You start with an engine, a design document, and a scope you can actually finish
Building a video game means choosing a game engine, writing down what your game will do, creating the art and code, and testing it until it works. Most people start with a free engine like Unity or Unreal Engine, design something small enough to finish in months rather than years, and build it piece by piece. You do not need to be a professional programmer — many successful games were made by small teams or solo developers using tools designed for beginners.
The actual steps depend on what kind of game you want to make. A 2D puzzle game has a different path than a 3D action game. A game you plan to sell on Steam has different requirements than one you make just to learn. But the core process is the same: pick your engine, plan your game on paper, build the core mechanic first, add art and sound, then spend weeks finding and fixing bugs.
Key Takeaways
- Unity and Unreal Engine are the most common free starting points, and both have free tiers that let you publish games without paying anything until you earn money.
- Your first game should be small — a single level, a straightforward mechanic, a game you can finish in three to six months — because scope creep is the main reason games never ship.
- You need a design document (a written description of what your game does, how it plays, and what it looks like) before you write much code, so you do not waste months building the wrong thing.
- Art, sound, and code are separate jobs that can be done by different people or learned separately, so you can start with programmer art (straightforward shapes and placeholder sounds) and improve it later.
- Testing happens throughout development, not at the end — you play your own game constantly and ask other people to play it and tell you what breaks or feels wrong.
Choosing a game engine
Unity and Unreal Engine are the two engines most people start with. Unity uses C# (a programming language that is easier to learn than many others) and is lighter on your computer. Unreal Engine uses C++ (harder to learn) but is more powerful for 3D games and comes with more built-in tools. Both are free to read and use until your game makes money. If your game earns over $1 million in revenue in a year, you owe royalties — but that is a problem you want to have.
Other options exist. Godot is free and open-source, uses a language called GDScript that is simpler than C#, and has a smaller community but a very helpful one. GameMaker is designed for 2D games and is easier to learn than Unity, though it costs money after a free trial. Unreal Engine 5 has a free tier that works the same way as Unity.
Your choice matters less than you think. Pick one, learn it, and finish a game. Switching engines halfway through is a common way to never finish. If you are making a 2D game, Unity or Godot. If you are making a 3D game, Unreal Engine or Unity. If you want the easiest learning curve, GameMaker or Godot.
Writing a design document before you code
A design document is a written description of your game. It does not have to be long — five to ten pages is enough for a small game. It should answer: What is the core mechanic (the one thing the player does over and over)? What does the player see on screen? What happens when the player wins or loses? How long does one game take? What does the player control with the keyboard or controller?
Write this down before you write much code. It sounds like extra work, but it saves you from building a game for three months and then realizing halfway through that your idea does not work. A design document is permission to change your mind on paper instead of in code.
Your document should include sketches or screenshots of what the game looks like, a list of every button or key the player presses and what it does, and a description of each level or stage. If your game has a story, write it down. If it has enemies or obstacles, describe them. The goal is to have something you can hand to another person and they can understand what game you are building.
Building the core mechanic first
Start by making the one thing your game is about work. If your game is about jumping over obstacles, build jumping and obstacles before you build menus, sound, or a story. If your game is about matching colors, build the matching before you build the score display. This is called the core loop — the thing the player does every few seconds that makes the game feel like a game.
Use placeholder art. Draw a square for the player character. Use a different color square for enemies. Use text on the screen instead of a fancy menu. This is called programmer art, and it is how almost every game starts. You can make it beautiful later. Right now, you need to know if the game is fun.
Test the core mechanic constantly. Play it yourself. Ask a friend to play it. Does it feel good? Is it too straightforward or too hard? Does the player understand what to do without being told? If the answer to any of these is no, change it now, before you build everything else around it.
Adding art, sound, and story
Once the core mechanic works, you can add the things that make a game feel polished. Art means replacing your colored squares with actual sprites (drawn characters and objects) or 3D models. Sound means adding music and sound effects. Story means adding dialogue, cutscenes, or a reason the player cares about winning.
You do not have to make all of this yourself. You can buy art from itch.io or OpenGameArt — many artists sell or give away game assets. You can use free music from Freepik or Incompetech. You can hire an artist or composer if your budget allows. Many successful indie games were made by a programmer and an artist working together, each doing what they are good at.
Add these things gradually. Make one level look good. Add music to that level. Then move to the next level. Do not try to make the entire game beautiful before you test whether it is fun. A beautiful game that is not fun is still not fun.
Testing and fixing bugs
Testing is not something you do at the end. You test while you build. Every time you add a feature, you play the game and make sure that feature works and does not break anything else. A bug is anything that does not work the way you intended — a character that gets stuck in a wall, a button that does not respond, a level that is impossible to win.
Ask other people to play your game. They will find bugs you missed because they play differently than you do. They will also tell you if something is confusing or unfair. Write down every bug they find. Prioritize the ones that make the game unplayable or unfair, then fix the ones that just look weird.
Use a bug tracker — a straightforward document or tool where you list every problem, who found it, and whether it is fixed. Trello is free and works well for this. GitHub Issues is free if you are using GitHub to store your code. Even a spreadsheet works.
Preparing to release your game
Before you release, decide where you are releasing it. itch.io is free and designed for indie games — you upload your game and set the price (including free). Steam costs $100 to list a game and has stricter rules about what games can be sold there, but reaches more players. Game Jolt is another free platform. You can also release on your own website.
Test on the platform where you are releasing. read your game the way a player would. Make sure it runs, the controls work, and the game saves properly. Check that the description and screenshots are clear. Ask friends to read it and play it one more time.
Write release notes — a short description of what your game is, how to play it, and what you changed in each update. Be honest about what your game is. If it is a short game, say so. If it is a work in progress, say so. Players respect honesty more than hype.
Learning resources and communities
YouTube has thousands of free tutorials for every engine. Search for "[your engine name] tutorial" and you will find step-by-step guides. Unity Learn and Unreal Engine Learning are official free courses. Brackeys and Sebastian Lague are popular YouTube creators who teach game development clearly.
itch.io has a community section where developers share games, ask questions, and give feedback. Reddit's r/gamedev is active and helpful. Game Jams (competitions where you make a game in 48 hours) are a fast way to learn and meet other developers. Ludum Dare and Global Game Jam are the biggest ones.
Join a community. Game development is easier and more fun when you are not doing it alone. Other developers will answer questions, test your game, and celebrate when you finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to know how to code before I start?
No. Most game engines teach you to code as you learn them. Start with a tutorial that teaches both the engine and the programming language at the same time. You will learn faster by building something than by learning programming in isolation.
How long does it take to make a game?
A small game (one level, one straightforward mechanic) takes three to six months for one person working part-time. A medium game takes a year or more. A large game takes years. Start small so you actually finish something.
Can I make money from my game?
Yes. You can sell it on itch.io, Steam, or your own website. You can also make it free and earn money through ads or donations. Many indie developers make enough to live on, but most games do not make much money. Make the game you want to make, not the game you think will sell.
What if I get stuck and do not know how to fix a problem?
Search for your problem on YouTube or Google — someone has probably solved it before. Ask in the engine's community forum or on Reddit. Post a video or screenshot of the problem. Most game developers are helpful and remember being stuck too.
Do I need expensive software or a powerful computer?
No. Unity and Unreal Engine are free. A mid-range laptop from the last few years can run them. You do not need to buy anything to start. As your game gets bigger, you might want a better computer, but that is later.