Unreal Engine for Android Game Development: What to Expect
Mobile games are currently at the peak of their popularity. They continue to attract diverse audiences all over the globe, and game developers, for their part, continue offering unique and thrilling titles to suit any taste.
Game development companies catch the wave and try to please picky gamers with compelling mobile games. But with the market being so competitive these days, it takes a great deal of skill and effort to develop a mobile game that’s able to be favorably received, reach a high rank, get a large number of downloads, and withstand the competition.
But what is the secret to the creation of an exceptional gaming experience? Among such important pillars as experience, smooth development processes, and a strong team, using an outstanding platform cannot also be underestimated.
Unreal Engine (UE) is a quality software for the development of various game types, and it’s used by a significant number of famous game development studios in terms of the creation of incredible PCs and console projects. However, is it really a good idea to utilize Unreal Engine for Android game development? UE is a top-notch software for game development, yet not a universal solution for all types of projects.
In this article, we’ve brought together all of the basic peculiarities of Unreal Engine, along with its benefits and drawbacks.
Why you should go with Unreal Engine for Android Game Development
Unreal Engine aims for top-notch mobile game development. There are 5 good reasons to choose Unreal Engine for developing games for Android OS:
- Full-cycle game development. Unreal Engine is an all-in-one platform that allows for the development of different game types, so each stage of the development cycle can be performed using it. UE provides advanced tools and packages for visual content creation, animation, coding, and even QA.
- Cross-platform development and game porting capabilities. To attract even more players, you may want your Android or iOS game to be available on other devices – PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and Web Browser. UE allows for game porting by accessing the source code and applying a C++ API to develop an Android game and port it to other devices and platforms.
- High-quality content. The primary programming language for mobile game development in UE is C++. This language works best for creating striking and detailed, high-quality content.
- Full-packed professional documentation base. Developers can easily make use of all of the necessary documentation with guides and manuals. Unreal Engine provides basic information on how to apply it for mobile game development.
- Optimization of time. In case you don’t have enough resources to start Android game development from scratch, you can set up the development environment and content creation due to the availability and support of the required tools. The UE marketplace offers ready-made assets to use and customize in your game.
Android Game Development Cycle with Unreal Engine
Android game development is a rather complex process consisting of a number of time, and effort, consuming stages.
Unreal Engine mobile game development for Android OS is divided into 4 main parts:
Preparation
Proper planning and preparation will pay dividends by means of resources saved. This initial stage involves thorough research, defining the monetization strategy, game-level design creation, art conceptualization, creating a GDD, and prototyping.
Development
With the various software tools Unreal Engine provides forming a strong base, Android game development is entirely manageable. In terms of the execution part, a development team deals with coding, visual content creation, animation & VFX, UI design, etc.
QA
Once a game is ready, it should undergo rigorous testing. QA specialists check the game to locate bugs and then make the necessary fixes. Alpha and Beta tests are essential. It’s important to make sure the game you’re launching has no critical issues and works as intended.
Launch and maintenance
The work doesn’t stop once a game is published on the Google Play Market. After it’s available for download, the feedback from real gamers starts to arrive, so the team has to analyze it and make the required edits or updates to meet the players’ expectations. This helps to retain existing users and attract new ones.
In any case, you can rely on an experienced mobile game development company and let them take full responsibility for all of the challenges and tasks that may lie ahead.
Moonmana has provided full-cycle Android game development services since 2008 and helps clients release stunning games on Unreal Engine. Contact us to learn more about our use cases, expertise, tech stack experience, and portfolio.