Packaging — Unreal Engine 5 Docs

Build Configurations

Configuration	Optimizations	Use Case
Debug	None — all symbols, no inlining	Deep C++ debugging with full call stacks. Very slow to run.
DebugGame	Engine optimized, game code debug	Debug your game code while running engine at normal speed.
Development	Moderate — console, logging, PIE	Daily development. Editor features, hot reload, logging enabled.
Test	Like Shipping + some testing tools	QA builds. Near-shipping performance with profiling hooks.
Shipping	Full — no logging, no cheats, LTO	Final release. All debug features stripped. Maximum performance.

Cooking Assets

Cooking converts raw .uasset files into platform-specific binary formats: textures compress to DXT/BC7 (PC), ASTC (mobile), or PVRTC (iOS); shaders compile for the target RHI (DX12, Vulkan, Metal).

Cook via Platforms → <Target> → Package Project in the editor toolbar, or via Unreal Automation Tool (UAT) from the command line:

bash

# Windows — package for Win64 Shipping
Engine/Build/BatchFiles/RunUAT.bat BuildCookRun \
  -project="MyProject/MyProject.uproject" \
  -noP4 -platform=Win64 \
  -clientconfig=Shipping \
  -cook -build -stage -pak -archive \
  -archivedirectory="D:/Builds/MyProject"

ℹ️

Iterative Cooking

Add -iterate to UAT to only re-cook assets that changed since the last build. Drastically reduces cook time for large projects.

Supported Target Platforms

Platform	RHI	Notes
Windows (x64)	DX11 / DX12 / Vulkan	Primary target. Full feature set including Nanite, Lumen.
PlayStation 5	GNM/GNMX	Requires Sony dev kit and licensed SDK.
Xbox Series X\|S	DX12	Requires Microsoft GDK and partner access.
macOS (ARM/x64)	Metal	Nanite and Lumen supported on Apple Silicon.
Android	Vulkan / OpenGL ES3.2	Nanite on high-end Android (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2+).
iOS / iPadOS	Metal	A15+ for Lumen mobile mode.
Linux (x64)	Vulkan	Full feature support. Requires separate toolchain.

PAK Files & Asset Streaming

The -pak flag bundles all cooked assets into a .pak archive. For large games, split content across multiple PAKs using Chunk IDs assigned in the Asset Manager or via PrimaryAssetLabel assets. The runtime chunk downloader then streams PAKs on demand — enabling DLC and reduced initial download size.

Shipping Optimization Checklist

Set texture compression to BC7 (PC) for best quality/size ratio.
Enable Texture Streaming — stream mips on demand rather than loading all mips upfront.
Set r.Nanite.MaxPixelsPerEdge for target hardware to reduce overdraw.
Profile with Unreal Insights before shipping — identify CPU/GPU frame time hotspots.
Strip debug symbols (-nodebuginfo) from shipping builds to reduce package size.
Use Asset Audit (Window → Developer Tools → Asset Audit) to identify oversized assets.
Enable Shader Compression in Project Settings → Packaging.

⚠️

Console Certification

PlayStation and Xbox require passing a Technical Requirements Checklist (TRC/XR) before submission. Common failures: startup time, save system behavior, and accessibility options. Plan for this in your release schedule.

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