Niantic Studio, part of the 8th Wall ecosystem, is a browser‑based editor aimed at quickly creating WebXR scenes. It excels at face filters and simple AR effects but relies on JavaScript frameworks behind the scenes, which limits performance and requires an internet connection. Wonderland Engine is a compiled WebAssembly engine with a native editor and a pipeline that packs assets into a fast‑loading binary format. For quick AR experiments Niantic Studio is convenient; when you need a performant game engine that can handle large project scopes and scales to VR and complex interactions, try Wonderland Engine.
Why Wonderland Engine?
Offline workflow
Niantic Studio runs entirely in the browser and stores your data in the cloud. Wonderland Engine runs locally, integrates with your code editor and source control, and doesn’t lock you into a vendor’s platform.
Compiled performance
Web‑based editors rely on JavaScript frameworks; performance suffers on large scenes. Wonderland Engine is written in C++/WebAssembly, automatically batches draw calls and supports large textures for maximum performance.
Integrated asset pipeline
Wonderland Engine’s editor compresses and optimizes assets into a compact binary for fast loading, whereas web builders often leave optimization to the developer, leading to long load times.
Advanced features
Niantic Studio focuses on face effects and simple WebXR interactions. Wonderland Engine supports VR, complex gameplay, networking and physics, letting you build full games and applications.