Why you should (or shouldn’t) save data with Unity’s PlayerPrefs

Unity developers often consider PlayerPrefs as a straightforward method for saving player data, but this class is better suited for storing application-specific settings rather than game progress. PlayerPrefs offers a simple interface for saving data types like string, float, and integer, but its limitations in data types and storage location make it unsuitable for complex game data. Instead, developers should use PlayerPrefs for configuration settings such as resolution and quality level, which remain consistent across multiple user sessions on the same device. For storing detailed game data, a more robust solution involves using Unity’s StreamWriter and JsonUtility to save data in JSON format, providing flexibility and readability, albeit with potential security concerns due to easy data modifiability. This approach offers a more suitable alternative for managing game data, allowing developers to implement custom file operations for local applications while considering security measures like encryption if necessary.