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CryEngine

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AAA real-time engine with a 5% royalty above $5K/year, or $9.90/month

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  • Deployment On Premises
  • Starting price Free
  • Free trial Not offered
  • Best for Startups, SMEs, Enterprises

What is CryEngine?

CryEngine is a real-time 3D engine from German developer Crytek, known for powering the Crysis series and used across games, film, and enterprise visualization. Its Sandbox editor is a WYSIWYG tool that lets artists and designers edit lighting, geometry, and gameplay directly inside a running version of the game, with real-time global illumination and full C++ source access for deep customization.

CryEngine can be downloaded and used for free, with a 5% royalty applying only to a project's gross revenue above $5,000 per year; revenue from the CRYENGINE Marketplace is royalty-free. Developers who prefer to avoid royalties entirely can instead pay a flat $9.90 per month subscription. The engine targets Windows and console development, with non-gaming commercial use requiring a separate negotiated agreement with Crytek.

Key Features of CryEngine

CryEngine lists 10 documented features, including Sandbox WYSIWYG real-time level editor, Voxel-based real-time global illumination and Full C++ engine source code access. The list below covers what the product does rather than how it is marketed.

  • Sandbox WYSIWYG real-time level editor
  • Voxel-based real-time global illumination
  • Full C++ engine source code access
  • Flow Graph visual scripting
  • Physically based rendering pipeline
  • What You See Is What You Play (WYSIWYP) instant preview
  • Substance 3D material integration
  • VR development support
  • Advanced terrain and vegetation systems
  • CRYENGINE Marketplace for royalty-free asset sales

CryEngine Pricing

CryEngine lists 2 plans, starting free and running to $9.90.

Royalty Model

Free

First $5,000 revenue per project per year is royalty-free

Free download and full engine access; a 5% royalty applies to gross revenue above $5,000 per project per year, calculated at source; CRYENGINE Marketplace sales are royalty-free.

Subscription

$9.90/month

Per user

Full engine access with no royalty obligation on commercialized games while subscribed.

CryEngine Specifications

CryEngine is available on Windows. It offers an API and has a free plan.

Deployment
  • On Premises
Billing cycle
Transaction
Desktop
  • Windows
Languages
  • English
Built for
  • Startups
  • SMEs
  • Enterprises
Support
  • Email
  • Tickets
Integrations
Wwise, Substance 3D, Perforce, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds Max, Steamworks
Public API
Yes
Free trial
No
Free plan
Yes
Runs in browser
No
Customisable
Yes
Website
cryengine.com

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CryEngine FAQs

Yes, CryEngine can be downloaded and used for free. A 5% royalty only applies once a project's gross revenue exceeds $5,000 per year.

Yes. Crytek offers a $9.90 per month subscription that grants full engine access without any royalty obligation on revenue from commercialized games.

Yes, CryEngine provides full C++ source code access, allowing deep customization of the engine itself.

Non-gaming commercial applications require a separate, individually negotiated licensing agreement with Crytek rather than the standard royalty model.

CryEngine is developed by Crytek, a game studio headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, best known for the Crysis series.