Written By Pavan Punja

The gaming industry was valued at 199 billion in 2022. By 2027, this figure is set to hit the $340 billion mark.

The pandemic has increased the number of games worldwide. With people finding entertainment from home, the online gaming industry is on a profitable route.

Game developers are among the most sought-after job roles in this business. To develop games, users must first be proficient in one or multiple programming languages.

Let’s have an overview of these programming languages for game developers.

1. C++

C++ is among the most popular programming languages for developers. It’s great for making small-budget indie titles as well as high-budget triple-A games.

It’s compatible with most game engines and is often praised for offering stylish gameplay.

Popular game titles designed by C++ include Witcher 3, Doom 3, World of Warcraft, Counter-Strike, Starcraft, etc.

C++ offers object-oriented programming (OOP) delivering direct control power to the developer.

To learn C++, we recommend the following beginner’s course.

2. Java

Java is perfect for new programmers dipping their feet into game development for the first time.

Java is open-source and lets you learn the basics of code, debugging, and compilation. It uses object-oriented programing similar to C++.

Game titles designed by Java include – Minecraft, Zuma, FIFA 11, Contra 4, and Bounce Tales.

If you’re interested in learning Java, join the beginner’s course below.

3. Lua

While not as popular as the other languages on the list, Lua is a lightweight multi-platform programming language.

It’s primarily used for image processing and web apps. However, of late many gaming titles have been powered by Lua.

To start, Angry Birds and Age of Conan are the two famous games that are programmed by Lua. The popular CryEngine known for Crysis is powered by Lua as well.

Lua is a flexible language that can easily integrate between applications.

To learn Lua, we have a training course just for you.

4. C#

C# is also known as C sharp. It was released by Microsoft using the XNA framework. It’s popular for Xbox and Windows titles.

C# is most popularly used to power game engines like Unity, Xenko, Banshee, FLAX, and Godot.

Famous games of C# include Pokemon Go, Hearthstone, Kerbal Space Program, Ori and the Blind Forest, Super Mario Run, Rust, etc.

To get started with C#, we recommend the following guide.

5. Python

Python is another popular programming language that uses OOP or object-oriented programming.

The game development process is significantly faster with Python compared to other OOP languages like Java and C++.

Python is considered a developer’s best friend in terms of execution and simple syntax. The learning curve is short and you can develop a game in no time using Python.

Games like Eve Online, Mount & Blade, Battlefield 2, Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines, and World of Tanks are celebrated titles created using Python.

For a full beginner’s guide to learning Python, we recommend –

6. Javascript

If online games are your cup of tea, then JavaScript is the undisputed winner.

JavaScript supports a wide range of frameworks and is often used alongside CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) to create interactive games.

Popular JavaScript games include – Bejeweled, Gods Will Be Watching, Hangman, and Polycraft.

7. ActionScript 3.0

Have you ever played Adobe (formerly Macromedia) Flash games online? If so, you’ve undoubtedly come across ActionScript. It uses Object-oriented programming like others on this list.

It was introduced in Flash 3 to create apps, quizzes, slide shows, tutorials, and games. The latest version is ActionScript 3.0.

ActionScript 3.0 is quite a difficult programming language to get into but gets easy with practice.

Farmville is the biggest example of an ActionScript game. Games on Newgrounds are other examples.

8. Objective-C

Objective-C was created in the 1980s which is an OOP style language. It is part of the C programming language and was supported by Apple for its iOS apps.

While it isn’t the most popular programming language for gamers, it’s still great for developing iOS games.

However, when trying to port your games to Android and other platforms, the code isn’t the easiest to transfer.

It’s often best to stick to iOS/Mac platforms when developing Objective-C games.

9. HTML5

Programmers have indeed moved on from Flash gaming. But, the demand for browser games is still significant. HTML5 is largely responsible for that.

Now with multiplayer support and 3D graphics, HTML5 is scaling new heights in the gaming world.

For the unknown, HTML5 is the latest version of HTML – Hypertext Markup Language. Usually, a combination of HTML + CSS + JavaScript is used to create browser games.

HTML5 games list includes – HexGL, Cookie Clicker, Missile Game, Entanglement, 2048, and Onslaught Arena.

10. UnrealScript

UnrealScript is also called UScript. It is the scripting language of Unreal Engine, which is considered the gold standard of prototyping and iteration in gaming.

The impressive set of UnrealScript games includes – Unreal Tournament, Batman: Arkham Series, Ark: Survival Evolved, Final Fantasy 7: Remake, Borderlands 3, Street Fighter 5, and Fortnite.

Unreal Engine is easy for new developers to get into, it’s perfect to churn out high-end games with relative ease.

Conclusion

Game development isn’t just limited to a few gifted programmers. It takes practice and mastery.

Once you’ve figured out your favorite programming language, it’s a matter of putting down the code and executing your ideas.

We recommend an online coding platform to ensure your ideas become a reality. ItsMyBot and FreeCodeCamp are great starting places to begin.

We wish you lots of luck and fortune in your coding journey!