Unreal Engine game template updates
With the recent release of Unreal Engine 5.6 on June 3, we’re excited to bring you a major update to our game templates designed to help you create faster and take customization further.Discover new template Variants
We’ve introduced a new feature called Variants to the First-Person, Third-Person, Top Down, and Vehicle templates, enabling you to create and customize different gameplay styles faster and more easily.Whether you’re prototyping a side-scrolling platformer, developing an open-world racing game, or creating a top-down strategy title, Variants provide a more focused and tailored starting point so you can hit the ground running with your projects.
You can find the Variant options in the New Projects window.
Optimized for performance
The new Variants are designed to streamline your workflow. In addition, we've significantly optimized and reduced the package size of our templates to speed up engine download times—all while expanding their feature sets. This enables you to get started faster and accelerates overall development time.Let’s explore what’s updated in each template.
First-Person Template
The First-Person Template now includes advanced rendering features for independent FOV, scale, and lighting, offering greater power and flexibility. It also features a fully implemented character and a custom Control Rig designed to smoothly transition into a first-person view, improving both structure and performance. You can access two new First-Person Template Variants, Survival Horror and Arena Shooter.The Survival Horror Variant features pre-configured lighting and mood setup for an eerie storytelling atmosphere.
Features include:
- Flashlight for the player pawn
- Example map that demonstrates best practice when lighting dark environments
- Sprint mechanic with associated UI
- Flickering light
The Arena Shooter Variant features a competitive shooter environment, with a variety of weapons and advanced combat movements.
Features include:
Features include:
- Range of weapon pickups
- Range of bullet types
- AI opponents
- Ammo UI
- Example arena map
Third-Person Template
The Third-Person Template provides a strong foundation for action game development. In Unreal Engine 5.6, it’s been expanded with new Variants, including Combat, Side Scroller, and Platformer, to support a wider range of gameplay styles.The Combat Variant delivers combat mechanics, enemy targeting, and a built-in health management system to efficiently build action-oriented games.
Features include:
- Simple hand combat
- Combo attack
- AI opponents
- In-world health bar UI
- Example combat map
The Side Scroller Variant adapts the third-person perspective to a side-scrolling format, with pre-configured camera and movement systems.
Features include:
Features include:
- Fixed camera example
- Constrained plane setup
- Pickups
- Single-sided and drop-through collision interaction
- Fix to floor and locked camera example
- Example side scrolling map
The Platform Variant delivers advanced jumping, climbing, and dynamic movement mechanics with precise control.
Features include:
Features include:
- Dash mechanic
- Wall jump
- Example platforming map
Top Down Template
The Top Down Template delivers the foundation for games with an overhead perspective and has been extended to include Strategy and Twin Stick Variants.The Strategy Variant is designed to assist in developing strategy games through a grid-based movement system.
Features include:
- Drag-select AI characters
- Simple character interactions
- Roof transition effect
- Simple AI move to examples
- Orthographic camera setup
The Twin Stick Variant offers mechanics to create fast-paced, twin stick shooter games with dual axis aiming and movement, plus a combat-ready character system.
Features include:
Features include:
- Simple AI opponents
- Bomb and shoot mechanic
- Simple arena map
- Score and multiplier UI
Vehicle Template
The Vehicle Template is your starting point for creating driving and racing games. It features several updates, including new Offroad and Timetrial Variants.Vehicle models have been modularized into Static Mesh pieces attached to an empty skeleton to simplify customization; their materials and textures have also been simplified for better performance. There are now two Blueprints that demonstrate simple spawning of Static and Spline Meshes, which will eventually be replaced with the Procedural Content Generation Framework once it’s Production-Ready. Runtime Virtual Texturing (RVT) has also now been enabled on the project and set up for each map to enhance rendering quality and efficiency.
The Offroad Variant delivers modular components and simplified assets for rugged offroad-style gameplay, including a terrain rich sample map.
Features include:
- Open world exploration map
- Offroad all-wheel-drive vehicle example
- Spline roads
- Runtime Virtual Texturing (RVT) map setup
- Hierarchical Level of Detail (HLOD) structure
- (to save memory, HLODs have not been built)
The Time Trial Variant will speed up the creation of time-based racing experiences with lap timing systems, checkpoint logic, and specific UI elements.
Features include:
Features include:
- Simple track map
- Gate structure to mark traversal through a lap
- Time and best time UI
Shared resources
Along with the new template Variants, the content shared across Variants has also been updated.Level prototyping now includes updated Nanite-quality meshes and new interactable elements such as a door, jump pad, and physics dummy.
Characters have optimized materials for both Manny and Quinn, along with a new set of animations covering unarmed and armed states, dashing, combat, getting hit, death, and more.
The input system now includes a new standardized input pack across templates, featuring a mobile touch input setup and a widget-based touch thumbstick.
More weapons have been added—including a pistol, rifle, and grenade launcher—with optimized textures and materials.
Start your next project with templates
Get started by downloading UE 5.6 and creating a new project from the “New Project” screen. Simply use the Variant dropdown menu to pick the Variant that fits your needs. For a simpler setup, select “None” from the dropdown to use a lightweight version of the template.For a more in-depth look, be sure to check out the New Template Sneak Peek | Inside Unreal video.
How to install Unreal Engine
Download the launcher
Before you can install and run Unreal Editor, you’ll need to download and install the Epic Games launcher.
Install Epic Games launcher
Once downloaded and installed, open the launcher and create or log in to your Epic Games account.
Get support, or restart your Epic Games launcher download in Step 1.
Install Unreal Engine
Once logged in, navigate to the Unreal Engine tab and click the Install button to download the most recent version.
Watch how to install