Playhop study reveals rise of performance-first game engines as Unity dominates web game development

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Story Highlights

  • Playhop study analyzed 1,100 top web games from last year by total player time.
  • Report highlights playtime per user, game ready speed, and day 1 retention as key metrics.
  • Unity powers over 50% of the top 100 games as JavaScript-based engines come second.

Wondering which game engines are most popular with players? A new study by Playhop, a platform with over 20,000 online games, shares surprising information about game engines and how often they’re used in top games.

Unity game engine powers more than half of the top 100 web games

A study by Playhop, released on October 2, 2025, investigated the most popular 1,100 web games from 2024, measuring popularity by how much time players spent playing them. The report looked at both the top 100 games and those ranked from 100 to 1,100, providing a very detailed analysis of which game engines are used most and how this affects player behaviour. This offers one of the most in-depth looks yet at game engine adoption and its impact.

The study focused on three performance metrics that strongly influence monetization potential:

  • Playtime per User (PTPU): A key metric showing how engaging games are over time. Genres like hypercasual, idle, and puzzle consistently performed best here.
  • Game Ready: How quickly a game becomes interactive after launch. Faster engines such as Defold and Phaser stood out for enabling earlier engagement.
  • Day 1 Retention: While mostly content-driven, retention is influenced by load speed and first impressions, both tied to engine efficiency.

The table below provides a more detailed examination of all the engines included in the study, and how well they performed:

EngineTop 0 to 100 GamesTop 100 to 1100 Games
Unity56~50% share
JavaScript-based engines22153
Phaser8–
Cocos Creator551
Construct488
Scratch214
Godot1–
GameMaker12
Defold119
LayaAir–27
PlayCanvas–5

The research showed that Unity is currently the leading game engine, powering over half of the highest-performing web games across the two main categories studied. JavaScript-based engines like Vanilla JS, PixiJS, CreateJS, and React are the next most popular choice.

There are also a few noteworthy points to consider. Game engines that prioritize performance, such as Defold, Phaser, and Construct, are becoming increasingly popular, particularly when fast loading times and keeping players engaged are important. Defold, Phaser, and Vanilla JS were found to be the most efficient in terms of loading speed, which is considered a key factor in player retention.

Unity is surely the “engine of choice”, but it isn’t the “only” option

According to Playhop, Unity remains the most popular game engine for developers. This is mainly because it works on many different platforms, has a large and helpful community, and offers a huge collection of pre-made assets. Although Unity sometimes has slower loading times and creates bigger game files, most developers are willing to accept these drawbacks in exchange for its versatility.

However, it’s important to remember that Unity isn’t the sole choice for developers; various game engines offer unique advantages. To illustrate, Phaser strikes a good balance between speed and keeping players interested, and PlayCanvas excels at creating visually impressive, interactive content for the web.

Defold is known for its quick loading times, LayaAir is becoming more popular in markets focused on mobile games, and Godot is consistently expanding due to its open-source nature and helpful community. The best engine for a project ultimately comes down to what you’re trying to achieve, the type of game you’re making, and where you plan to release it.

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2025-10-02 14:42