Software · head to head
PlayCanvas vs Adventure Game Studio
The short version
- Each has a real cost: PlayCanvas private projects require a paid plan; the Free plan only allows public projects; 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
- They diverge on capability: PlayCanvas covers Cloud-based editor, Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which PlayCanvas and Adventure Game Studio actually diverge.
| Attribute | PlayCanvas | Adventure Game Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | free |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile | Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web |
| Founded | 2013 | 1997 |
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 PlayCanvas
- Cloud-based editor
- Real-time collaboration
- WebGL rendering
- Physics engine
- Visual scripting
- Asset library
- Version control
- Instant deployment
Only in Adventure Game Studio
- Point-and-click editor
- Room system
- Sprite animation
- Built-in scripting
- Inventory system
- Dialog system
- Audio support
- Resolution scaling
Both cover
- GitHub
- Web deployment
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
PlayCanvas
- Building WebGL games and interactive 3D that run in a browsernot Adventure Game Studio
- Browser based collaborative 3D editing across a teamnot Adventure Game Studio
- Web AR and VR experiences, product configurators and playable adsnot Adventure Game Studio
Adventure Game Studio
- Building point-and-click adventure games in a classic Sierra or LucasArts stylenot PlayCanvas
- Shipping a commercial or freeware adventure game with no licence feenot PlayCanvas
- Scripting game logic in a Java or C# style language with a built-in debuggernot PlayCanvas
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
PlayCanvas
- Private projects require a paid plan; the Free plan only allows public projects
- The Free plan is capped at 1GB of storage, Personal at 10GB and Organization at 50GB
- Personal costs $15 per month and Organization costs $50 per seat per month
- Team management is only available on the Organization plan
- Private projects become locked and inaccessible if the subscription is cancelled, unless they are made public
- There is no formal educational discount
- There is no self serve trial of the Personal or Organization plan; an upgrade code must be requested from sales
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
Pricing, plan by plan
PlayCanvas
Free- FreeFree
- Cloud editor
- WebGL export
- Community projects
- Pro$19/month
- Private projects
- Advanced features
- Priority support
Adventure Game Studio
Free- FreeFree
- Full editor
- Built-in script editor
- Room editor
Which should you pick?
Choose PlayCanvas if
- You need cloud-based editor.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want real-time collaboration.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is PlayCanvas or Adventure Game Studio better?
- Neither clearly leads. PlayCanvas starts at Free and Adventure Game Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, PlayCanvas or Adventure Game Studio?
- PlayCanvas starts at Free and Adventure Game Studio at Free.
- Does PlayCanvas or Adventure Game Studio run on more platforms?
- PlayCanvas runs on Web, Mobile. Adventure Game Studio runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
- Can I use PlayCanvas for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is PlayCanvas best used for?
- PlayCanvas is most often used for building webgl games and interactive 3d that run in a browser, browser based collaborative 3d editing across a team, web ar and vr experiences, product configurators and playable ads. Of those, building webgl games and interactive 3d that run in a browser and browser based collaborative 3d editing across a team are not what Adventure Game Studio is typically brought in for.
- What can PlayCanvas do that Adventure Game Studio cannot?
- PlayCanvas covers Cloud-based editor, Real-time collaboration, WebGL rendering, Physics engine. Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, Room system, Sprite animation, Built-in scripting. Both handle GitHub, Web deployment, Web support.