Softwr

Game Development · head to head

CryEngine vs Steam

CryEngine logo

CryEngine

Game Development

Build worlds, break limits. Professional game development engine.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

Steam

Gaming

The ultimate destination for playing, discussing, and creating games

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CryEngine has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CryEngine a royalty of 5% of Gross Receipts is payable to Crytek on every game built with CRYENGINE; Steam publishing a game requires developers to pay a non-refundable $100 Steam Direct fee per title, recouped only once the product earns $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CryEngine and Steam actually diverge.

Attributes where CryEngine and Steam differ
AttributeCryEngineSteam
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Playstation, Xbox, LinuxWeb
CategoryGame DevelopmentGaming
Founded1999Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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
  • Physics engine
  • AI system
  • Animation tools
  • Flow Graph visual scripting
  • C++ and Lua support
  • Entity component system
  • Sandbox editor

Only in Steam

Nothing recorded that CryEngine does not also cover.

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 Steam
  • Developing with full engine source code accessnot Steam
  • Sandbox based level design with what you see is what you get exportnot Steam

Steam

No use cases recorded yet. See the Steam review.

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

Steam

  • Publishing a game requires developers to pay a non-refundable $100 Steam Direct fee per title, recouped only once the product earns $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue
  • Core purchases and library are tied to a single Steam account with no vendor-stated official resale or transfer mechanism for owned games

Pricing, plan by plan

CryEngine

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full engine access
    • Source code
    • Asset library

Steam

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Steam review.

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 physics engine.
CryEngine review

Choose Steam if

Nothing in the data separates Steam from CryEngine on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Steam review

Questions people ask

Is CryEngine or Steam better?
Neither clearly leads. CryEngine starts at Free and Steam at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CryEngine or Steam?
CryEngine has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CryEngine and On request for Steam.
Does CryEngine or Steam run on more platforms?
CryEngine runs on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux. Steam runs on Web.
Can I use CryEngine for free?
Yes. CryEngine has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Steam starts at On request.
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 Steam is typically brought in for.
What can CryEngine do that Steam cannot?
CryEngine covers Advanced graphics, Physics engine, AI system, Animation tools.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on CryEngine

More on Steam

Keep looking

Other head to heads