Post
Building 3D worlds out of tiny cubes instead of polygons, enabling fully destructible and editable environments.
Voxels are the 3D equivalent of pixels: volumetric picture elements that represent a point in 3D space with a value like color, density, or material type. Instead of defining surfaces with triangles, voxel engines fill space with cubes or points on a 3D grid. This approach naturally enables features that polygon-based rendering struggles with: true volumetric destruction where you can carve holes through anything, fully editable terrain where every block can be placed or removed, and organic shapes like caves and tunnels that emerge naturally from noise functions. The challenge is efficiency, since representing fine detail requires enormous numbers of voxels, which is why most voxel engines use sparse octree structures to only store voxels where they are needed.
Example
Minecraft is the most iconic voxel game, with its entire world made of blocks that can be placed and destroyed. Teardown pushes voxel destruction to its extreme, with buildings that crumble, collapse, and shatter in physically simulated ways impossible in traditional polygon games. Deep Rock Galactic uses voxel terrain for its mineable cave systems, letting players dig through any surface. Upcoming technologies from companies like Euclideon have demonstrated point-cloud rendering that could bring voxel-like detail to photorealistic environments.
Why it matters
Voxel graphics represent a fundamentally different approach to building 3D worlds, one where the environment is a volume rather than a collection of surfaces. This unlocks gameplay possibilities like full destruction, terrain deformation, and emergent physics that polygon-based games cannot easily replicate. As hardware improves, the resolution of voxel worlds will continue to increase, blurring the line between blocky aesthetics and smooth realism.
Related concepts