Last updated: December 26, 2022 by @abmarnie

Concise Version

Main steps:

  1. Download and install Unity Hub, then choose the latest Long Term Support (LTS) version of Unity Editor through Unity Hub.
  2. Install modules for the platforms you want to release your game on (e.g. Android, iOS, WebGL) through Unity Hub.
  3. Decide on a Render Pipeline (e.g. Universal Render Pipeline (URP) or High-Definition Render Pipeline (HDRP)).
  4. Create a new Unity project with a template matching the chosen Render Pipeline.
  5. Test your new project to ensure the Unity Editor works.

Optional:

  1. Set up your software development environment to work nicely with Unity.
  2. Use version control (e.g. Git + GitHub+ Git LFS) to track changes and collaborate with others.
  3. Decide which official Unity packages to use, and add/remove them through the Unity Editor’s package manager.

Introduction

This is a short guide for those who want to hit the ground running with Unity. It covers basic things such as installing Unity, pre-project setup, and creating a new project. It also has an optional section covering useful things to do at the start.

Detailed Guide

  1. Choose a version of Unity Editor to work in, and download/install it. You use the Unity Hub platform to download, install, and manage Unity Editor versions and Unity projects, so download/install that first if needed. If you don’t know which Unity Editor version to go with, pick the latest LTS (Long Term Support) version; it should be marked as “Recommended” when you go to install it through Unity Hub.

    The “Installs” section of the Unity Hub platform. Here you can manage all of your Unity Editor versions. Click the top-right blue “Install Editor” button to download and install new Unity Editor versions.

    The “Installs” section of the Unity Hub platform. Here you can manage all of your Unity Editor versions. Click the top-right blue “Install Editor” button to download and install new Unity Editor versions.

    After clicking the “Install Editor” button, this window pops up. The latest Long Term Support (LTS) version should be listed at the top and labelled “Recommended version”.

    After clicking the “Install Editor” button, this window pops up. The latest Long Term Support (LTS) version should be listed at the top and labelled “Recommended version”.

  2. Decide which platforms you are targeting to release your game on (Android, IOS, WebGL, etc.), and add/install the modules you need to build to those platforms. To do so, navigate to “Installs”, then click the gear icon on your Unity install, then click “Add modules”.

    To add modules to a specific Unity Editor version, click the gear icon on the right side of that install, and then click “Add modules”.

    To add modules to a specific Unity Editor version, click the gear icon on the right side of that install, and then click “Add modules”.

    After clicking “Add modules”, a window pops up with a list of modules to install. For example, if you plan on releasing on iOS, check the “iOS Build Support” option, and click the blue “Install” button.

    After clicking “Add modules”, a window pops up with a list of modules to install. For example, if you plan on releasing on iOS, check the “iOS Build Support” option, and click the blue “Install” button.

  3. Research and decide which Render Pipeline to use. Technically speaking, it is possible to switch Render Pipelines midway through development, but doing so may cause problems and require a ton of work, especially if done late. For most indies, you will probably be using the Universal Render Pipeline (URP). Alternatively, if you’re building a 3D game for PC or modern consoles and want access to the fanciest lighting tools available (raytracing, path tracing, volumetric clouds), use the High-Definition Render Pipeline (HDRP). The Built-In Render Pipeline isn’t as well supported recently and is more of a legacy system, so don’t use it unless you have a reason or are working on an extremely graphically simple game.

  4. Create a new Unity project; make sure to select the template that matches the Render Pipeline you decided to use in step 3. For example, select 2D (URP) or 3D (URP) if using the Universal Render Pipeline, or select 3D (HDRP) if using the High-Definition Render Pipeline. Make sure to select a good location and name for your project.

    The “Projects” section of the Unity Hub platform. Here you can manage all of your Unity projects. Click the top-right blue “New Project” button to start a new project.

    The “Projects” section of the Unity Hub platform. Here you can manage all of your Unity projects. Click the top-right blue “New Project” button to start a new project.

    After clicking “New Project”, a list of templates appears. Select the template suitable for your project (either 2D URP, 3D URP, or 3D HDRP in most cases). If you do not have the template downloaded, you may need to click “Download template” after selecting it.

    After clicking “New Project”, a list of templates appears. Select the template suitable for your project (either 2D URP, 3D URP, or 3D HDRP in most cases). If you do not have the template downloaded, you may need to click “Download template” after selecting it.

    Make sure to come up with a good project name and location (bottom-right corner, above the blue “Create project” button).

    Make sure to come up with a good project name and location (bottom-right corner, above the blue “Create project” button).