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How Much Does Unity 3D Game Development Cost?

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Planning to develop a Unity 3D game? Explore factors influencing costs and budget considerations associated with Unity game development.

Ronak Pipaliya

May 6, 2024

Throughout history, games have consistently remained a beloved pastime, irrespective of age. Therefore, it is all worthwhile of your time, whether it be engaging in the exhilarating action-adventure game "Grand Theft Auto" or triumphing over your adversaries in the enthralling gameplay of "Call of Duty: Warzone." Presently, the game industry, which falls under the entertainment sector, is expanding at an unprecedented rate due to the incorporation of state-of-the-art technologies. Additionally, each year, app stores publish hundreds of video games for gamers to download onto their devices.

The creation of Unity games is a continuous market trend. It empowers Unity game developers to create 3D and 2D games that operate flawlessly across multiple platforms, including consoles, mobile, desktop, augmented reality, and virtual reality devices. However, entrepreneurs are drawn to unity game development due to its myriad advantageous aspects.

What is the total development expense of a Unity game? The purpose of this blog is to address inquiries concerning the cost of Unity game development. 

What is Unity Game Development?

Unity is a fast-growing gaming platform and engine that encourages broad experimentation and innovation in game development. The game engine accounts for 48% of the worldwide gaming market. Thus, the question of why Unity 3D is the better option for your first game project is left unanswered.

With a ton of features and functionalities that let you work with augmented reality, virtual reality, and other technologies, it's the best cross-platform game engine. 

To build both single-player and multiplayer games, it provides an extensive asset library together with strong cloud-based features including Unity Analytics, Unity Ads, Unity Collaborate, and Unity Multiplayer.

3D Game Development Statistics

With the game industry anticipated to generate $155 billion in revenue in 2020 and surpass $260 billion by 2025, it has overtaken the film and music industries in recent years.

On the other hand, 5 billion Unity app downloads have astounded the gaming industry with Unity games. Furthermore, 61% of creative game developers worldwide now consider the Unity platform to be their preferred choice for development platforms.

As per Unity, in 2020, over 3 billion downloads were made from mobile game apps developed on Unity. Additionally, Unity enables the daily initiation of 15,000 new projects.

Because Unity supports multiple platforms, game developers from all over the world create amazing games on it. As of 2020, more than 1.5 billion devices ran Unity game apps. Furthermore, according to the Financial Times story, Unity's technology powered popular titles like Pokémon Go and Call of Duty: Mobile.

Top Factors Influencing the Cost of Mobile Game Development

A vast market allows many people to break through, but it also needs considerable effort in competitiveness. The type of game and the team/studio price constitute the greatest cost difference. The game's promotion, assuming high-quality functioning, will cost less money. Thus, before beginning your mobile game development, consider the following cost concerns.


Game type and complexity
  • Mini-Games:

Mini-games are simple single-player games that do not require sophisticated artwork or scenarios. They are usually feature-light, two-dimensional, and either short or unending. For example, Dumb Ways to Die 2, Pocket Arcade, and 101-in-1 Games are among the best mini-games in 2023. The development costs may range from $3,000 to $150,000.

  • Small games:

These games support several players and stages, and its user interface combines 2D and 3D components. They may also allow in-app purchases. Typically, the cost ranges from $90,000 to $300,000. However, if the game is in 3D, the price rises to between $100,000 and $500,000 due to the increased costs connected with 3D graphics and animation.

  • Middle-Level Games:

These are telephone games with more intricate designs and architecture. The game design in this genre includes a range of stages, characters, narratives, and visually appealing graphics. The normal development cost for such games ranges between $300,000 and $800,000.

  • High-level/AAA Games:

The development process and market entry for high-quality games take time. The cost of developing such games ranges between $500,000 to $4,000,000. AAA Games are games with a large budget and high quality. According to Steam ratings, some of the finest AAA games include DOOM, Call of Duty, Monster Hunter Rise, and others. 


Game engine and platform

The platform and engine you choose will determine how much a mobile game costs. According to official Steam data for 2023, Unity (35,678 games), Unreal (9,461), and GameMaker: Studio (3,846) are the most popular SDKs and engines for game production.

Both Unreal and Unity are almost free for the project. A free and open-source 3D computer graphics game engine is called Unreal. Unity comes with a free, basic version that is really easy to learn. Additionally, they provide game production for PC, PS, Xbox, iOS, and Android platforms.

Editors for sprites, objects, rooms, scripts, movement pathways (routes), timelines (action sequences with time reference), and constants are all combined in GameMaker Studio 2. But in addition to the free edition, it offers several subscription tiers tailored for independent developers and companies for all these choices. The annual price starts at $49.99. 

Team and studio

The level of collaboration that is desired for your project will determine whether a freelancer or a reputable studio like HitBerry Games is utilized. Although employing a freelancer may potentially result in cost savings for mobile game development, for more intricate undertakings it becomes imperative to enlist the services of a professional team.

The studio provides assistance with game prototyping, UX/UI design, testing, and ongoing support, among other things. Success stories validate the notion that employing a professional team guarantees outcomes that are both refined and expeditious. 

Budget for marketing

It is essential to have an engaging and entertaining mobile game, but to obtain visibility, effective marketing is also essential. Hence, following a substantial investment in mobile game development expenses, one should contemplate reallocating funds towards advertising in order to generate profits and recoup the initial investment.

Occasionally, publishing houses allocate more funds towards advertising rather than development. However, in the conventional course of action, marketing expenditures may account for as much as 30% of the total budget in order to effectively reach the target audience and generate profits.

AAA games can significantly affect the price of mobile applications. AAA games are frequently accompanied by an extensive advertising campaign. Concurrently, all participants assume substantial risks, as the sale of millions of copies is necessary to recoup the expenses. 

How to Reduce the Cost of Game Development?

There are numerous methods for reducing development expenses, including offshoring development and game simplification. Consideration should be given to the first option, contingent on the particular undertaking at hand. For instance, one may alter the game dimensions, streamline the narratives, or simplify the visuals. In the second instance, the issue is one of downsizing the workforce by recruiting development teams from countries with reduced development costs.

The overall expense of developing game applications may be substantially influenced by the decisions to outsource. When a team originating from Europe or America charges $400-$500 per hour, consider that a team from India may be available for $150-$300 and produce a final product that is two to three times less expensive. 

How to Calculate Mobile Game Development Costs?

If you already know the approximate project budget, you must determine the ultimate price taking into account all of the game elements. Typically, this can only be accomplished by hiring a developer or researching all of the associated expenditures.

Vasundhara Infotech is a gaming studio in Surat game firm with extensive game production experience. This calculator allows you to examine the game's properties such as gameplay length, genre, engine, modes, and graphic style.

For example, a hybrid-casual single-player game using the Unity 3D engine for Android, iOS, PC, and Xbox can cost roughly $82,105.


How To Hire Unity Game Developers?

Cross-platform expertise is essential when recruiting Unity game developers; they must be conversant with the Unity system architecture and operate on various platforms, including iOS, Android, Linux, Windows, and more. Furthermore, the developers ought to have proficiency in creating 2D/3D graphics and practical knowledge of API scripting. In addition, your team should be proficient in game testing and error resolution in order to enhance the game's functionality.

Additionally, you can hire offshore game development team who can provide dependable game design and innovative Unity game solutions to prevent future in-game complications.

Hire Vasundhara Infotech As Your Unity Game Development Partner

You should now have a better idea of how much it will cost to make the game you want to make. But if you want to make a great game that will compete in the market and help your business reach new heights of success, you should hire a top-notch unity game development company. They will ensure everything goes smoothly from the planning stages to the product's release and beyond. 

Final Notes

The cost of Unity 3D game development can vary significantly depending on various factors such as project complexity, scope, team size, and location. While estimating the exact cost can be challenging, understanding the key components involved in the development process can help make informed decisions.

Investing in Unity 3D game development can lead to rewarding outcomes, including engaging gameplay experiences and potential monetization opportunities. By carefully planning and managing the budget, developers can confidently embark on their game development journey, knowing that they are making the most of their resources while striving for excellence in their creations.

Ready to bring your game idea to life with Unity 3D? Get in touch with our team today to discuss your project requirements, budget considerations, and how we can help you achieve your game development goals. Let's turn your vision into reality together. Request for a quote to get started!

FAQ's by 3D Game Development Cost

The development cost for a simple first-person shooter game using the Unity game engine is $35,000. In addition, the complexity, project requirements, and kind of game could raise the cost of game production.

Creating a simple 2D mobile game can cost somewhere between $5,000 and $30,000 on average, whilst creating a sophisticated 3D game can cost anywhere between $100,000 and $500,000 or more. To prevent unforeseen expenses, it is crucial to comprehend the project scope and budget before beginning the development process.

The best way to learn how to code and make many different kinds of games is to start with Unity 3D. On the other hand, Unreal is better if you want models that get better over time.

Because Unity's fees are limited to 2.5% of gross revenue, it will almost always be cheaper than Unreal, sometimes by a large amount. Unless your gross revenue is between $200,000 and $1,000,000, in which case Unity's membership costs would make it the more expensive choice.

Regardless of how unfriendly Unity may be to programmers, there is no way around the fact that the ability to code in C# is required to construct more complex projects. While there are workarounds available, such as the Visual Scripting utility in Unity, the good news is that programming is accessible to everyone.

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Ronak Pipaliya

Leading Vasundhara Infotech's Game Department, he drives creativity and excellence. His strategic vision cultivates immersive gaming experiences, elevating the company's reputation.

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Have a project in mind? Drop a message to Bansi Pipaliya & start the discussion!

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