# Unity 3D: Overview

## What is Unity?

Unity is commonly considered a **game engine**. Which is a tool that helps people build games by providing resources that make up the building block of games.

* 2D / 3D scene rendering
* Physics simulation
* Animation
* Interaction management
* Integrated Development Environment

Other game engines: [Unreal](https://www.unrealengine.com/), [Godot](https://godotengine.org/), [O3DE](https://o3de.org), [CryENGINE](https://www.cryengine.com/), [Game Maker Studio](https://gamemaker.io/)

## What can you do with it?

Game engines can be used for more than just games. Any application that combines elements that game engines do well at:

* Real-time interaction
* Physics simulations
* 3D scenes and rendering
* Extended reality

## Licensing

Unity is free for students, hobbyist and small business under certain restrictions. For larger businesses there is both yearly fees and revenue sharing required.

## Next

{% content-ref url="unity-3d-overview/setting-up-unity" %}
[setting-up-unity](https://gitbook.brown.edu/bai-creative-technology/guides/virtual-reality/unity-3d-overview/setting-up-unity)
{% endcontent-ref %}