I Write Games in C (Yes, C) — Here's Why 🎮

In a world of Unity, Unreal, and Godot, one developer said 'nah' and went back to pure C. No C++. No engines. Just raw code and raw performance. And they make a compelling case. 🎮

The argument is simple: C is small, fast, and predictable. You know exactly what the computer is doing. No hidden constructors. No garbage collection pauses. No engine bloat. Your code compiles in seconds, runs at 60fps on old hardware, and fits in RAM smaller than a Chrome tab.

The trade-offs:

• ✅ Lightning fast compile times
• ✅ Full control over memory
• ✅ Tiny executable size
• ✅ Runs on everything
• ❌ No built-in graphics/rendering
• ❌ Manual memory management (easy to crash)
• ❌ Slower development (no prefabs, no visual editors)

Is this for everyone? Obviously not. But it proves a point: Modern game engines aren't the only way. For 2D games, simple 3D projects, or learning fundamentals, C is surprisingly viable.

For Gen Z indies, consider this permission to go low-level. You might learn more writing a simple game in C than using Unity for a year. Understanding the machine beats understanding the engine.