Game Development · head to head
Lumberyard vs Gamesparks
Lumberyard
Game Development
Build AAA games with a free, cross-platform engine
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Lumberyard aws.amazon.com/lumberyard now redirects to the AWS homepage; Amazon Lumberyard is no longer offered as an AWS product; Gamesparks aWS states "Starting October 1, 2022, access to the GameSparks console will no longer be available" and that all existing games and data needed to be migrated off the platform before that date
- They diverge on capability: Lumberyard covers CryEngine foundation, Gamesparks covers Real-time features.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Lumberyard and Gamesparks actually diverge.
| Attribute | Lumberyard | Gamesparks |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | usage-based |
| Platforms | Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux | Cross-platform |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Game Development), founded (2006).
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 Lumberyard
- CryEngine foundation
- Lua scripting
- Flowgraph editor
- Advanced graphics
- Physics simulation
- AWS GameLift integration
- VR capabilities
- GameLift
Only in Gamesparks
- Real-time features
- User authentication
- Data storage
- Matchmaking
- WebSocket support
- Cloud integration
- Analytics
- Lambda
Both cover
- Multiplayer support
- AWS services
- DynamoDB
- Cognito
- AWS security
- Aws deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Lumberyard
- Building 3D games with an AWS-integrated enginenot Gamesparks
- Cloud-connected multiplayer game backendsnot Gamesparks
- Twitch integration for streamed gameplay featuresnot Gamesparks
Gamesparks
- Multiplayer gamesnot Lumberyard
- Real-time gamesnot Lumberyard
- Cloud gamingnot Lumberyard
- Game analyticsnot Lumberyard
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Lumberyard
- aws.amazon.com/lumberyard now redirects to the AWS homepage; Amazon Lumberyard is no longer offered as an AWS product
- The engine's successor is the Open 3D Engine, governed by the Open 3D Foundation rather than AWS, so migration means moving to a differently governed project
- No Lumberyard-branded documentation, download or support commitment remains at the original AWS product URL
Gamesparks
- AWS states "Starting October 1, 2022, access to the GameSparks console will no longer be available" and that all existing games and data needed to be migrated off the platform before that date
Pricing, plan by plan
Lumberyard
Free- FreeFree
- Full engine source
- AWS integration
- Lua scripting
Gamesparks
Free- Free TierFree
- 1M API requests
- 1M CloudWatch logs
- Free for first year
- Pay-as-you-go$0.01/request
- Unlimited API requests
- Real-time multiplayer
- CloudWatch integration
Which should you pick?
Choose Lumberyard if
- You need cryengine foundation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux.
- You also want lua scripting.
Choose Gamesparks if
- You need real-time features.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Cross-platform.
- You also want user authentication.
Questions people ask
- Is Lumberyard or Gamesparks better?
- Neither clearly leads. Lumberyard starts at Free and Gamesparks at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Lumberyard or Gamesparks?
- Lumberyard starts at Free and Gamesparks at Free.
- Does Lumberyard or Gamesparks run on more platforms?
- Lumberyard runs on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux. Gamesparks runs on Cross-platform.
- Can I use Lumberyard for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Lumberyard best used for?
- Lumberyard is most often used for building 3d games with an aws-integrated engine, cloud-connected multiplayer game backends, twitch integration for streamed gameplay features. Of those, building 3d games with an aws-integrated engine and cloud-connected multiplayer game backends are not what Gamesparks is typically brought in for.
- What can Lumberyard do that Gamesparks cannot?
- Lumberyard covers CryEngine foundation, Lua scripting, Flowgraph editor, Advanced graphics. Gamesparks covers Real-time features, User authentication, Data storage, Matchmaking. Both handle Multiplayer support, AWS services, DynamoDB, Cognito.