Game Development · head to head
CryEngine vs Flax Engine
CryEngine
Game Development
Build worlds, break limits. Professional game development engine.
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: CryEngine a royalty of 5% of Gross Receipts is payable to Crytek on every game built with CRYENGINE; Flax Engine flax charges a 4% royalty on game earnings above $250,000, assessed per calendar quarter
- They diverge on capability: CryEngine covers Advanced graphics, Flax Engine covers 3D graphics rendering.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which CryEngine and Flax Engine actually diverge.
| Attribute | CryEngine | Flax Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux | Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox |
| Founded | 1999 | 2017 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Game Development).
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 CryEngine
- Advanced graphics
- AI system
- Animation tools
- Flow Graph visual scripting
- C++ and Lua support
- Entity component system
- Sandbox editor
- Perforce
Only in Flax Engine
- 3D graphics rendering
- Visual editor
- C# scripting
- Audio system
- Particle effects
- Skeletal animation
- Material system
- Lighting system
Both cover
- Physics engine
- Visual Studio
- Local deployment
- Console deployment
- Windows support
- Playstation support
- Xbox support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
CryEngine
- Building photorealistic first person and open world games with real time global illuminationnot Flax Engine
- Developing with full engine source code accessnot Flax Engine
- Sandbox based level design with what you see is what you get exportnot Flax Engine
Flax Engine
- Building 3D games in C# and C++ with full engine source accessnot CryEngine
- Multi-platform deployment from one editornot CryEngine
- Prototyping with the bundled Flax Samples projectsnot CryEngine
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
CryEngine
- A royalty of 5% of Gross Receipts is payable to Crytek on every game built with CRYENGINE
- Royalties are waived only on the first USD 5,000.00 of Gross Receipts per year per game
- Royalties are calculated at source on gross receipts before any publisher or platform deductions, so a developer receiving 70% of USD 100,000 still owes USD 4,750
- Military projects, gambling, simulation, science, architecture and serious games are excluded from the standard licence and are not covered as Games
- The licence forbids combining CRYENGINE with code from other game engine providers
- Supported platforms are limited to those Crytek announces at its sole discretion, listed in the agreement as Windows, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
- Support is only provided against payment of a separate Support Fee that Crytek may change at its sole discretion
- Crytek may modify the licence agreement at any time, with the only remedy for disagreement being to stop using CRYENGINE
Flax Engine
- Flax charges a 4% royalty on game earnings above $250,000, assessed per calendar quarter
- Free use is granted for non-commercial or educational usage; commercial releases fall under the royalty
- Users must accept the Flax Engine End-User License Agreement before using the engine or its tools, so it is not an OSI open source licence despite the source being on GitHub
- Non-game uses such as in-house tools or SaaS products need a custom licence negotiated with the vendor, and no rate card is published for per-seat or flat-fee options
Pricing, plan by plan
CryEngine
Free- FreeFree
- Full engine access
- Source code
- Asset library
Flax Engine
Free- FreeFree
- Full engine
- Visual editor
- C# scripting
Which should you pick?
Choose CryEngine if
- You need advanced graphics.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux.
- You also want ai system.
Choose Flax Engine if
- You need 3d graphics rendering.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox.
- You also want visual editor.
Questions people ask
- Is CryEngine or Flax Engine better?
- Neither clearly leads. CryEngine starts at Free and Flax Engine at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, CryEngine or Flax Engine?
- CryEngine starts at Free and Flax Engine at Free.
- Does CryEngine or Flax Engine run on more platforms?
- CryEngine runs on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux. Flax Engine runs on Windows, Linux, Playstation, Xbox.
- Can I use CryEngine for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is CryEngine best used for?
- CryEngine is most often used for building photorealistic first person and open world games with real time global illumination, developing with full engine source code access, sandbox based level design with what you see is what you get export. Of those, building photorealistic first person and open world games with real time global illumination and developing with full engine source code access are not what Flax Engine is typically brought in for.
- What can CryEngine do that Flax Engine cannot?
- CryEngine covers Advanced graphics, AI system, Animation tools, Flow Graph visual scripting. Flax Engine covers 3D graphics rendering, Visual editor, C# scripting, Audio system. Both handle Physics engine, Visual Studio, Local deployment, Console deployment.