Unity's runtime fee controversy reshaped the industry. Unreal's mobile improvements are significant. Here's a practical breakdown from a studio that ships in both engines.
The Unity runtime fee announcement in 2023 triggered an industry-wide rethink. Many studios began migrating to Godot or evaluating Unreal more seriously for mobile. In 2025, the dust has settled.
Unity in 2025: Where It Stands
Unity remains the dominant engine for mobile games — particularly casual, hypercasual, and mid-core titles. Unity 6 brings improved rendering, better WebGPU support, and more stable multiplayer tools.
Decision Framework
| Factor | Choose Unity | Choose Unreal |
|---|---|---|
| Game genre | Casual, hyper-casual, puzzle, 2D | Action RPG, shooter, high-fidelity 3D |
| Budget | $50K–$500K range | $200K+ range |
| Timeline | Faster prototyping | Longer polish cycles |
| Target device | Broad device support | Mid-high end devices |
Brilliant Minds ships mobile games in Unity, Unreal, and Godot. Our game studio team can help you select the right engine based on your genre, budget, and target audience.
Siddharth Rao
Game Dev Lead, Brilliant Minds
Published 28 November 2025