Game engines are truly a blessing of our times. Without them, we probably wouldn’t have this massive variety of games to choose from, as game developers would have to spend a good chunk of time having to program the all the intricate details of what makes games tick – such as the graphics engine and the audio system to name a few.
Engines such as the Unity and Unreal Engine are responsible for handling all the basic components of a game, allowing creators to focus on what really matters when it comes to gaming, which is the experience of it all.
However, never game developers might feel lost when it comes to selling/monetizing their games created with Unreal Engine. These doubts are understandable since every engine deals with monetization in their own way.
This is why we are here! First, we’ll give you the answer right away. Then, we will talk a little about Unreal Engine’s royalties policy, walk you through some scenarios and give you some directions on how to get started with game development.
Without further ado, let’s get going!
Can I make commercial games with Unreal Engine?
According to the Unreal Engine’s End User License Agreement (EULA), yes, you can sell games made with Unreal!
The license is 100% free to use for learning purposes and for developing internal projects. It also allows you to distribute commercial projects, including projects delivered to clients, animations (for films, television shows and games for example) and any product whose lifetime revenue falls below the royalty threshold of $1 million USD.
Do I have to pay royalties for a game made with Unreal Engine?
It depends!
If you are distributing an off-the-shelf product that made use of Unreal Engine and has made over $1 million in revenue over its lifetime, then Epic Games will take a 5% cut.
In other words, Unreal Engine is completely royalty-free for the first $1 million in revenue!
Keep in mind that Unreal Engine is very generous with its monetization as this royalty exemption is applicable per title/project/game. This means that, even if your company has 2 games and they each made $800,000 in revenue, you owe Epic NOTHING!
And, if that wasn’t enough, they can offer you negotiable licensing terms for specific game development projects. Head out to this page and get in touch with them to create a licensing solution that works for you.
What can I release with Unreal Engine?
You can release any product as long as it’s allowed by law.
You cannot, however, release the source code and tools/modifications for them to the general public as it would infringe Unreal Engine’s EULA.
What do I need to do when releasing a game?
As soon as you begin collecting revenue for your product or start shipping it, Epic Games must be notified.
When do I need to report my product’s revenue?
As soon as your product has generated over $1 million USD in revenue, you are required to report revenues on a quarterly basis.
However, there are two exceptions to this rule: if your product generates less than $10,000 USD in the most recent quarter, you are not required to report revenues. The same thing applies if your game or interactive off-the-shelf product is no longer being sold.
Where can I find assets for Unreal Engine?
Unreal Engine has a marketplace of its own, which is where you can buy assets for your game. There are also many freebies for you to get started with your game development journey!
The marketplace is also where you can sell original assets you have created. If you’re a game artist looking to make some extra income, be sure to check it out.
Where can I sell games made with Unreal Engine?
So long as you’re in good terms with the EULA and Epic’s royalties policy, you can sell your games anywhere, really!
Some of the best game stores for indie developers and small teams include GameJolt, Itch.io and Steam for desktop games. If you are developing for mobile, then the Google Play Store is a great starting point (for Android) and so is the Apple App Store (for iOS).
How do I get started with game development using Unreal Engine?
The first you have to do is to make sure your computer can run Unreal Engine, which is much heavier than Unity, the recommended game engine for beginners. You won’t be able to make a game if you can’t even run the engine, right?
Your next step is to download Unreal Development Kit (UDK), which can be found here. This software provides you the tools to create game levels, handle assets and implement the game mechanics, and, with it, make a wide variety of applications and games.
If your system meets Unreal Engine’s minimum requirements, we have created a separate post in which we guide you through your first steps in your Unreal Engine game development journey. You can read it while you download the UDK by clicking on this link!
For more information, don’t forget to check Unreal Engine’s official FAQ if there are any more questions following this post – chances are they already got you covered!
What about hiring qualified professionals to create your game?
As game developers ourselves, we understand how hard the process of making a game is. From all the art and sounds that must be created to the thousands of lines of code that must be written, developing a fantastic experience can take a very long time – more so if it’s your first time doing it.
With this in mind, how about leaving this task to a team of qualified professionals?
We are Main Leaf, a game development studio that has been creating stunning games on-demand since 2010. We have around 70 full-time professionals working on games every single day, with producers, programmers, game designers and artists striving to deliver fantastic experiences to our clients.
Got interested? Get in contact with us by heading to the top of this page and requesting a game quote. We promise to get back to you as soon as we can!
