Unreal Engine earned 31% of Steam game revenue in 2024 versus Unity’s 26% — the first time since 2018 Unreal outearned Unity on the platform. Unity still shipped more games, powering 51% of 2024 Steam releases to Unreal’s 28%. This post covers Steam market share, developer survey data, pricing, and regional figures for both engines through 2026.
Unity vs Unreal Engine Statistics 2026 – TL;DR
- Unity powered 51% of 2024 Steam releases; Unreal Engine powered 28%.
- Unreal took 31% of Steam revenue in 2024 against Unity’s 26% — Unreal’s first revenue lead since 2018.
- Unreal’s Steam revenue share jumped from 19% in 2023 to 31% in 2024, a 12-point gain.
- Stack Overflow’s 2024 survey put Unity usage at 5.9% of developers and Unreal at 3.0%.
- The global game engines market reached $3.2 billion in 2024, forecast to hit $13.8 billion by 2034.
Unity leads on release volume and active users. Unreal leads on revenue per title and developer aspiration. The 2024 Steam data marks the point where Unreal’s higher-budget catalog started outearning Unity’s larger but smaller-average catalog. Much of Unity’s lead sits in mobile and indie work, and its reach now extends into film, automotive, and architecture. For related platform data, see these gaming statistics roundups.
Unity vs Unreal Engine Market Share on Steam (2024)
Unity shipped the most games on Steam in 2024 at 51% of releases. Unreal Engine took 31% of revenue on just 28% of releases, so the average Unreal title earned more than the average Unity title.
| Metric | Unity | Unreal Engine | Custom / Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam releases | 51% | 28% | Godot 5%, GameMaker 4%, Custom ~13% |
| Steam revenue | 26% | 31% | Custom 42% |
| Steam units sold | 26% | 31% | Custom 42% |
| Release vs revenue gap | -25pp | +3pp | — |
Source: Video Game Insights “Game Engines on Steam in 2025” via GameDev Reports (February 2025); Creative Bloq (February 2025)
Video Game Insights based the analysis on more than 13,000 games with at least 1,000 Steam sales in 2024, so it covers titles with material sales rather than every release. Custom engine revenue fell to 42%, below half for the first time since 2014. Unity powers many top mobile titles, including breakdowns in these mobile game statistics und MiHoYo revenue figures.
How Fast Did Unreal Engine Grow on Steam?
Unreal’s Steam revenue share rose from 19% in 2023 to 31% in 2024, a 12-point single-year jump. VGI ties the increase to AAA studios moving to Unreal Engine 5 and indie breakouts reaching commercial scale.
| Trend | Figure |
|---|---|
| Unreal revenue share, 2023 | 19% |
| Unreal revenue share, 2024 | 31% |
| Single-year change | +12 percentage points |
| UE5 adoption within Unreal Steam games | 72% |
| Custom engine release share, 2012 | 71% |
| Custom engine release share, 2024 | 13% |
Source: Video Game Insights via GameDev Reports (February 2025); Creative Bloq (February 2025)
Five titles drove the 2024 surge: Black Myth: Wukong, Palworld, Manor Lords, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. Konami’s Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater remake, also on Unreal, is one example VGI cites for the AAA shift; you can track its numbers on this Snake Eater live player counter. Custom engines fell from 71% of releases in 2012 to 13% in 2024.
Unity vs Unreal Engine Usage in Developer Surveys
Stack Overflow’s 2024 survey recorded 5.9% of all developers using Unity in the past year against 3.0% for Unreal. Among game developers specifically, GDC’s State of the Game Industry 2024 found both tied at 33% as a primary tool.
| Survey metric | Unity | Unreal Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Stack Overflow 2024 — all developers | 5.9% | 3.0% |
| Stack Overflow 2024 — professional developers | 4.6% | 2.5% |
| Stack Overflow 2024 — “want to use” | 46% | 53.9% |
| GDC 2024 — primary tool (game devs) | 33% | 33% |
Source: Stack Overflow 2024 Developer Survey via Coursera (September 2025); GDC State of the Game Industry 2024 via VSQUAD (February 2026)
The two surveys diverge because Stack Overflow samples all developers, including non-gaming engineers, while GDC surveys only game developers. Unreal leads the “want to use” figure at 53.9% to Unity’s 46%, so developer aspiration favors Unreal even though Unity has more active users.
Unity vs Unreal Engine Statistics 2026: Customer and Company Data
6sense counts 11,483 Unity customers in game development against 7,673 for Unreal, about 1.5 times as many. Unity’s market share reading sits at 23.91% in its 2026 model, down from 25.13% in June 2025.
| Metric | Unity | Unreal Engine |
|---|---|---|
| 6sense market share (2026) | 23.91% | 15.98% |
| 6sense market share (June 2025) | 25.13% | 14.99% |
| Game development customers | 11,483 | 7,673 |
| US customer concentration | 43.10% (3,446 companies) | — |
| Monthly active users, all apps | 2 billion | — |
Source: 6sense “Unity Market Share” and “Unity vs Unreal Engine: Game Development Comparison” (2026); Market.us (June 2025)
The 6sense reading tracks web usage signals, not head-count, so the small dip reflects a data-model update rather than lost customers. France accounts for 10.26% of Unity customers and India 9.84%. Unity’s 2 billion monthly active users span film, automotive, and architecture uses that a pure game-engine comparison leaves out.
Unity Customer Size Breakdown
Most Unity customers are small firms. Companies with 20 to 49 employees make up the largest band at 2,948, followed by 2,161 firms with fewer than 10 employees.
Source: 6sense “Unity Market Share” (2026)
Unity vs Unreal Engine Pricing (2026)
Unity Personal is free below $100,000 in annual revenue, with the Pro tier at $185 per seat each month. Unreal Engine is free and charges a 5% royalty on gross revenue above $1 million.
| Plan | Cost |
|---|---|
| Unity Personal | Free (under $100,000 revenue) |
| Unity Pro | $185 per seat / month |
| Unreal Engine | Free + 5% royalty above $1 million |
Source: Unity.com and Unreal Engine licensing page via Coursera (September 2025)
The models suit different budgets. Unity’s per-seat fee favors small teams with steady revenue, while Unreal’s royalty defers cost until a game earns past the $1 million threshold. Cross-platform reach also differs, a factor covered in this crossplay guide.
Game Engines Market Size and Regional Share
The global game engines market reached $3.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to hit $13.8 billion by 2034 at a 15.9% CAGR. North America holds more than 38% of the market, ahead of Asia-Pacific and Europe.
| Region / Segment | Share | 2025 value |
|---|---|---|
| North America | >38% | ~$1.22 billion |
| Asia-Pacific | 24.20% | ~$0.83 billion |
| Europe | 22.90% | ~$0.79 billion |
| Mobile segment (2026) | 42.85% | — |
| 3D game engines | >70% | — |
Source: Market.us (June 2025); Fortune Business Insights “Game Engines Market” (2026)
Asia-Pacific grows fastest among the three at an 18.10% CAGR. The console segment carries the highest CAGR at 15.80%, driven by Unreal Engine ray tracing and HDR features. Godot is gaining share in the UK, Germany, and Sweden among indie developers, mirroring the wider esports attendance data trend toward accessible tools.
FAQ
Does Unity or Unreal Engine have more market share in 2026?
Unity leads on volume, powering 51% of 2024 Steam releases to Unreal’s 28%. Unreal leads on revenue at 31% versus Unity’s 26%. 6sense puts Unity’s market share at 23.91% against Unreal’s 15.98%.
How much revenue does each engine earn on Steam?
Unreal Engine earned 31% of 2024 Steam game revenue against Unity’s 26%. It was the first time since 2018 that Unreal outearned Unity, driven by AAA titles and indie hits like Palworld.
How many developers use Unity versus Unreal?
Stack Overflow’s 2024 survey found 5.9% of all developers used Unity and 3.0% used Unreal. Among game developers, GDC’s 2024 report showed both tied at 33% as a primary tool.
Is Unity or Unreal Engine cheaper?
Unity Personal is free under $100,000 revenue; Pro costs $185 per seat monthly. Unreal is free with a 5% royalty above $1 million. Small teams often favor Unity; royalty models suit later-earning games.
How big is the game engines market?
The global game engines market reached $3.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to hit $13.8 billion by 2034 at a 15.9% CAGR. North America holds more than 38% of the total.
Sources
https://gamedevreports.substack.com/p/video-game-insights-game-engines
https://www.creativebloq.com/3d/video-game-design/unreal-engine-dominates-as-the-most-successful-game-engine-data-reveals
https://www.coursera.org/articles/unity-vs-unreal
https://6sense.com/tech/game-development/unity-market-share
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