- 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.
Ever curious which engines are powering the web games players spend the most time on? A new research study by Playhop, the global platform hosting more than 20,000 browser-based titles, reveals some eye-opening insights on game engines and their popularity among the top hits.
Unity game engine powers more than half of the top 100 web games
The Playhop study, published on October 2, 2025, analyzed the top 1,100 web games of 2024 based on total player time. By examining both the top 0 to 100 and 100 to 1,100 games, the report offers one of the most detailed looks yet at game engine adoption and its impact on player behaviour.
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 gives a more insightful look into all the engines featured in the research and how they fare:
| Engine | Top 0 to 100 Games | Top 100 to 1100 Games |
|---|---|---|
| Unity | 56 | ~50% share |
| JavaScript-based engines | 22 | 153 |
| Phaser | 8 | – |
| Cocos Creator | 5 | 51 |
| Construct | 4 | 88 |
| Scratch | 2 | 14 |
| Godot | 1 | – |
| GameMaker | 1 | 2 |
| Defold | 1 | 19 |
| LayaAir | – | 27 |
| PlayCanvas | – | 5 |
From the research, Unity was found to be the most dominant engine currently, with more than half of the top-performing web games built on it, in both of the top-game filters the research focused on. JavaScript-based engines such as Vanilla JS, PixiJS, CreateJS, and React claim second place.
However, there are some interesting observations mentioned. Performance-focused engines like Defold, Phaser, and Construct are steadily gaining ground, especially in areas where speed and retention are critical. Defold, Phaser, and Vanilla JS ranked highest in load-time efficiency, termed to be a decisive factor in retention.
Unity is surely the “engine of choice”, but it isn’t the “only” option
For developers, Playhop suggests that Unity continues to be the engine of choice for most developers, largely due to its cross-platform reach, strong community, and vast asset library. While issues like longer load times and larger build sizes remain, many accept these trade-offs for the flexibility Unity provides.
Still, it also shares that Unity isn’t the only option for developers as different engines come with different benefits. For instance, Phaser balances performance with strong engagement, while PlayCanvas is great for high-quality, interactive web experiences.
Defold stands out for fast load speeds, LayaAir is gaining ground in mobile-first markets, and Godot is growing steadily thanks to its open-source model and supportive community. Ultimately, the right engine depends on project goals, genre, and target platform.
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