By the end of 2026, the gaming industry is expected to reach 314 billion US dollars, up from 173 billion US dollars in 2021. As the gaming market grows, new game development studios enter the gaming ecosystem every year, offering more advanced and immersive gaming experiences.
C++ plays an important role in today's game development ecosystem. C++ is used in the source code of many major game engines, such as Unreal and Unity, enabling developers to create higher-performance games.
Let's take a look at why C++ is better suited to game development.
What is the history of the C++ programming language?
It was originally known as an extension of the C programming language and, until 1983, was called “C with Classes” rather than C++. Since then, C++ has undergone many changes during its development.
The first C++ standards, known as C++98, were published in 1998. Initially, the language reported a number of issues, which the C++ standards committee later addressed in 2003, and the standards were updated to C++03.
Soon after, the C++ standards committee announced language updates, which were implemented later in 2011 and are known as C++11. Slow development updates were a serious problem for developers around the world. After 2011, C++ language updates became more frequent, allowing it to compete with other high-level languages.
What makes the C++ programming language suitable for game development?
Game development is resource-intensive and requires a programming language with certain features. The C++ programming language is considered suitable for game development thanks to the following features:
The C++ programming language offers exceptional memory management, providing greater control, flexibility, and optimization of game resources.
- The C++ programming language is compatible with popular game engines (such as Unity and Unreal).
- Frequent development updates keep C++ in step with modern gaming requirements.
- C++ is compatible with low-level C and assembly language, making it easier for game developers to interact with hardware-level components.
- C++ is a compiled language, offering better runtime performance than other interpreted high-level languages.
- C++ has a large number of libraries that support game development, allowing game developers to create high-performance games.
How does C++ compare with other languages used for game development?
C++ is one of many programming languages used for game development. Understanding the similarities and differences between various programming languages can be crucial for different gaming requirements, since some languages can offer more flexibility and optimization than others. Here's how C++ compares with other languages:
C++ vs. C#
Both languages belong to the same C-family of languages. Here are some of their similarities and differences in the context of game development.
Similarities
C++ and C# are object-oriented programming languages with similar underlying code structures. So, understanding one can help you program in the other, too.
They use a compiler to directly translate high-level language code into machine-level language. Direct compilation of code provides better performance, making games more efficient and faster.
Differences
Unlike C#, C++ works efficiently with low-level C and assembly languages, making games developed in C++ relatively fast. C++ allows game developers to allocate memory manually, giving them more freedom in programming. However, C# has a garbage collector that handles automatic memory allocation and limits developers to programming the game in a particular way, leaving fewer opportunities to optimize resources.
C++ vs. Lua
Lua is another well-known programming language widely used for game development. The popular gaming platform Roblox, which lets users create their own games, uses Lua as its scripting language. Here are some of its similarities and differences with C++.
Similarities
Lua's source code contains 30000 lines of C, making its code similar to C++. A C++ game developer can quickly get started writing Lua code. However, that's where the similarities end.
Differences
Lua is one of the fastest interpreted scripting languages and doesn't require compilation, while C++ requires a compiler to translate its code into machine language. Lua can be embedded in other high-level languages and can extend its libraries to improve functionality. C++ makes memory management easier even in low-level languages, whereas Lua works only with high-level languages.
C++ vs. Python
Python is an old and powerful programming language primarily used to build robust web applications, machine learning models, and data analytics. However, Python isn't as popular for game development as C++ or C#, but it's increasingly attracting attention from modern game creators. PyGame is a powerful, developer-friendly Python library used for Python game development. Here are some ways it's similar to and different from C++
Similarities
Python and C++ support object-oriented programming paradigms, making them similar in terms of programming. The popular Python interpreter CPython [10] is built on C/C++.
Differences
Unlike C++, Python has simpler code constructs, since its syntax is similar to English, making it easier for developers to write and remember code.
C++ is a compiled language, while Python is interpreted, like Lua. However, C++ allows game developers to allocate memory manually, making it more flexible than Python.
Which game engines use C++ programming?
Game engines play a vital role in creating a rich gaming experience. They provide a wide range of built-in features, such as physics, input, resource handling, and rendering, to support rapid game development.
Developers use different game engines according to their practical requirements. But most game engines use C++ programming in some form because of its flexible memory management and compatibility with machine-level code.
Would you like to start your game development journey with C++?
C++ is unrivaled when it comes to game development. The developer community loves and supports C++ programming. It offers game developers greater flexibility to develop high-quality features and create rich games.
Learning C++ is useful for beginners because it's a versatile language used for general-purpose programming, with excellent support for game development. If you want to start developing games in C++, we recommend using Virtual Assist to create high-performance C++ code with dedicated support for Unreal Engine.
