If you’ve ever finished a game and thought, “I wish I could make something like this,” you’re not alone. A lot of us have that dream, but it also feels pretty scary. Coding, art, music, design… it sounds like a huge, impossible project. The surprising truth is: yes, you really can make your own video game from scratch. It just might not look like the big games you see on Steam or console, and that’s completely okay.
“From Scratch” Doesn’t Mean “All Alone”
When people hear “from scratch,” they often imagine building a custom game engine, writing thousands of lines of code, and creating every asset by hand. That’s not realistic for most of us, especially if we’re just starting. These days, “from scratch” usually means starting with an empty project in a game engine and slowly building up your own game idea using the tools that exist.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Engines like Unity, Unreal, Godot, or even beginner-friendly tools like GameMaker and Construct give you a starting point. Think of them like a kitchen: you still have to cook the meal, but you don’t have to build the stove.
Start Small (Like, Really Small)
The biggest mistake beginners make is starting with their dream game first: a huge open world RPG or a massive online shooter. That’s like trying to write a 1,000-page novel before you’ve ever finished a short story.
A better approach is to start tiny:
- A simple 2D platformer with one level
- A basic top-down game where you move and avoid enemies
- A puzzle game with just a few levels
Your first goal shouldn’t be “make the perfect game.” It should be “finish a game.” Even a rough, ugly, short game that actually works is a huge win. You’ll learn way more from finishing something small than from half-building something big.
Learning the Pieces One by One
Making a game is basically combining a bunch of small skills:
- Moving a character on the screen
- Detecting collisions (like when you hit a wall or an enemy)
- Keeping score or health
- Making simple menus and restart screens
The cool thing is that the internet is full of step-by-step tutorials. You can literally follow along with a YouTube video and build a tiny game in a weekend. You might not fully understand everything at first, but with time, pieces start to click.
You don’t need to be a pro artist either. You can use free assets. The same goes for sounds and music. It’s totally fine to use placeholder art or simple shapes when you’re learning.
It Will Be Messy, and That’s Normal
Your first game will probably look bad, feel clunky, and have weird bugs. You might be the only person who ever plays it. That doesn’t mean you failed. It means you started.
Every finished game, no matter how small, is proof that you can go from idea to reality. Once you do it one time, the second game will be a little better, and the third will be better than that. Over time, you’ll look back at your first attempt and laugh—but you’ll also be glad you made it.
So… Can You Really Do It?
Yes, you can make your own video game from scratch, at home, with a normal computer and free tools. It won’t be perfect, and it won’t be easy, but it’s actually possible. Start tiny, follow tutorials, don’t be afraid to “borrow” free assets, and focus on finishing something.
The moment you see a character move on the screen because of code you wrote or rules you set up, it feels kind of magical. That’s when you realize: “Wow, I really am making a game.”