Unreal Engine 5 Games: Full List & Guide

Unreal Engine 5 is a game engine developed by Epic Games, and it powers a growing list of major titles across PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and mobile. This article explains what Unreal Engine 5 is, lists notable games that use it, and answers common questions about performance, requirements, and how it compares to other engines.

What Is Unreal Engine 5?

Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) is the fifth major version of Epic Games’ real-time 3D creation tool, released in April 2022. It introduced two headline features: Nanite (virtualized geometry that allows film-quality assets without manual LODs) and Lumen (a fully dynamic global illumination system). These features aim to reduce the time artists spend on optimization while delivering more realistic lighting and detail.

The engine is free to download, with Epic charging a 5% royalty on gross revenue above $1 million per product. It supports C++ and Blueprints (a visual scripting language), and it has been used for games, architectural visualization, film production, and virtual production.

Notable Unreal Engine 5 Games

Many high-profile games have shipped or are in development using UE5. Here are some of the most prominent examples:

• Fortnite – Epic’s battle royale migrated to UE5 in Chapter 3, showcasing Nanite and Lumen in a live multiplayer setting.
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II – A cinematic action-adventure from Ninja Theory, praised for its photorealistic visuals and performance capture.
• Black Myth: Wukong – An action RPG based on Chinese mythology, released in 2024 to critical acclaim for its graphics.
• STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl – A survival horror FPS set in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, using UE5 for its large open world.
• Tekken 8 – The fighting game uses UE5 for character detail and dynamic stages.
• Remnant II – A co-op action shooter that leverages UE5’s rendering for its procedural worlds.
• Lords of the Fallen – A dark fantasy action RPG that uses UE5’s global illumination.
• Immortals of Aveum – A magic-based FPS that pushed UE5’s performance on PC.

Many more titles are in development, including The Witcher 4, Gears of War: E-Day, and State of Decay 3, though release dates are not yet confirmed.

Key Features That Define UE5 Games

UE5 games often share a set of visual and technical characteristics:

• Nanite – Allows millions of triangles per frame, so developers can use high-poly assets directly without baking normal maps.
• Lumen – Real-time global illumination that bounces light naturally, eliminating the need for baked lightmaps in many cases.
• Virtual Shadow Maps – High-fidelity shadows that work with Nanite geometry.
• Chaos Physics – The default physics system for destruction and cloth simulation.
• MetaSounds – A procedural audio system that allows dynamic sound design.
• PCG (Procedural Content Generation) – Tools that let developers fill large environments with vegetation and props automatically.

Not every UE5 game uses all these features; developers can turn them off for performance reasons, especially on older hardware.

System Requirements and Performance

Because UE5 emphasizes high-end visuals, games built on it often demand powerful hardware. While exact requirements vary by title, typical PC specs for UE5 games are:

• Minimum: Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600, 16 GB RAM, NVIDIA GTX 1060 or AMD RX 580.
• Recommended: Intel Core i7-10700 or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, 16-32 GB RAM, NVIDIA RTX 2070 or AMD RX 6700 XT.
• High/Ultra: RTX 3080 or better for 1440p/4K with ray tracing.

On consoles, UE5 games run at 30 or 60 fps depending on the game’s target resolution and feature set. For example, Hellblade II runs at 30 fps on Xbox Series X to maintain visual fidelity, while Fortnite offers 120 fps modes on current-gen consoles.

Performance can be demanding because Nanite and Lumen are computationally heavy. Players with older GPUs may need to lower settings or disable ray tracing.

How to Check if a Game Uses UE5

If you’re curious whether a specific game uses Unreal Engine 5, there are a few reliable methods:

1. Check the official website or press kit – Developers often mention the engine in press releases or FAQ sections.
2. Look at the game’s files – On PC, the game folder usually contains an Engine folder with a file named Build.txt that lists the engine version.
3. Use third-party databases – Websites like PCGamingWiki and Unreal Engine’s own showcase page list many UE5 titles.
4. Check the game’s splash screen – Some games display the Unreal Engine logo when launching.

Note that a game might use UE5 but not advertise it, so these methods are not foolproof.

Common Problems and Fixes

UE5 games can suffer from specific technical issues, especially on PC:

• Shader compilation stutter – Many UE5 games compile shaders on first run, causing hitches. Fix: let the game finish compiling before playing, or update your GPU drivers.
• High VRAM usage – Nanite and Lumen can consume 8-10 GB of VRAM. Fix: lower texture quality or disable ray tracing.
• Crash on startup – Often caused by missing Visual C++ Redistributables or outdated drivers. Fix: install the latest drivers and run the game as administrator.
• Low FPS in open worlds – Streaming large environments can overload CPU. Fix: lower draw distance or disable Lumen if the game allows.

Developers typically release patches, so keep your game updated.

UE5 vs. Other Engines

Unreal Engine 5 competes with other major engines like Unity and CryEngine. Here’s a quick comparison:

• Unity – More accessible for indie developers, uses C#, and has a larger asset store. UE5 offers better out-of-the-box graphics but a steeper learning curve.
• CryEngine – Known for realistic lighting (CryEngine 5), but less widely adopted. UE5 has a larger community and more documentation.
• Godot – Open-source and lightweight, but lacks the AAA visual features of UE5.

For most developers aiming for high-fidelity visuals, UE5 is the industry standard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Unreal Engine 5 free to use?

Yes, UE5 is free to download and use. Epic Games charges a 5% royalty on gross revenue above $1 million per product, but there are no upfront costs.

Can I run Unreal Engine 5 games on a low-end PC?

Some UE5 games have low-end modes, but the engine’s advanced features are demanding. If your PC meets the minimum requirements for a specific game, you can run it at lower settings, but expect reduced visual quality.

What is the difference between Unreal Engine 4 and 5?

UE5 introduces Nanite and Lumen, which are not available in UE4. UE5 also has improved physics, audio, and world-building tools. Many UE4 games can be upgraded to UE5, but not automatically.

Do all UE5 games use ray tracing?

No. Ray tracing is optional in UE5. Many games use Lumen, which is a software-based global illumination solution, but they may not enable hardware ray tracing to maintain performance.

How can I tell if a game is made with Unreal Engine 5?

Check the game’s official website, look for the Unreal Engine logo at startup, or inspect the game’s files on PC. Online databases like PCGamingWiki also list engine information.

Will there be more UE5 games in the future?

Yes, many studios are developing new titles with UE5, including major franchises like The Witcher and Gears of War. The engine is expected to dominate AAA development for the next few years.

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