​

Standout features & integrations:

Features include a visual scripting system called flow graph, which helps your team set up gameplay logic without writing code. The engine also supports volumetric fog and screen-space reflections to add depth and realism to your scenes. Its character animation tools let you blend skeletal motion with procedural effects for more lifelike movement.​

Integrations include Visual Studio, Perforce, FMOD Studio, Wwise, and Git.

Construct 3 is a browser-based platform for creating interactive games. It caters to individuals and teams looking to design games directly within a web environment. The software provides tools for building, testing, and publishing games across various platforms.​

Why I picked Construct 3: It runs entirely in your browser, so you can start building without installing anything. The event-based system lets you design game logic visually, which is helpful if you're not into coding. You can preview your game instantly and make changes on the fly. It also supports exporting to multiple platforms, so your game can reach a wider audience.​

Standout features & integrations:

Features include a built-in image editor that lets you tweak graphics without leaving the browser. The timeline feature helps you manage animations and events over time. There's also a behavior system that allows you to add predefined functionalities to objects, speeding up development.​

Integrations include Facebook Instant Games, Google Play, Apple App Store, Steam, Xbox, Amazon Appstore, Kongregate, itch.io, Newgrounds, and Poki.

Gamefroot is a browser-based platform that lets users create, play, and share games without needing to install anything. It’s designed to help users build games using drag-and-drop tools and visual scripting, making it approachable for beginners and educators alike.

Why I picked Gamefroot: If your team wants to create games as part of a learning experience, Gamefroot gives you the tools to do that without needing to write code. You can use its visual scripting system to build game logic, and the platform includes built-in tutorials to guide you through the process. It also supports collaborative features, so multiple users can work together on a project.

Standout features & integrations:

Features include a drag-and-drop interface for building games, customizable game templates, and a library of sound effects and music.

Integrations include publishing games to web browsers and mobile platforms like iOS and Android.

Maya is a professional 3D software developed by Autodesk, designed for creating realistic characters and effects. It's widely used by art studios in various industries, including film, television, and gaming. It also offers a comprehensive set of tools for modeling, animation, simulation, and rendering.

Why I picked Maya: If your team focuses on animating complex game scenes, Maya provides a suite of tools tailored for this purpose. Its advanced rigging and animation features allow for detailed character movements and interactions. The software's simulation capabilities enable realistic environmental effects, enhancing the overall gaming experience. Additionally, Maya's integration with other Autodesk products ensures a cohesive workflow across various stages of game development.​

Standout features & integrations:

Features include advanced rigging tools for character animation, comprehensive simulation options for realistic effects, and a modular interface that adapts to different workflows. These features support the creation of intricate animations and dynamic scenes.​

Integrations include Arnold, Autodesk Cloud, Autodesk Flex, Autodesk Shotgun, and Autodesk Revit.​

GameMaker is a cross-platform development environment designed for creating 2D games. It caters to both beginners and experienced developers by offering a visual scripting system alongside a custom scripting language. The platform supports exporting games to various platforms, including desktop, mobile, web, and consoles.

Why I picked GameMaker: GameMaker's visual scripting tool, GML Visual, lets you build game logic by dragging and dropping actions, making it approachable if you're new to coding. For more control, you can switch to GameMaker Language (GML), which is similar to JavaScript. The IDE includes built-in editors for sprites, tilemaps, and animations, so you can design and test your game in one place. You can also export to multiple platforms like Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and HTML5 without needing separate tools.

Standout features & integrations:

Features include a built-in sprite editor for creating and editing images directly within the IDE. The tilemap editor allows you to design levels using a grid-based system, which is helpful for platformers and top-down games. The animation timeline lets you create and manage animations for your game objects without external software.

Integrations include GX.games, Opera GX, as well as various platform-specific export options like Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, HTML5, and consoles such as PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

PixiJS is an open-source JavaScript library designed for rendering interactive 2D graphics in web environments. It caters to developers aiming to create rich visual experiences across various platforms, including desktop and mobile browsers. By leveraging WebGL and providing a Canvas fallback, PixiJS ensures high-performance rendering and broad compatibility.

Why I picked PixiJS: PixiJS offers a fast and flexible rendering engine that simplifies the creation of visually compelling web applications. Its support for WebGL acceleration allows your team to handle complex animations and thousands of sprites efficiently. The library's scene graph architecture facilitates organized object management, making it easier to build and maintain intricate interfaces.

It also provides a user-friendly API that streamlines the development process, enabling quicker implementation of interactive features. These capabilities make it particularly well-suited for projects that demand high-quality 2D rendering in web environments.

Standout features & integrations:

Features include advanced text rendering options, allowing your team to display crisp, anti-aliased text at various resolutions. The library also supports a range of blending modes and filters, enabling the creation of visually rich effects. And PixiJS's asset loader simplifies the process of managing and loading various media assets, enhancing development efficiency.

Integrations include React, Layout, Spine, Filters, Sound, UI, DevTools, AssetPack, Storybook, and Text Style Editor.