Game Engines
Ongoing coverage on Game Engines.
Latest coverage
GTA 6 is taking so long that Rockstar has "probably rebuilt the entirety of the Rage Engine," former GTA 5 and LA Noire dev says: "I'll be amazed if they didn't"
A former Rockstar Games developer, Rob Carr, speculates that the extended development time for Grand Theft Auto 6 is likely due to Rockstar rebuilding its Rage Engine from scratch. Carr, who previously worked on Grand Theft Auto 5 and L.A. Noire, believes this extensive engine work is the primary reason for the long wait for the new title.
GTA 6 Team “Probably Rebuilt the Entire RAGE Engine,” Says Former Rockstar Audio Engineer
Former Rockstar audio engineer Rob Carr speculates that Rockstar Games likely rebuilt the entire RAGE Engine from scratch for Grand Theft Auto 6 due to its extended development cycle. He notes significant advancements in technology since Grand Theft Auto 5, which was released across three console generations. The article also touches on potential mechanics carried over from previous titles and Grand Theft Auto Online.
Counter-Strike 2 gets a Beta with a fancy new animation system
Counter-Strike 2 has received a beta update introducing the Animgraph 2 animation system, which reduces CPU and networking costs. This update includes re-authored third-person animations adjusted based on player feedback and improvements to player height consistency on sloped surfaces. The game also received engine code updates and various gameplay and sound adjustments.
Garry's Mod creator partners with Valve in deal that ensures games made in his sandbox gem's new successor can be sold royalty-free on Steam: "It's just waiting for us now"
Valve and Garry Newman have partnered to allow creations made in S&box, the successor to Garry's Mod, to be sold royalty-free on Steam. This deal ensures creators using the Source 2 engine-based tool will receive full returns, similar to using Unity. S&box is set to launch publicly in April, with some games already listed on Steam.
Facepunch signed a license with Valve to allow standalone releases from s&box
Facepunch Studios has signed a new licensing agreement with Valve that allows users of its Source 2-based game, s&box, to export and release their creations as standalone games on Steam royalty-free. This development, a spiritual successor to Garry's Mod, aims to foster a diverse ecosystem of player-made and independent titles. The company is also working on its own licensing framework for developers and plans to pilot the feature with select individuals.
Red Storm Entertainment Was Working on 10 Games Before Development Team Was Laid Off – Rumor
Ubisoft's Red Storm Entertainment reportedly had 10 games in development before its development team was laid off, with projects ranging from support for live-service titles like Brawlhalla and Rainbow Six Siege to unannounced concepts. The studio has been refocused to support the Snowdrop Engine and serve as a global IT team following the layoffs, which affected 105 employees.
Pearl Abyss Releases Crimson Desert Globally - GameHaunt
Pearl Abyss has announced that Crimson Desert will launch globally on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Mac, Epic Games Store, and ROG Xbox Ally. The open-world action-adventure game features full voice acting in English, Korean, and Chinese, with subtitles in 14 languages. Players will step into the role of Kliff, a warrior tasked with reuniting his scattered people and reclaiming their home.
Colossal Order's biggest mistake working on Cities: Skylines 2? Banking on not-quite-ready Unity features
Mariina Hallikainen, CEO of Colossal Order, stated that the studio overestimated Unity's capabilities during the development of Cities: Skylines 2, banking on unfinalized features. This led to significant development hurdles as the team had to build or replace missing functionalities. Despite these challenges, Hallikainen expressed a positive relationship with Unity and confirmed Colossal Order is working on a new PC simulation game using the same engine.
Ubisoft is Ending Game Development at Tom Clancy Studio Red Storm Entertainment and Laying Off 105
Ubisoft is reportedly ending game development at its Red Storm Entertainment studio, resulting in the layoff of 105 employees. The studio will transition to a support role for IT and the company's Snowdrop engine. This move is part of a larger restructuring effort by Ubisoft, which has also led to game cancellations and delays.
Sustainable Games Alliance drives game engine energy efficiency with new power-saving plugins
The Sustainable Games Alliance (SGA) has released three new power-saving plugins for Unreal Engine, Unity, and Godot to improve energy efficiency in game development. These plugins dynamically reduce frame rates and rendering resolution during player idle times, potentially extending battery life on handheld devices by up to 15% and reducing carbon emissions. The initiative aims to foster industry-wide collaboration on sustainability.
Ubisoft Just Ceased Game Development At The Studio That Created Rainbow Six - Report
Ubisoft subsidiary Red Storm Entertainment has reportedly laid off over 100 developers and ceased active game development. The studio, co-founded by Tom Clancy and known for creating the Rainbow Six series, will now focus on supporting the Snowdrop game engine, IT services, and customer relations. This shift follows the cancellation of The Division Heartland and a Splinter Cell VR game, and the underperformance of Assassin's Creed Nexus VR.
Cities: Skylines 2 boss says they 'completely overestimated' the Unity engine's capabilities
Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive have parted ways on Cities: Skylines 2, with Iceflake Studios now handling patches for the city builder due to optimization and feature issues. Colossal Order is moving forward with a new PC simulation game, also in Unity, but plans to use the engine more effectively.
Elder Scrolls 6 Development Could Go Smoother Than Starfield For A Key Reason
Todd Howard, studio head at Bethesda Game Studios, stated that The Elder Scrolls 6's development should be smoother than Starfield's due to improved use of their Creation Engine 3. The team is focused on refining the engine alongside development, avoiding the challenges faced during Starfield's creation with Creation Engine 2. Howard also confirmed Bethesda's commitment to their proprietary engine over alternatives like Unreal Engine.
The Elder Scrolls 6 Has “The Majority of This Building” Working On It, Says Todd Howard
Todd Howard, director of The Elder Scrolls 6, stated that the majority of Bethesda Game Studios' developers are working on the upcoming RPG. He also mentioned that the game will be significantly different from previous titles like Starfield and Fallout, and that the studio has made substantial improvements to its Creation Engine for its development.
Starfield’s Development Taught Bethesda Lessons About Handling the Engine for The Elder Scrolls 6
Bethesda director Todd Howard revealed that the development of Starfield provided valuable lessons for handling the Creation Engine, which has been upgraded to Creation Engine 3 for The Elder Scrolls 6. Despite initial challenges in the transition, the team is reportedly happy with the current state of the technology and its progress.
"We've really done a good job... with Starfield, we struggled" - Bethesda boss Todd Howard offers brief The Elder Scrolls 6 update, hints at more efficient development this time
Bethesda boss Todd Howard provided an update on The Elder Scrolls 6, stating that lessons learned from Starfield's development, particularly regarding engine integration and managing technical changes, are being applied. He indicated that the game's builds are consistently working, a significant improvement over Starfield's earlier development stages. Howard also humorously downplayed the game's existence, advising fans to pretend the 2018 announcement never happened.
Crimson Desert Looks Like A Masterclass In Graphics
Crimson Desert is being developed with Pearl Abyss's proprietary BlackSpace engine, aiming for unparalleled realism through advanced graphical features like ray tracing, volumetric fog, and realistic water rendering. The article highlights how the custom engine allows for seamless open-world exploration and dynamic environmental interactions, with a focus on achieving film-level visual fidelity and smooth performance on PC.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 wins Game of the Year at Game Developers Choice Awards 2026
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has won Game of the Year at the Game Developers Choice Awards 2026. Lightspeed Studios, a Tencent subsidiary, also revealed its new proprietary development framework, which prioritizes artistic identity and direction over raw graphical power.
Pearl Abyss Unveils PC and Console Performance Specs for Crimson Desert - GameHaunt
Pearl Abyss has revealed the PC and console performance specifications for Crimson Desert, set to launch on March 20, 2025. The open-world action RPG will be available for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Mac, with detailed requirements for various performance targets including 4K at 60fps on high-end PCs and consoles. The game utilizes Pearl Abyss's proprietary BlackSpace Engine.
Crimson Desert PC, Console, and Mac Specs Revealed by Pearl Abyss — Too Much Gaming | Video Games Reviews, News, & Guides
Pearl Abyss has revealed the PC and console system requirements for their upcoming open-world game, Crimson Desert. The developers are optimistic about the game's polish, noting it went gold in January. The game is built on Pearl Abyss's proprietary BlackSpace Engine and is expected to feature a main story lasting 50-80 hours.
