Game Engines
Ongoing coverage on Game Engines.
Latest coverage
Black Flag Resynced is the shonkiest Assassin's Creed in years, but therein, I think, lies its charm
This article discusses the "Black Flag Resynced" remake, highlighting its charmingly wonky physics and graphical quirks as fitting for the original game's anti-hero, Edward Kenway. Despite being built on a modern engine, the remake retains the original's structure while re-envisioning environments and character models, offering a nostalgic yet flawed experience that justifies its existence through deeper gameplay elements.
What happened when one game writer tried making a game in 30 days with Godot
A game writer details their 30-day journey creating a game using the Godot engine, aiming to assess its approachability for solo developers. Despite encountering common development hurdles and bugs, the author found Godot to be a more accessible tool compared to larger engines, ultimately fostering a sense of accomplishment for a solo creator.
Heroes of Might and Magic 2 project fheroes2 version 1.1.16 is out now
The fheroes2 project has released version 1.1.16 of its Heroes of Might and Magic II engine, with a significant focus on improving the map editor. New features include drag-to-draw for roads and streams, object copying, and the ability to place objects beyond map edges. The update also brings faster startup times, Esperanto language support, and numerous bug fixes.
"Hydra is polished and battle-tested" – Why Saber Interactive is opening up its live-ops tool all developers
Saber Interactive has made its proprietary live-ops tool, Hydra, available to all developers. Head of game services Dmitri Brevdo explained that the battle-tested platform supports functions like cross-platform play and matchmaking, and can be integrated into games using Unreal Engine 5, Unity, or Saber's Swarm engine. The usage-based pricing model is designed to be cost-effective, with Saber aiming to balance standardization and flexibility for future integrations.
Advocating for Godot: A report from A Maze Berlin | Opinion
The A Maze Berlin festival highlighted the growing adoption of the open-source Godot engine among indie developers, positioning it as a strong competitor to Unity. Developers praised Godot's documentation and free accessibility, especially after Unity's controversial Runtime Fee policy. While Godot's 3D capabilities are still developing, its rapid progress and community embrace suggest it may soon rival or surpass Unity in many areas.
Yoshi And The Mysterious Book Game Engine Seemingly Revealed
Information surfaced suggesting that Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, a Nintendo Switch exclusive, is powered by Unreal Engine 5. This detail was reportedly found within the game's preload licenses, with previous title Yoshi's Crafted World using Unreal Engine 4.
Forza Horizon 6 review: "A sublime racing engine supercharges this stunning, Japan-set open world, but can sometimes feel a bit too safe"
Forza Horizon 6 is hailed as the best entry in the series, featuring a vast and detailed open world set in Japan, powered by a sublime racing engine. While it offers over 100 hours of solo content and infinite online potential, the game's racing mechanics are criticized for being too safe and bland, and its scenery can feel destructible to a fault.
Former Epic tech director announces The Immense Engine, his AI-heavy "European alternative" to Unreal
Former Epic Games technical director and Guerrilla Games co-founder Arjan Brussee has announced The Immense Engine, a new game engine he is developing with a focus on European hosting and AI integration. Brussee claims the engine will be a European alternative to Unreal Engine and Unity, and also touts potential applications for the defense industry through simulation and training.
Industry veteran Arjan Brussee announces plans to build European-based games engine
Industry veteran Arjan Brussee, co-founder of Guerrilla Games, has announced plans to develop a new European-based game engine called the Immense Engine. Brussee aims to create an alternative to existing engines like Unreal and Unity, emphasizing European hosting and compliance with local regulations, and plans to integrate advanced AI features into the development process.
Guerrilla Games Co-Founder, Former Epic Games Developer is Building a New “European” Game Engine
Arjan Brussee, co-founder of Guerrilla Games and former Epic Games developer, is creating a new European game engine called Immense Engine. The engine aims to be fully hosted and compliant with European regulations, offering an alternative to US and China-based engines. It will feature integrated AI tools and a design philosophy that differs from current engines like Unreal Engine.
Guerrilla Games co-founder developing European game engine to rival Unreal and Unity
Guerrilla Games co-founder Arjan Brussee is developing 'The Immensive Engine' as a European alternative to Unreal and Unity, emphasizing European hosting and compliance with local guidelines. The engine will integrate AI from the ground up, aiming to offer studios more choice and leverage AI for efficient development. Separately, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii discussed the potential of AI companions in games, envisioning them as friends to players and confirming Dragon Quest 12 is still in development.
Acting legend Andy Serkis says video games are art: ‘I don’t see any difference between [games] and acting in films or on stage’
Actor Andy Serkis believes video games are a legitimate art form, drawing parallels between game development and acting in film or on stage. He notes the significant growth of the gaming industry and its increasing integration with filmmaking, citing the use of game engines like Unreal Engine 5 in modern movie production.
Game and Mod Development
A co-founder of Guerilla Games, who is also an Epic Games veteran, is developing a European alternative to Unreal Engine. This initiative aims to provide a new option for game development within the European market.
How a trio of Canadian modders stumbled into making an official Die Hard game: 'I've had projects disappear that had 10 times the promise that this did'
This article details the journey of Canadian modders Russ Bullock, Bryan Ekman, and Jay Holtslander as they transformed an unofficial Half-Life mod into the official Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza game. The founders of Piranha Games faced challenges with engine choices, creative differences, and the transition from modding to commercial development, ultimately leading to Holtslander's departure before the game's release.
Indie games have built a thriving economy in territory traditional publishers abandoned or ignored | Opinion
The indie game market has quietly become a significant economic force, occupying niches abandoned by traditional publishers and fostering new genres. Data from the Godot engine shows substantial growth in game releases and developer adoption, partly fueled by Unity's controversial runtime fee policy. This expansion has created a thriving ecosystem with its own infrastructure and economy, demonstrating that the barrier to reaching a mass audience for indie developers is lower than ever.
This Black Flag Resynced comparison to the original perfectly shows just how far graphics have come since 2013
A comparison of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Resynced with the original 2013 game highlights significant advancements in graphical fidelity, including lighting, shaders, and texture quality. The remake also features improved draw distance and atmospheric effects, showcasing the capabilities of Ubisoft's Anvil engine.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced uses the same engine as Shadows to offer "dynamic weather," "destructible objects," and way better water
The upcoming remake Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced will utilize the same Anvil Engine as Assassin's Creed Shadows. This allows for upgraded features such as dynamic weather and destructible objects, enhancing the original pirate adventure's ocean experience.
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Reaches 1 Million Wishlists in One Week
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced has achieved one million wishlists across all platforms within a week of its reveal. The remake, launching July 9th, is built on Ubisoft's Anvil Engine and features enhanced parkour and dynamic weather. However, it will not include PvP or DLC content from the original game.
GameMaker launches GMRT: The runtime professional developers have been waiting for
GameMaker has launched GMRT, a new runtime designed to meet the demands of professional developers with features like CLI tooling, AI workflows powered by Claude Code, and improved 3D handling. The update also introduces GM-CLI for command-line development and plans to add JavaScript, TypeScript, and C# support, along with source-available access.
Injustice 3 Reportedly Spotted on Warner Bros. Artist’s Resume
A Warner Bros. Games artist's resume has reportedly listed Injustice 3 as being in development, alongside the confirmed Hogwarts Legacy 2. This listing follows previous leaks and suggests the game could be developed by NetherRealm Studios after their work on Mortal Kombat 1, potentially utilizing Unreal Engine 4.
