Best Game Engines for Linux of 2025

Unreal Engine stands as the most innovative and inclusive tool for creating real-time 3D experiences. This advanced platform allows you to transform incredible ideas into reality, catering to everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals facing complex challenges. Our abundant resources, which are accessible at no cost, combined with an inspirational community, enable individuals to pursue their creative visions. With more than 160 hours of complimentary online learning materials, a vast array of webinars, and various options for instructor-led training, there is a learning path suited to every preference. The driving force behind Unreal Engine lies in its dedicated creators who form a vibrant community, collaborating to develop state-of-the-art experiences and offering mutual support throughout the journey. Additionally, users can delve into extensive reference documentation, detailed instructional guides, community support networks, and choices for specialized professional assistance to enhance their skills and projects. By joining this community, you not only gain knowledge but also contribute to a collective effort that pushes the boundaries of real-time 3D creation.

LÖVE is a powerful framework designed for developing 2D games using the Lua programming language, and it is completely free to use for various projects, whether they are friendly open-source endeavors or commercial ventures. To get started with a simple game, simply create a new folder at any location on your computer and launch your preferred text editor; for example, Sublime Text is an excellent choice available on all operating systems, with built-in support for Lua. Inside the folder you just created, make a new file and label it main.lua, then input the following code into the file and save your work to proceed. This initial setup will lay the groundwork for your game development journey using LÖVE.

Phaser is an exciting, free, and rapid open-source HTML5 game development framework that supports WebGL and Canvas rendering across both desktop and mobile web browsers. With over a decade of active development, Phaser prioritizes web standards and places the browser experience at the forefront of its design. For Phaser, exporting to the web is not just a secondary feature; it is the primary focus. The framework is completely open-source, granting users full access to each line of code within its core library. Boasting a larger selection of pre-made templates than any competing game framework, Phaser also serves as an excellent command-line interface (CLI) tool. Games created with Phaser have been integral to various marketing initiatives for many years, finding applications in numerous settings, including major Hollywood film promotions, extensive brand campaigns, educational materials, interactive experiences, television programs, news segments, charity events, and live marketing events. Additionally, the versatility and accessibility of Phaser make it a popular choice for both novice and experienced developers alike.

Defold is a versatile and free game engine that is open-source and tailored for efficient cross-platform game creation. It is ready to use immediately after download, eliminating the need for any preliminary setup or configuration, which empowers developers to dive straight into their projects. This engine boasts an array of tools, including a visual editor, a code editor, Lua scripting capabilities, a Lua debugger, a scene editor, a particle editor, and a tilemap editor, all of which cater to both 2D and 3D game development. By utilizing a unified codebase and avoiding the necessity for additional external tools, Defold facilitates the seamless publishing of games across prominent platforms such as PlayStation5, PlayStation4, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, macOS, Linux, Windows, Steam, HTML5, and Facebook. The engine features a component-based architecture for game development, enabling developers to construct intricate behaviors from simple building blocks while implementing game logic through Lua. Additionally, developers have the option to enhance their projects by accessing new features from the asset portal, establishing a local build environment for customization, or integrating native code to further expand the engine's capabilities, thus fostering an adaptable and robust development experience. This flexibility makes Defold an appealing choice for both novice and seasoned developers alike.

MonoGame is an open-source framework that empowers developers to build cross-platform games utilizing C# and various .NET languages. It is compatible with an array of platforms, such as Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. This framework boasts an extensive range of features, including capabilities for 2D and 3D rendering, sound management, input processing, and content organization, which facilitate the creation of high-quality games in different genres. Serving as a re-imagining of Microsoft's XNA 4 API, MonoGame offers a familiar environment for those who have previously worked with XNA. Noteworthy titles crafted with MonoGame include "Streets of Rage 4," "Carrion," "Celeste," and "Stardew Valley," showcasing the framework's versatility and effectiveness. The MonoGame Foundation, along with a dedicated community, actively oversees the ongoing development and enhancement of the framework, ensuring it remains a valuable tool for game developers. With continuous updates, MonoGame strives to meet the evolving needs of the gaming industry.

Gideros is an open-source and free framework designed for cross-platform game development, allowing developers to craft high-performance 2D games using the Lua programming language. It streamlines the testing process on actual devices via Wi-Fi, removing the need for time-consuming export or deployment steps. Constructed with C/C++ and OpenGL, Gideros guarantees that games operate at native speeds, maximizing the potential of both CPUs and GPUs. The framework is easily extensible through plugins, which enable developers to incorporate pre-existing code written in C, C++, Java, or Objective-C, and connect it to Lua seamlessly. Gideros features its own class system aligned with standard object-oriented programming conventions, promoting clean, modular, and reusable code. The all-encompassing development environment consists of a lightweight IDE, players compatible with desktops and devices, as well as tools for texture packing and font creation. Gideros is compatible with various platforms, such as Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and HTML5, ensuring that developers can reach a broad audience with their games. This versatility makes Gideros an appealing choice for indie developers and small studios aiming to produce engaging gaming experiences.

Cocos2d-x is a versatile, open-source game engine that has been a reliable tool for developers since its inception in 2011, providing a lightweight and flexible solution for cross-platform game development. With support for C++, Lua, and JavaScript, it caters to a wide array of platforms including iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and popular HTML5 browsers like Chrome, Safari, and Internet Explorer. This engine leverages OpenGL ES 2.0 and Metal for efficient graphics rendering, ensuring that it taps into the full GPU capabilities of mobile devices while ensuring compatibility across various systems. Developers benefit from the ability to utilize Lua or JavaScript for scripting, facilitating seamless hot updates for their games without the lengthy process of submitting to app stores for approval. The open-source nature of Cocos2d-x encourages extensive customization, allowing developers to create tailored game types and extensions, and even integrate their own 3D engines to address challenges in 2D interface and UI design. Notably, data indicates that version 3.x of Cocos2d-x is compatible with an impressive 99.7% of Android devices in China, highlighting its widespread usability and effectiveness in the gaming industry. This level of compatibility makes it an appealing choice for developers aiming to reach a broad audience within the mobile gaming market.

Stencyl stands out as a remarkable game development platform; it offers a stunning and user-friendly toolkit that streamlines your creative process and allows you to concentrate on crafting your unique game. We handle the fundamental aspects, giving you the freedom to prioritize what truly matters—imprinting your personal touch on your game. Many of the top Stencyl games have climbed to the highest ranks on the App Store and Google Play, even earning spots in the "Best New Game" categories of those platforms. Notably, our most popular web games have garnered sponsorship from prominent publishers like ArmorGames, Kongregate, and Newgrounds. With a drag-and-drop gameplay designer that pays tribute to the successful MIT Scratch initiative, we build on Scratch's straightforward block-snapping interface by incorporating enhanced features and a vast array of ready-to-use blocks. For advanced users, there’s the opportunity to design and share custom blocks, enhance the engine using code, import libraries, and develop their own bespoke classes that work flawlessly with block-based Behaviors, enabling limitless creativity in game development. This combination of accessibility and depth makes Stencyl an exceptional choice for both novice and experienced creators alike.

Godot offers an extensive array of essential tools, allowing you to concentrate solely on developing your game without having to start from scratch. This engine is entirely free and open-source, distributed under the highly flexible MIT license, meaning there are no hidden fees or royalties—your game, including every line of engine code, remains entirely yours. With a multitude of nodes available, Godot simplifies game design significantly, and you have the option to create custom nodes for specialized behaviors, editors, and additional functionality. Its adaptable scene system enables you to build complex node structures with features like instancing and inheritance. The visual editor is equipped with a comprehensive set of tools, all presented in an aesthetically pleasing and intuitive context-sensitive UI. This user-friendly content creation pipeline caters to artists, level designers, animators, and various other roles, ensuring collaboration is seamless. Moreover, the persistent live editing feature guarantees that changes are preserved even after you stop the game, and it is fully compatible with mobile platforms. Additionally, the powerful tool system allows you to easily develop personalized tools to enhance your workflow, making Godot not just a game engine, but a complete solution for game development.

UNIGINE is a cutting-edge real-time 3D engine crafted for both enterprise users and technology aficionados, delivering stunningly realistic graphics and the ability to manage extensive virtual environments through its C++ and C# application programming interfaces. Designed with open-world features, the engine boasts innovative terrain technology that achieves remarkable detail, allowing for precision of up to 1 mm per pixel, in addition to enabling runtime changes and collaborative editing. It also accommodates 64-bit precision for coordinates, making it possible to create scenes that could encompass entire solar systems. UNIGINE offers three specialized SDK editions to cater to diverse requirements: the Sim SDK, which is perfect for simulation and training in vast planetary scenarios and immersive display configurations; the engineering SDK, which seamlessly integrates into enterprise solutions like digital twins, Building Information Modeling (BIM), and smart city initiatives, equipped with sophisticated GIS and CAD data management; and the Community SDK, aimed at tech enthusiasts who are venturing into game and VR development. As a versatile platform, UNIGINE empowers creators to push the boundaries of what is possible in virtual environments, thereby fostering innovation across various industries.