Cocos vs Defold:Which is more popular?
In October 2026, Cocos and Defold were level in searches among game engines worldwide, with an estimated 11K versus 12.1K branded searches, at 0.85% and 0.94% of the total. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about game engines, Defold appeared in one of the five answers and Cocos in none.
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Top game engines in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Defold was mentioned in one out of five: not in any of the three ChatGPT answers, but in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Cocos did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Godot5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Unity5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
GameMaker4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Unreal Engine4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
GDevelop2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Construct2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Phaser2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
RPG Maker1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Defold1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Cocos0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about game engines
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best game engine for beginners?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which game engine should I use for a 2D game?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best game engines?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“game engine”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“free game engine”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 27, 2026.
Is Cocos or Defold more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Cocos and Defold by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all 12 game engines we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Defold, Cocos. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | GameMaker | Unreal Engine | GDevelop | Godot | Construct | RPG Maker | Unity | LÖVE | CRYENGINE | Defold | Cocos | Phaser |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | 24.4% | 18.2% | 12.2% | 9.1% | 14.9% | 6.7% | 8.7% | 1.3% | 1.6% | 0.73% | 1.2% | 0.87% |
| Dec 2025 | 26.4% | 19.7% | 10.8% | 9.8% | 10.8% | 7.2% | 9% | 1.4% | 1.8% | 0.79% | 1.2% | 0.94% |
| Jan 2026 | 24.5% | 22.4% | 12.3% | 9.1% | 10% | 8.2% | 7.5% | 1.3% | 1.6% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 1% |
| Feb 2026 | 24.9% | 18.6% | 12.5% | 9.3% | 12.5% | 8.3% | 8.5% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 0.75% | 1.2% | 0.88% |
| Mar 2026 | 23.2% | 17.3% | 14.1% | 9.5% | 14.1% | 7.7% | 8.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 0.85% | 1.2% | 0.98% |
| Apr 2026 | 24.7% | 18.4% | 15% | 9.9% | 12.3% | 6.8% | 7.2% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 0.9% | 1.2% | 0.88% |
| May 2026 | 23.6% | 17.6% | 14.4% | 11.1% | 11.8% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1% | 0.86% |
| Jun 2026 | 20.4% | 22.8% | 12.5% | 12% | 10.2% | 6.8% | 10% | 1.4% | 1.1% | 0.91% | 1.1% | 0.77% |
| Jul 2026 | 20.9% | 19.1% | 12.8% | 13.8% | 7% | 7% | 14.5% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 0.77% | 1% | 0.79% |
| Aug 2026 | 20.3% | 18.5% | 15.1% | 14.2% | 8.3% | 6.8% | 11.8% | 1.4% | 1.1% | 0.75% | 0.96% | 0.65% |
| Sep 2026 | 19.7% | 18% | 14.7% | 12.9% | 12% | 6.6% | 11.5% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 0.8% | 0.63% |
| Oct 2026 | 21% | 19.1% | 15.6% | 15% | 12.8% | 7% | 4.9% | 1.1% | 0.94% | 0.94% | 0.85% | 0.64% |
How has branded search for Cocos and Defold changed worldwide over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 3 times in the 12 months ending October 2026: Defold took it in May 2026, Cocos took it in June 2026, Defold took it in September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Cocos’ share of searches among game engines worldwide moved from 1.2% to 0.85%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 16.5K to 11K.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Defold’s share of searches among game engines worldwide moved from 0.73% to 0.94%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 9.9K to 12.1K.
How did search popularity change for game engines worldwide in October 2026?
2 changes
In October 2026, Defold fell from 9th to 10th among game engines worldwide.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Cocos worldwide fell 33.3% over 12 measured months, from 16.5K to 11K in October 2026.
How are Cocos’ and Defold’s branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Cocos’ and Defold’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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