Unity is a multi-platform game engine; multi-platform means that Unity could be used to create games for Windows, Mac, iOS, consoles (Xbox, PS, Wii, etc), Android, etc. Unity (or any other game engine) is used in the creation and development of games which includes; rendering of the 2D or 3D graphics, scripting, asset management, physics, audio management, animation, networking, artificial intelligence, memory management, threading.

Learning Unity is crucial for anyone willing to start games development for any platform, it’s worth noting that Unity is now free for indie developers. Many games were created using Unity like; ZeroLight, Deus Ex: The Fall, Call of Duty: Strike Team, rain, Temple Run 2, Robot Rising, Evolution: Battle for Utopia, Shadow Blade.

This post is a road map for anyone willing to start learning Unity online for free from scratch, the post will present and compare between the best online sources where beginners can start from and follow along, the sources stated in this post are full structured courses so you won’t find a link to a single video or a group of unrelated tutorials.

If you just want the bottom line (the road map to learn Unity) and you don’t wish to read the entire article then go to the “Bottom Line” section at the end of the article.

Start Learning Unity for Free from Scratch

Walker Boys Studio

Walker Boys Studio is the first fee online outlet where beginners can learn Unity through video tutorials; you don’t need to register to have access to the course, just visit the website and you’re ready to start.

Structure: The course is divided into 10 sections; each section is divided into video lessons. The first 3 sections are dedicated to introducing beginners to Unity; the remaining sections are dedicated to creating games using Unity which is a great opportunity for beginners to test the water.

Interface: The interface is simple, just click on the lesson you’re interested in and you’ll be directed to the page where the video resides.

Now; the pros and cons:

Pros

1. Free.
2. The course is well-structured and organized for beginners.
3. The sections that contain tutorials for creating various types of games using unity will be helpful for beginners.
4. The instructor makes it easy for beginners to follow along.
5. There are exams in each section to test your comprehension of the lessons.

Cons

1. The course covers an old release of Unity, though that might not be a big problem for beginners.

Verdict: This is the best outlet for any beginner willing to start learning Unity online for free.

Udemy

Udemy is the second free online outlet where beginners can start learning Unity through video tutorials; you need to register in order to have access to the course. At the time of writing this post there was only two free courses for Unity, the best choice for beginners is the course entitled “Unity3d Concepts”.

Structure: The course is divided into 6 sections; each section is divided into lessons (50 lessons in total), and each one of these lessons covers a certain topic in Unity.

Interface: The interface is very simple, just click on the lesson you’re interested in and the video will start directly.

Now, the pros and cons:

Pros

1. Free.
2. The course is well-structured and organized for beginners.
3. It’s easy for beginners to follow along with the instructor.

Cons

1. There’s no tutorial about creating a real game using unity to test the water, which might be a problem for those who prefer the “learn by doing” style.

Verdict: This is an excellent source for beginners to start learning Unity, though it’s not as detailed as the first outlet.

Unity 3D Student

Unity 3D Student is the third free online outlet where beginners can start learning Unity through video tutorials. You don’t need to register to have access to the course.

Structure: The course is divided into 3 modules (Essentials, Beginners, Intermediate), each section is divided into lessons and each of these lessons covers a certain topic in Unity.

Interface: The interface is very simple, just click on the section you want and you’ll be directed to the section’s lessons, click on the lesson you want and you’ll be directed to the lesson’s video.

Now, pros and cons:

Pros

1. Free.
2. The course is well-structured and organized for beginners.
3. The videos are short and concentrated which makes them very suitable for those who’re willing to know just about a certain topic in Unity (e.g. Camera, lighting, etc.)

Cons

1. It has the same problem of the previous outlet which is the absence of tutorials to create a real game which might be a problem for some.

Verdict: This is a good source for beginners to start learning Unity; it’s suitable for those who prefer short concentrated videos.

CG Cookie

CG Cookie is the fourth free online outlet where beginners can start learning Unity through video tutorials. You don’t need to register to have access to the course.

Structure: The course is divided into 2 sections; each section is divided into lessons an each of the lessons covers a certain topic in Unity. The course is more of an overview about Unity.

Interface: The interface is very simple, just click on the lesson you’re interested in and you’ll be directed to a new page where the video resides.

Now, the pros and cons:

Pros

1. Free.
2. The course is well-organized for beginners.

Cons

1. The course is more of an overview about Unity, so it’s not suitable for beginners on its own.

Verdict: This outlet is suitable for beginners who want to get an overview about Unity, but it’s not suitable for those who want to learn Unity to start using it.

Gamer to Game Developer (GTGD)

Gamer to Game Developer (GTGD) is the fifth free online outlet where beginners can start learning Unity through video tutorials, you don’t need to register to have access to the course.

Structure: The training is divided into 34 video lessons, the course is more of a “learn by doing” training.

Interface: The interface is quite simple, just click on the lesson you’re interested in and you’ll be directed to the page where the video lesson resides.

Now, the pros and cons:

Pros

1. Free.
2. The training is well-organized for beginners.

Cons

1. The training covers a very old release of Unity.

Verdict: The training covers a very old release of Unity and there are other outlets stated in this post that covers more recent releases.

NC State University Unity Vimeo Channel

NC State University Unity Vimeo Channel is the sixth free online outlet where beginners can start learning Unity through Video tutorials.

Structure: The training is divided into 28 video lessons; each video lesson covers a certain topic in Unity.

Interface: Vimeo standard interface.

Now, the pros and cons:

Pros

1. Free.

Cons

1. The training covers a very old release of Unity.
2. The organization of the training isn’t friendly for beginners.

Verdict: Though the course is good, but the organization of the lessons makes it problematic for beginners, also the training covers a very old release of Unity.

Brackeys YouTube Channel

Brackeys YouTube Channel is the seventh free online outlet where beginners can start learning Unity through video tutorials. This is more of an overview about Unity through making a simple game.

Structure: The training is divided into 15 video tutorials, as stated above you’ll be taught about Unity while creating a game.

Interface: YouTube Standard Interface.

Now, the pros and cons:

Pros

1. Free.
2. The training is well-organized for beginners.

Cons

1. It teaches beginners the very basics of the software.

Verdict: This outlet is suitable for game developers who are using another game engine and wants to get an overview about Unity through creating a simple game.

Bottom Line

The recipe for learning Unity for free

1. Walker Boys Studio is the best outlet for beginners who prefer video tutorials.
2. CG Cookie is the best place for those who want to get an overview about Unity.

Remember that the first step is always the toughest step, and the aim of this post is to provide you with resources that will help you take your first step in Unity.