Gaming Best Unreal Engine Tutorials for Beginners

Best Unreal Engine Tutorials for Beginners

Photo of author
By
/

When you buy through my links, I may earn a commission which will support me in creating more helpful content for you.

Unreal Engine was created and released by Epic Games. It is the software that they use for a fair amount of their games. Because they use it for their own development, it has all the materials anyone else would need to fully develop a game.  

Though they focus on it being used for video game development, that isn’t all this software can be used for. Unreal Engine can also be used for films, TV shows, architecture, broadcasts, simulations, vehicle designs, and much more. 

Though it is created by Epic Games, you don’t often have to pay royalties on products you release. The only time you have to pay a royalty is when you earn over 1 million US dollars. Then, the royalty is 5%. However, anything under that is royalty-free. 

Check out this list of the Best Game Engines to use to create your game.

About Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine was released by Epic Games. It was originally used and designed with first-person shooter games in mind but has been adjusted in later years to have a wider variety of purposes. 

Unreal Engine is written in C++ script, which allows for portability and versatility. The most recent update of Unreal Engine was Unreal Engine 5, which covers next-generation gaming consoles including the Xbox Series X and S, and PlayStation 5. 

Epic Games also provides another benefit which is that the entire C++ code for Unreal Engine, with regular updates, is provided free of charge in the standard license. This allows you to make improvements or adjust the engine to suit your needs. 

By having the original code as well, you can also make sure you can easily go back to factory settings without having to completely delete and redownload your software. 

FeaturesDescription
System RequirementsUnreal Engine is available on Linux, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, and more. 
Date ReleasedReleased in 1998, though it was first used in 1996. 
Last UpdateThe most recent update 5.1, was made available on November 15, 2022. 
Rating4.5 on G2
UsesUnreal Engine is designed for 3D computer graphics and has a high level of portability, and is applicable on almost all platforms. 
CostUnreal Engine is free until you earn $1 million, they also provide the C++ source code for free. 

Unreal Engine 5 For Beginners: Learn The Basics of Virtual Production

Unreal Engine 5 For Beginners Learn The Basics of Virtual Production
  • How Many Videos: 25 lessons
  • How Long: 4 hours 59 minutes
  • Level: Beginner

This lesson offers a tutorial on how to use the newest version of Unreal Engine. It is designed to be used for beginners and covers all of the basics you will need to begin using the program. In addition to the very basics, it also covers subjects like chroma keying, DMX, and live camera tracking. 

How to make a 2D game in Unreal Engine 5 - Beginner Tutorial

  • How Many Videos: 1 lesson
  • How Long: 22 minutes
  • Level:  Beginner

While Unreal Engine was originally designed for 3D games, there is no reason it can’t also be used for 2D games if that is your wish.

This tutorial walks you through how to make a 2D side-scrolling game in Unreal Engine 5, which is notoriously harder than previous versions due to some features being removed. 

Unreal Engine 5 C++ Multiplayer Shooter

Unreal Engine 5 C++ Multiplayer Shooter
  • How Many Videos: 246 lessons
  • How Long: 64 hours and 59 minutes
  • Level: Intermediate

Unreal Engine was originally designed to be the software for first-person shooters. It has changed over the years to adopt more options, but some still like to go to the basics.

In this intense tutorial by Ulibarri, you learn everything about creating a game, including how to do the mechanics, weapons, character movements, lag compensation, and more. 

The Ultimate Guide to Unreal Engine 5 For Complete Beginner

The Ultimate Guide to Unreal Engine 5 For Complete Beginner
  • How Many Videos: 71 lessons
  • How Long: 15 hours and 31 minutes
  • Level: Beginner

If you really want an ultimate guide so you don’t have to look at any other tutorials or guides to get the information you need, this one is the way to go.

With over 15 hours of information, you will learn everything from how to download the software to how to add sound effects and motion graphics UIs to your game. 

Unreal Engine: Ultimate Survival Horror Course

Unreal Engine: Ultimate Survival Horror Course
  • How Many Resources: 77 lessons
  • How Long: 18 hours 37 minutes
  • Level: Intermediate

A lot of tutorials walk you through the basics, but they don’t tell you how to make a final project. This tutorial will take you all the way to the end on how to make a full game with Unreal Engine.

While this one focuses on horror games, you can adapt what you learn to other game types as well. 

Intro to Virtual Filmmaking in Unreal Engine

Intro to Virtual Filmmaking in Unreal Engine
  • How Many Videos: 10 lessons
  • How Long: 27 minutes
  • Level: Beginner

If you want to focus on making films with Unreal Engine instead of games, this tutorial might be worth checking out. This tutorial walks you through processes similar to the famous show, The Mandalorian, and how to make similar movies and TV shows using Unreal Engine as your software.

Unreal Engine for Architecture - Class #1

Unreal Engine for Architecture Class 1
  • How Many Videos: 19 lessons
  • How Long:  2 hours and 3 minutes
  • Level: Beginner

While Unreal Engine is used most often for games and movies, it does have other purposes. One is architecture. This lesson is a little old, focusing on Unreal Engine 4 instead of 5, but it can still provide you with a lot of the general overview. It covers how to organize all of your references, lighting, importing and exporting, and more. 

How I Quickly Create 3D Environments in Unreal Engine 5 FULL WORKFLOW

  • How Many Videos: 1 lesson
  • How Long: 23 minutes
  • Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Sometimes, you will get in the middle of a project and realize there is something you don’t quite know how to do, or you are ineffective at making them.

This tutorial specifically covers how to make 3D environments quickly and easily. That way you aren’t spending days working on the background of your game. 

Unreal Engine 5 (UE5): The Complete Beginner’s Course

Unreal Engine 5 UE5 The Complete Beginner’s Course
  • How Many Resources: 66 lessons
  • How Long: 5 hours and 45 minutes
  • Level: Beginner

If you are a hands-on learner, then this tutorial is for you. It helps cover the basics and then gives you a few steps you can follow along with and try out yourself for practice.

It goes through a lot of work breaking down every step, from how to download, to creating your first project, to using the toolbar, so you don’t have to worry about getting overwhelmed. 

Unreal Engine 5 - Create Zombie Survivor FPS Game

Unreal Engine 5 Create Zombie Survivor FPS Game
  • How Many Videos: 60 lessons
  • How Long: 6 hours and 6 minutes
  • Level: All Levels

Once you understand the basics of Unreal Engine, you can get started on projects. This one is designed to be simple, while not holding your hand so that any level of experience can benefit from it. You will learn how to download assets, set up the game area, and create a night-time experience. 

Best Unreal Engine Tutorials FAQS

How Much Does Unreal Engine Cost?

Unreal Engine is free to use. They do offer a few different licensing terms when it comes to their royalties and getting a few extra perks that you can discuss with them to pay extra for, but just to get the software and when learning how to use it, you don’t have to pay anything. 

What Do the Royalties Look Like for Unreal Engine?

Unreal Engine is free to use until you make over $1 million. After that, they ask for a 5% royalty. However, sometimes, you can get out of the royalty by getting the game published on the Epic Games store. 

How Do You Get the C++ Code for Unreal Engine?

All you have to do is link your GitHub account to your Epic Games account and you can access the C++ source code.

What Platforms Does Unreal Engine 5 Support?

Unreal Engine supports almost every platform, including PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, MacOS, iOS, Android, ARKit, ARCore, Open XR, Steam VR, Oculus, Linux, and SteamDeck.