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Stride
What Stride is
Stride is a free, open-source C# game engine for creating 2D and 3D games and other interactive content for desktop and VR. Its Game Studio toolchain includes editors for assets, scenes, sprites, user interfaces and curves. The engine also includes physics and navigation mesh systems for collisions, events and character pathfinding, along with visual scripting. Graphics tools include physically based materials, light probes, particles, post effects and customizable shaders, with DirectX 12 and Vulkan among its graphics APIs. Stride supports C# 14 and .NET 10, asynchronous scripting, and hot reload for scripts and shaders. It has native Oculus and HTC Vive support, plus VR previewing from the scene editor. The engine supports mobile export and is free to use, modify and distribute under the MIT license. Development requirements list Windows 10 or 11, an x64 CPU, a Direct3D 10-or-newer compatible GPU, at least 4 GB RAM and 5 GB of disk space. Help options include documentation, Discord, GitHub Discussions and tutorials. The project describes itself as community-driven, without full-time developers dedicated solely to its advancement.
Who it suits
Stride suits developers creating PC or VR games, training simulations, or architecture and engineering software. The project describes it as suitable for indie and AAA developers.
What it does well
- Free to use, modify and distribute under the MIT license.
- Game Studio includes editors for scenes, sprites and UI.
- Includes physics and navigation mesh systems.
- Native support for Oculus and HTC Vive.
- Supports mobile export and visual scripting.
What to know first
- Development requirements specify Windows 10 or 11.
- The project has no full-time developers dedicated solely to it.
- Multiplayer tools are not included.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Stride Game Engine | Free to use, modify, and distribute under the MIT license | Free |
As stride3d.net lists them, read 9 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit the Stride website
- Use a Windows 10 or 11 development system meeting the listed hardware requirements
- Install Stride and use Game Studio to create or manage project assets and scenes
- Use C# or visual scripting to build the project
- Refer to the manual, tutorials, Discord, or GitHub Discussions for help
Verdict
Stride brings scene, asset, scripting, physics and graphics tools into a free C# engine for desktop and VR projects. Its community-driven model and listed Windows development requirements are important considerations.
Questions
Is Stride free?
Yes. The Stride Game Engine plan is free, and the engine is free to use, modify, and distribute under the MIT license.
Which platforms does Stride support?
The listed platforms are Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. Target platforms are Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS, and mobile export is supported.
Which languages can I use?
Stride uses C# and supports C# 14 and .NET 10. Visual scripting is also available.
Does Stride support VR?
Yes. It has native support for Oculus and HTC Vive, with VR preview tools in the scene editor.
What are the development requirements?
The listed requirements include Windows 10 or 11, an x64 CPU, a Direct3D 10-or-newer compatible GPU, at least 4 GB of RAM, and 5 GB of disk space.
Where can I get help?
Stride points users to its documentation, Discord community, and GitHub Discussions. It also provides a manual in English and Japanese, beginner introduction videos, and intermediate scripting tutorials on YouTube.
Facts from Stride's own pages
- Development requirements
- The listed development requirements include Windows 10 or 11, an x64 CPU, a Direct3D 10 or newer compatible GPU, 4 GB RAM minimum, and 5 GB disk space. · doc.stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- Stride provides its manual in English and Japanese, beginner introduction videos, and intermediate scripting tutorials on YouTube. · stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- Editor
- Game Studio includes tools for creating and managing game assets, scenes, sprites, and user interfaces. · stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · stride3d.net, 24 Sept 2026
- Game Studio
- The included Game Studio toolchain lets users create, manage, and modify game assets, with editors for scenes, UI, sprites, and curves. · stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- Graphics
- Stride offers physically based materials, light probes, particles, post effects, customizable shaders, and graphics APIs including DirectX 12 and Vulkan. · stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The site lists Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, and Rider as C# scripting environments for Stride. · stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The site describes Stride as suitable for indie and AAA developers and for making PC and VR games, training simulations, and architecture or engineering software. · stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- License
- Stride is free to use, modify, and distribute under the MIT license. · stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- Mobile export
- Yes · stride3d.net, 24 Sept 2026
- Physics and navigation
- The engine includes physics and navigation mesh systems for collisions, events, and character pathfinding. · stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- Platforms
- Stride 4.4 says non-Windows platform support is no longer experimental and that projects can be built on Linux and macOS; the download FAQ lists Windows as supported and Android, iOS, Linux, and macOS as experimental. · doc.stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- Product
- Stride is a free, open-source C# game engine for creating 2D and 3D games and other interactive content for desktop and VR. · stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- Project model
- Stride describes itself as a non-profit, community-driven project with no full-time developers dedicated solely to its advancement. · doc.stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- Scripting
- Stride supports C# 14 and .NET 10, asynchronous scripting, and hot reload for scripts and shaders. · stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- Scripting languages
- C# · stride3d.net, 24 Sept 2026
- Source code model
- open_source · stride3d.net, 24 Sept 2026
- Support
- The project points users to its documentation, Discord community, and GitHub Discussions for help. · stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- Target platforms
- Windows is currently supported; Android, iOS, Linux, and macOS are listed as experimental, and the engine supports most popular VR devices. · stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- Visual scripting
- Yes · stride3d.net, 24 Sept 2026
- VR
- Stride has native support for Oculus and HTC Vive and includes tools for previewing VR from the scene editor. · stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
- What it does
- Stride is a free, open-source C# game engine for 2D and 3D games and interactive content on desktop and VR. · stride3d.net, 9 Oct 2026
Where Stride stands on Freedom251
- Game Engine Software#11 of 92
- Game Development Software#23 of 43