Use of game engines in cartographic research: an introductory overview

Abstract

Technological progress plays a key role in the development of cartography, influencing the ways spatial information is produced, analysed, and communicated. In recent years, game engines have gained particular significance, benefiting from increasing computational performance, broad accessibility, and advancements in 3D visualization and Extended Reality (XR) technologies. These factors have contributed to their growing adoption beyond the entertainment industry, including in cartography. The aim of this article is to provide an introductory overview and discussion of existing research on the use of game engines in cartography, with particular emphasis on 3D visualizations, XR and user studies. The article highlights that the greatest advantages stem from reusing native functionalities of game engines and consciously integrating their technological capacities with principles of cartographic design. The conclusions indicate that game engines constitute a promising direction for the development of cartography, requiring further methodological studies, standardisation of procedures, and in‑depth analyses involving users.