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Game Development · head to head

Lumberyard vs Perforce Helix Core

Lumberyard logo

Lumberyard

Game Development

Build AAA games with a free, cross-platform engine

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Perforce Helix Core logo

Perforce Helix Core

Game Development

Centralised version control for multi-terabyte binary game projects

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lumberyard aWS Lumberyard free tier has restricted access and is intended for getting started only; Perforce Helix Core the free tier covers only a handful of users, which maps badly onto how the product is actually used, because asset version control is needed by the whole studio, artists and audio staff included, not by the engineers alone.
  • They diverge on capability: Lumberyard covers CryEngine foundation, Perforce Helix Core covers Exclusive checkout.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lumberyard and Perforce Helix Core actually diverge.

Attributes where Lumberyard and Perforce Helix Core differ
AttributeLumberyardPerforce Helix Core
Pricing modelfreequote
PlatformsWindows, Playstation, Xbox, LinuxWindows, macOS, Linux
Founded2006Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (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 Lumberyard

  • CryEngine foundation
  • Lua scripting
  • Flowgraph editor
  • Advanced graphics
  • Physics simulation
  • AWS GameLift integration
  • Multiplayer support
  • VR capabilities

Only in Perforce Helix Core

  • Exclusive checkout
  • Very large depots
  • Streams branching
  • Proxies and edge servers
  • Unreal and Unity integration
  • Fine grained permissions

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 Perforce Helix Core
  • Cloud-connected multiplayer game backendsnot Perforce Helix Core
  • Twitch integration for streamed gameplay featuresnot Perforce Helix Core

Perforce Helix Core

  • A studio where artists and designers version hundreds of gigabytes of uncompressed assetsnot Lumberyard
  • Unreal Engine projects that want the engine to talk to source control directlynot Lumberyard
  • Console development where platform holders and publishers expect an auditable centralised depotnot Lumberyard
  • Distributed teams with outsourcing partners who need path-level access to part of the project onlynot Lumberyard

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Lumberyard

  • AWS Lumberyard free tier has restricted access and is intended for getting started only
  • Production use requires pay-as-you-go costs that scale with usage
  • Exact pricing depends on specific AWS services consumed and usage levels

Perforce Helix Core

  • The free tier covers only a handful of users, which maps badly onto how the product is actually used, because asset version control is needed by the whole studio, artists and audio staff included, not by the engineers alone.
  • Beyond the free tier pricing is quoted per seat and renewed annually, and it does not scale down for contractors or outsourcing partners who touch the depot for a single milestone and still consume a full licence.
  • It is centralised, so when the server or the connection to it is unavailable, work stops for everyone; edge servers reduce this but add another system to run.
  • Administration is a genuine role. Depot layout, streams, protections, proxies, checkpoints and backups all need someone who knows Perforce, and that person is expensive and hard to replace.
  • Exclusive checkout prevents merge conflicts on binaries but blocks colleagues outright; a file locked by someone on leave needs administrator intervention, which turns a holiday into a production stoppage.

Pricing, plan by plan

Lumberyard

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full engine source
    • AWS integration
    • Lua scripting

Perforce Helix Core

Free
  • Helix Core$undefined/year
    • Free for a small number of users and workspaces, intended for evaluation and very small teams
    • Beyond that, per user licensing quoted annually by Perforce sales
    • Cloud-hosted and self-managed deployments both available

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.
Lumberyard review

Choose Perforce Helix Core if

  • You need exclusive checkout.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want very large depots.
Perforce Helix Core review

Questions people ask

Is Lumberyard or Perforce Helix Core better?
Neither clearly leads. Lumberyard starts at Free and Perforce Helix Core at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lumberyard or Perforce Helix Core?
Lumberyard starts at Free and Perforce Helix Core at Free.
Does Lumberyard or Perforce Helix Core run on more platforms?
Lumberyard runs on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux. Perforce Helix Core runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
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 Perforce Helix Core is typically brought in for.
What can Lumberyard do that Perforce Helix Core cannot?
Lumberyard covers CryEngine foundation, Lua scripting, Flowgraph editor, Advanced graphics. Perforce Helix Core covers Exclusive checkout, Very large depots, Streams branching, Proxies and edge servers.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lumberyard: Does AWS Lumberyard cost money?

AWS Lumberyard is not free for production use. The service offers a free tier for getting started, hands-on experience, and development. Production deployments use AWS's pay-as-you-go pricing model where costs scale with your usage.

Source
Perforce Helix Core: Why not just use Git with LFS?

Git assumes text files that merge and a full local history. Game projects have terabytes of unmergeable binaries. LFS handles the size but not the locking or the clone time, which is why studios past a certain size move to Perforce.

Lumberyard: How is AWS Lumberyard priced?

Lumberyard uses AWS's flexible consumption-based pricing. Customers can use the free tier to explore services, then pay for what they use in production. AWS also offers Savings Plans for lower prices on committed usage.

Source
Perforce Helix Core: How much does it cost?

Perforce does not publish prices. It is free for a small number of users and workspaces, after which licensing is quoted per user annually and depends on volume and support level.

Perforce Helix Core: Can programmers keep working in Git?

Partly. Helix4Git bridges Git repositories into the Helix Core depot, but it is another component to run and does not remove the difference in workflow between the two systems.

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