How Many Entities Can Modern Hardware Handle in Video Games?

The number of entities you can simulate really varies based on several factors. One major aspect is the CPU—how fast it is, how many cores it has, and if the code is optimized for multi-core usage. Games have different complexities, so what works for one might not apply to another. And speaking of your idea with 10,000 Doom sprites, pretty interesting! There's actually a cool video by ex-Microsoft employee Dave Plummer where he runs multiple instances of Doom at once. It's worth checking out!

It really comes down to how demanding your game is. If the engine and assets are resource-heavy, you might struggle with even a few characters. A simpler game, however, can allow for a lot more—potentially 10,000 or even more. Don’t forget that multiplayer can add lag since every computer needs to communicate with one another, which adds extra overhead.

What are you aiming for with this? Are you just curious about the tech, or are you actually planning to develop a massive game? Context could be everything here!

There's technically no hard cap on the number of entities you could simulate with enough engineering. Since your screen has a limited pixel count, any entities that can't fit could just be discarded without losing the essence of the game. It’s all about perception; the game doesn’t need to be perfectly realistic as long as it looks good!

10k entities isn't outrageous. For reference, Cossacks 3 can handle over 30k units on a battlefield. Now, for multiplayer, the limiting factor is network latency. Years ago, a ping under 150 ms was seen as good, but today gamers expect 30 ms or lower. As long as not too many objects are on screen at once, simulating millions of them could be feasible. Think of a space sim where physics allows for some leeway in terms of turns and firing—current technology could support a few million players!