What types of game engines are there?

Game engines can be categorized based on their features, licensing, and target platforms. Here are the main types:

1. Proprietary Game Engines

   • Developed and owned by companies, often used for their own games but sometimes licensed to others.
   • Example: Unreal Engine (by Epic Games) is widely used for AAA games, VR, and high-fidelity graphics.

2. Open-Source Game Engines

   • Free to use, modify, and distribute, often community-driven.
   • Example: Godot Engine is lightweight and supports 2D/3D games with a node-based architecture.

3. Commercial Game Engines

   • Paid engines with licensing fees, offering advanced tools for professional developers.
   • Example: Unity is popular for mobile, indie, and cross-platform games, with a large asset store.

4. Web-Based Game Engines

   • Designed for browser-based games, often using HTML5, JavaScript, or WebGL.
   • Example: Phaser is a lightweight framework for 2D web games.

5. Mobile Game Engines

   • Optimized for mobile platforms (iOS/Android) with lightweight performance.
   • Example: Cocos2d-x is a popular choice for 2D mobile games.

6. Cloud-Based Game Engines

   • Leverage cloud computing for scalable game development, testing, and deployment.
   • Example: Tencent Cloud offers Game Engine Services (GES), providing tools for game development, testing, and global distribution, along with Cloud Gaming Solutions for streaming games.

7. Middleware Game Engines

   • Focus on specific aspects like physics, AI, or rendering, often integrated into larger engines.
   • Example: Havok is used for physics simulations in games.

For cloud-based game development, Tencent Cloud provides Game Multimedia Engine (GME) for real-time voice and video, Cloud Database for scalable data storage, and Global Acceleration to reduce latency for players worldwide.