Software · head to head
Adventure Game Studio vs Unity
Unity
Software
Create beautiful interactive content with the world's leading real-time engine
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Adventure Game Studio the AGS editor and IDE run only on Windows (Vista, 7, 8, 10 or 11), even though built games run on Linux, macOS, Android and iOS; Unity unity Personal is free only for businesses with under $200,000 in funding or annual revenue; above that a Pro subscription is required
- They diverge on capability: Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, Unity covers Visual editor.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Adventure Game Studio and Unity actually diverge.
| Attribute | Adventure Game Studio | Unity |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | freemium |
| Platforms | Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web | Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Webgl |
| Founded | 1997 | 2004 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Adventure Game Studio
- Point-and-click editor
- Room system
- Sprite animation
- Built-in scripting
- Inventory system
- Dialog system
- Audio support
- Resolution scaling
Only in Unity
- Visual editor
- Physics engine (PhysX)
- Animation system
- Particle system
- Built-in audio engine
- Scripting with C#
- Asset Store
- Version control integration
Both cover
- GitHub
- Local deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Adventure Game Studio
- Building point-and-click adventure games in a classic Sierra or LucasArts stylenot Unity
- Shipping a commercial or freeware adventure game with no licence feenot Unity
- Scripting game logic in a Java or C# style language with a built-in debuggernot Unity
Unity
- Building 2D and 3D games for desktop, mobile, web, AR and VRnot Adventure Game Studio
- Shipping console titles under a Pro or Enterprise licencenot Adventure Game Studio
- Real time 3D for manufacturing, automotive and retail visualisationnot Adventure Game Studio
- Live operations and in-app purchase management for mobile gamesnot Adventure Game Studio
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Adventure Game Studio
- The AGS editor and IDE run only on Windows (Vista, 7, 8, 10 or 11), even though built games run on Linux, macOS, Android and iOS
- The editor requires the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable, and .NET Framework 4.5 on Windows 7 and Vista
- Video playback supports only FLC and OGV (Ogg Theora) and is full-screen only; AVI and WMV support was dropped after version 3.6.0 and existed only on Windows builds
- MSSCCI source control integration was discontinued in version 3.6.0
- Graphics drivers are limited to Direct3D 9 and OpenGL
- Audio format support is limited to OGG, MP3, WAV, MOD, XM and MIDI
- Support is community-only through forums and Discord, with no vendor support channel
Unity
- Unity Personal is free only for businesses with under $200,000 in funding or annual revenue; above that a Pro subscription is required
- Unity Pro costs $210.00 per month or $2,310.00 per year per seat
- Businesses with more than $25M in annual revenue are required to be on Unity Enterprise, which is custom priced and requires contacting sales
- Deploying to game consoles and to Apple Vision Pro requires Unity Pro or above
- Splash screen customization is not available on Unity Personal
- Unity Personal is licensed for gaming and entertainment applications only
- Read-only engine source code access is an Enterprise feature and carries an additional cost
- Asset Manager storage on Personal is capped at 10 GB per organization
- Unity AI tools are free for a 14 day trial on Personal, after which a paid subscription is required
- Enterprise terms note that minimum subscription or spending commitments may apply
Pricing, plan by plan
Adventure Game Studio
Free- FreeFree
- Full editor
- Built-in script editor
- Room editor
Unity
Free- PersonalFree
- Full engine access
- Asset Store access
- Community support
- Professional$399/month
- All Personal features
- Priority support
- Advanced analytics
Which should you pick?
Choose Adventure Game Studio if
- You need point-and-click editor.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
- You also want room system.
Choose Unity if
- You need visual editor.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Webgl.
- You also want physics engine (physx).
Questions people ask
- Is Adventure Game Studio or Unity better?
- Neither clearly leads. Adventure Game Studio starts at Free and Unity at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Adventure Game Studio or Unity?
- Adventure Game Studio starts at Free and Unity at Free.
- Does Adventure Game Studio or Unity run on more platforms?
- Adventure Game Studio runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Unity runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Webgl.
- Can I use Adventure Game Studio for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Adventure Game Studio best used for?
- Adventure Game Studio is most often used for building point-and-click adventure games in a classic sierra or lucasarts style, shipping a commercial or freeware adventure game with no licence fee, scripting game logic in a java or c# style language with a built-in debugger. Of those, building point-and-click adventure games in a classic sierra or lucasarts style and shipping a commercial or freeware adventure game with no licence fee are not what Unity is typically brought in for.
- What can Adventure Game Studio do that Unity cannot?
- Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, Room system, Sprite animation, Built-in scripting. Unity covers Visual editor, Physics engine (PhysX), Animation system, Particle system. Both handle GitHub, Local deployment.