Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
Unity’s new Unified Ray Tracing API lets you trace rays against scene meshes on the GPU without requiring RTX hardware. In this video we build a simple example from scratch that generates rays, traces them against scene geometry, reads the hit results back on the CPU, and visualizes the results in the Scene view. This offers a powerful GPU alternative to `physics.raycast`, improving computer graphics and opening new avenues for optimization.
Unity Discussions: discussions.unity.com/t/introducing-the-unifiedraytracing-api/1680597
Want to support me? 😀
Buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/adammyhre
🔔 Subscribe for more Unity Tutorials youtube.com/@git-amend
Discord: discord.gg/FDRZGQBBUC
#unity3d #gamedev #indiedev
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 Why Unified Ray Tracing?
0:56 Building the C# Side
6:45 Writing the .urtshader
8:55 Dispatch, Readback, and Visualization
15:00 Demo, Limitations, and Unity’s Recommended Workaround
*Source code:* github.com/adammyhre/Unified-Ray-Tracing
More Useful Code:
github.com/adammyhre?tab=repositories
Unity Utility Library: github.com/adammyhre/Unity-Utils
Lock Inspector Hotkey: gist.github.com/adammyhre/4754f731a93bf1cab0d1385ccfa23642
*Other Recommended Tools* _(Affiliate Links)_
Ultimate Preview - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/ultimate-preview-bundle-340976?aid=1101lw3sv
Mouse Shortcuts - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/mouse-button-shortcuts-and-selection-history-228013?aid=1101lw3sv
Init(args) - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/init-args-200530?aid=1101lw3sv
Wingman - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/wingman-your-inspector-s-best-friend-303181?aid=1101lw3sv
Favorites Window - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/favorites-window-123487?aid=1101lw3sv
Scene Notes - assetstore.unity.com/publishers/87819?aid=1101lw3sv
Beautify - assetstore.unity.com/packages/vfx/shaders/fullscreen-camera-effects/beautify-3-advanced-post-processing-233073?aid=1101lw3sv
Odin - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/odin-inspector-and-serializer-89041?aid=1101lw3sv?aid=1101lw3sv
Odin Validator - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/odin-validator-227861?aid=1101lw3sv
Hot Reload: assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/hot-reload-edit-code-without-compiling-254358?aid=1101lw3sv
Better Hierarchy: assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/better-hierarchy-272963?aid=1101lw3sv
Better Transform: assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/better-transform-size-notes-global-local-workspace-parent-child--321300?aid=1101lw3sv
Better Mesh Filter: assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/better-mesh-mesh-preview-full-insight-at-a-glance-321364?aid=1101lw3sv
Editor Console Pro: assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/editor-console-pro-11889?aid=1101lw3sv
Any Object Finder: assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/any-object-finder-286455?aid=1101lw3sv
Kybernetic Tools: assetstore.unity.com/publishers/16747?aid=1101lw3sv
Sisus Tools: assetstore.unity.com/publishers/41398?aid=1101lw3sv
Prime Tween - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/animation/primetween-high-performance-animations-and-sequences-252960?aid=1101lw3s
Rabbit Logger - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/rabbit-logger-305396?aid=1101lw3s
*Follow me!*
https://linktr.ee/gitamend
Unity’s new Unified Ray Tracing API lets you trace rays against scene meshes on the GPU without requiring RTX hardware. In this video we build a simple example from scratch that generates rays, traces them against scene geometry, reads the hit results back on the CPU, and visualizes the results in the Scene view. This offers a powerful GPU alternative to `physics.raycast`, improving computer graphics and opening new avenues for optimization.
Unity Discussions: discussions.unity.com/t/introducing-the-unifiedraytracing-api/1680597
Want to support me? 😀
Buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/adammyhre
🔔 Subscribe for more Unity Tutorials youtube.com/@git-amend
Discord: discord.gg/FDRZGQBBUC
#unity3d #gamedev #indiedev
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 Why Unified Ray Tracing?
0:56 Building the C# Side
6:45 Writing the .urtshader
8:55 Dispatch, Readback, and Visualization
15:00 Demo, Limitations, and Unity’s Recommended Workaround
*Source code:* github.com/adammyhre/Unified-Ray-Tracing
More Useful Code:
github.com/adammyhre?tab=repositories
Unity Utility Library: github.com/adammyhre/Unity-Utils
Lock Inspector Hotkey: gist.github.com/adammyhre/4754f731a93bf1cab0d1385ccfa23642
*Other Recommended Tools* _(Affiliate Links)_
Ultimate Preview - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/ultimate-preview-bundle-340976?aid=1101lw3sv
Mouse Shortcuts - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/mouse-button-shortcuts-and-selection-history-228013?aid=1101lw3sv
Init(args) - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/init-args-200530?aid=1101lw3sv
Wingman - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/wingman-your-inspector-s-best-friend-303181?aid=1101lw3sv
Favorites Window - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/favorites-window-123487?aid=1101lw3sv
Scene Notes - assetstore.unity.com/publishers/87819?aid=1101lw3sv
Beautify - assetstore.unity.com/packages/vfx/shaders/fullscreen-camera-effects/beautify-3-advanced-post-processing-233073?aid=1101lw3sv
Odin - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/odin-inspector-and-serializer-89041?aid=1101lw3sv?aid=1101lw3sv
Odin Validator - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/odin-validator-227861?aid=1101lw3sv
Hot Reload: assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/hot-reload-edit-code-without-compiling-254358?aid=1101lw3sv
Better Hierarchy: assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/better-hierarchy-272963?aid=1101lw3sv
Better Transform: assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/better-transform-size-notes-global-local-workspace-parent-child--321300?aid=1101lw3sv
Better Mesh Filter: assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/better-mesh-mesh-preview-full-insight-at-a-glance-321364?aid=1101lw3sv
Editor Console Pro: assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/editor-console-pro-11889?aid=1101lw3sv
Any Object Finder: assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/any-object-finder-286455?aid=1101lw3sv
Kybernetic Tools: assetstore.unity.com/publishers/16747?aid=1101lw3sv
Sisus Tools: assetstore.unity.com/publishers/41398?aid=1101lw3sv
Prime Tween - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/animation/primetween-high-performance-animations-and-sequences-252960?aid=1101lw3s
Rabbit Logger - assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/rabbit-logger-305396?aid=1101lw3s
*Follow me!*
https://linktr.ee/gitamend
