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• 1 media/unity-2017.1_leadArt.jpg media/Unity-1200X630.png 2017-10-02T15:14:03-07:00 WHAT IS 42 image_header 2017-10-25T18:44:16-07:00

       Unity is a game engine, in other words, a combination of digital tools that are needed for the creation, distribution, and promotion of video games. Though most casual gamers wouldn't know, chances are they have already played something made with it.            

          Based on numbers alone, there’s no doubt that Unity is the most popular engine in the market, boasting a total of 770 million titles springing from it. What is more, of all the games currently available in mobile platforms- like tablets and smartphones -, 34% of the top rated ones were made using Unity tech.  Among those, some notable examples are  Temple Run, Angry Birds Epic and Monument Valley.
         Unity's games, however, aren't limited to the mobile realm, there are plenty of more intense options designed for computers or consoles, such as Satellite Reign, Legends of Aethereus,​ Battlestar Galactica Online, Kerbal Space Program, Wasteland 2 ​and Slender: The Arrival.
  

        This multitude of products shows a wide variety in terms of game mechanics, visuals, and stories, something rooted in the ever-growing number of people using Unity to make their own games.
     The engine is available for download on their website at no cost at all for individual developers, be them professional or hobbyists, though there are there are paid "pro" versions designed for companies. The prices, however, aren't prohibitive and even the humblest Unity edition offers its users as many tools as one might need. Among the options are  2D and 3D graphics, VR/AR technologies, cross-platform compatibility and even multiplayer design tools.
      The technology itself is user-friendly enough so that people with no experience whatsoever have a fair chance to learn what it takes to make a game by hands-on experience. We even went as far as trying it ourselves with very positive results.
       It is important to point out, though, that merely carrying a large number of features and having free or cost-reduced tools isn't enough to explain Unity's widespread adoption. Alternatives like Unreal or CryEngine also cover the same technical basis and offer free-versions themselves, so what is it that makes Unity such a special case?
    Could it be just a fad or is there an actual reason behind the unparalleled preference?  You will find the answer to those questions in our next segment: Unity and other engines.