Unity vs Godot 2024: Which Engine Should Beginners Choose?

The game development landscape shifted dramatically in late 2023. For over a decade, Unity was the default recommendation for almost every beginner. It had the tutorials, the asset store, and the job market.

But after the controversial "Runtime Fee" announcement and the rapid rise of Godot 4, the question in 2024 isn't so simple. If you are starting your game dev journey today, which engine should you pick?

The Elephant in the Room: Unity's 2023 Controversy

You can't talk about Unity in 2024 without mentioning the pricing changes. While Unity has since walked back the most aggressive parts of their "install fee" policy, the trust of the indie community was shaken.

Does this affect beginners? Technically, no. The fees only apply to games making over $200,000 USD and 200,000 installs. As a beginner, you can still use Unity completely for free (Personal Edition). However, many developers are now looking at Godot simply to avoid being locked into a proprietary ecosystem that can change its terms at any time.

Unity: The Industry Standard

Despite the drama, Unity remains the powerhouse of the mobile and indie industry.

✅ The Pros

• ▸The Job Market: If your goal is to get hired by a studio, learn Unity. It is still used by roughly 50% of professional mobile and indie studios.
• ▸The Asset Store: Unity's Asset Store is unmatched. You can buy complete inventory systems, art packs, and multiplayer frameworks for a few dollars.
• ▸C#: Coding in C# is a transferable skill. It's a standard programming language used in enterprise software, web dev, and other tech fields.

❌ The Cons

• ▸Bloat: Unity is heavy. Projects can take a while to open, and the engine includes gigabytes of features you might never use.
• ▸Trust: As mentioned, the ownership model is proprietary.

👉 Ready to start? Check out our curated list of Unity Learning Resources.

Godot: The Open Source Challenger

Godot has exploded in popularity, doubling its user base in just a few months during the Unity exodus. With the release of Godot 4, it now has 3D capabilities that rival Unity for most indie projects.

✅ The Pros

• ▸Truly Free: Godot is MIT licensed. You own everything you make. No royalties, no subscription fees, ever.
• ▸Lightweight: The entire engine is a single executable under 100MB. It opens instantly and runs on older laps.
• ▸GDScript: Godot's custom language is designed specifically for games. It looks like Python and is arguably easier for absolute beginners to learn than C#.
• ▸Nodes System: Godot's "everything is a node" architecture is incredibly intuitive for 2D games.

❌ The Cons

• ▸Console Support: Publishing to PlayStation, Xbox, or Switch is harder with Godot than Unity (though 3rd party companies can help).
• ▸Smaller Asset Library: While growing, you won't find the same volume of ready-made tools as the Unity Asset Store.

👉 Want to try the underdog? See our guide on Godot Tutorials.

Verdict: Which One for 2024?

Choose Unity If:

• ▸You want a job in the game industry.
• ▸You want to buy assets to speed up development.
• ▸You want to learn C# for a broader programming career.

Choose Godot If:

• ▸You want a lightweight, fast, and free experience.
• ▸You are making a 2D game (Godot's 2D workflow is superior).
• ▸You care about open-source software and owning your tools.

Both engines are fantastic tools. The best engine is the one you actually use to finish a game. Pick one, stick with it for a month, and start building!