Custom Physics Engine vs Unity Physics

Developers should learn or use a custom physics engine when building applications with demanding performance needs, unique physics behaviors, or when existing engines like Unity Physics or Havok are too generic, costly, or restrictive meets developers should use unity physics when building games or simulations that require high-performance, deterministic physics for large numbers of objects, such as strategy games, simulations, or vr/ar experiences. Here's our take.

Custom Physics Engine

Nice Pick

Developers should learn or use a custom physics engine when building applications with demanding performance needs, unique physics behaviors, or when existing engines like Unity Physics or Havok are too generic, costly, or restrictive

Pros

• It's essential for game development studios aiming for high-fidelity simulations, robotics software requiring custom collision handling, or research projects where physics accuracy is critical
• Related to: c-plus-plus, game-development

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Unity Physics

Developers should use Unity Physics when building games or simulations that require high-performance, deterministic physics for large numbers of objects, such as strategy games, simulations, or VR/AR experiences

Pros

• It is ideal for projects leveraging DOTS to maximize CPU efficiency and multi-threading, ensuring consistent behavior across different platforms and hardware
• Related to: unity-engine, dots

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Custom Physics Engine is a tool while Unity Physics is a library. We picked Custom Physics Engine based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Custom Physics Engine wins

Based on overall popularity. Custom Physics Engine is more widely used, but Unity Physics excels in its own space.