Unreal Engine 3 coming to Wii (but not by Epic)
by Ross Miller 
{ Nov 23rd 2007 at 8:00AM }
Epic Vice President Mark Rein has said repeatedly that they will not port their popular Unreal Engine 3 to the Wii, but that isn't stopping others from doing the conversion for them. In an interview with Kikizo, Rein has stated that an unnamed licensee is bringing the engine to Nintendo's console."It's their own port, in the same way Ubisoft brought Unreal Engine 2 to the Wii [for Red Steel]," he said, noting prior to that response, "I just don't see a big market there to bring this big hulking memory intensive engine over to a much smaller system."
We tend to think Rein might have a point, given the Wii's hardware limitations in relation to Epic's goal with Unreal Engine 3. Then again, developers don't usually go through the labor-intensive process of porting engines to consoles unless there are either tools that streamline the development process or they're looking to go multiplatform. (If it's the latter, we'd suspect a major studio like Ubisoft or Electronic Arts.)
Option three, of course, is that someone is hoping to fail and get in on some of the lawsuit frenzy. It'd be just like The Producers for the video game industry!
[Thanks, Cam]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
lanorth @ Nov 23rd 2007 8:08AM
first post!
License to ill @ Nov 23rd 2007 9:23AM
Yes you are the first
To be whited out...
MysticX @ Nov 23rd 2007 8:09AM
Let´s just see who goes laughing to the bank with all of our money, Nintendo or Mark Rein.
Deuz Augustine @ Nov 23rd 2007 9:35AM
Fucking costumers and their fucking anime conventions.
Deuz Augustine @ Nov 23rd 2007 9:35AM
WHAT THE HELL, I MEANT TO REPLY TO POST BENEATH THIS
MY HILARIOUS JOKE BASED ON THE OBVIOUS TYPO OF CUSTOMER -- COSTUMER -- HAS FAILED
Kassu @ Nov 23rd 2007 8:35AM
"I just don't see a big market there to bring this big hulking memory intensive engine over to a much smaller system."
Guys like this should not f****ing work in the gaming industry.
ark_v2 @ Nov 23rd 2007 8:45AM
For this one I agree with him. UE3 would really show up on the wii so it isn't even cost effective (and therefore it isn't for the costumer neither).
Chilly Willy @ Nov 23rd 2007 9:27AM
@ ark_v2:
I HATE the term "costumer." As a HS business teacher, I see students turning in major projects and saying "costumer" when they meant to say "consumer." Irks me to no end.
~End Rant :)
Dnice @ Nov 23rd 2007 8:48AM
Sweet... Finally!!!
2008 marks the beginning of quality graphically looking games. 2007 had way too many games (some great AAA titles) using old engines (PS2 quality or worse like that crap farCry) that looked real poor on the Wii. I have a funny feeling that the first game to use and set a new graphical bar for the Wii is Red Steel 2.
I just have this funny feeling its Ubisoft thats going to be the first to use and show that Wii can run Unreal Engine 3... if done right I am sure more developers will follow.
Rob Accomando @ Nov 23rd 2007 8:58AM
I hope it's not Unreal engine 1 and 2 duck taped together.
DemonGSides @ Nov 23rd 2007 1:00PM
oOo a good pun.
+1 to you sir.
Brucie B @ Nov 23rd 2007 9:25AM
Poor Wii.... With all that 'Hulking Memory' wont that lil guy just Blow!
Evan @ Nov 23rd 2007 9:41AM
The best part is how Mark Rein admits the Unreal 3 engine is a memory hog. Why is he proud of code bloat? Well written code is efficient and module. Even on a powerful system like the PS3, a leaner engine leaves more memory available for the game's maps and textures, and more processing available for the game's logic and AI.
Zelos @ Nov 23rd 2007 10:11AM
There is often a trade-off between memory usage and performance.
With something like 15% of the memory of the bigger consoles, those trade offs might make less sense on the Wii. Code size has very little to do with memory usage.
Vidikron (FU) @ Nov 23rd 2007 4:31PM
Using that logic we may as well try and put the UE3 engine on the PSX. Sorry, but just because the engine requires a certain base level of system specs to run properly doesn't mean it's bloated. The Wii is way behind the technology curve, shit like this is going to happen.
Jeff @ Nov 23rd 2007 10:41AM
It's memory intensive because it's meant to do a lot: have high poly models, huge textures, great shaders and postprocessing...
There's no point. You might as well use UE2.
The only good side to this would be if they come out with a decent multiplatform game that runs with reduced textures/shaders/everything on Wii at 30 FPS and higher everything else at 60 FPS on other consoles.
Mr Khan @ Nov 23rd 2007 10:43AM
I don't see what kind of difference it'll make. Red Steel used UE (granted it was a modded version of UE2, and not 3) and looked like crap
Games like Secret Rings, Metroid Prime 3, NiGHTS 2, and Galaxy don't, and they look great (two of which are 3rd party)
But more development tools for any console is nice, i guess
Jeff @ Nov 23rd 2007 10:45AM
Yay for every game looking cartoony due to hardware limitations!
Admiral_Mike @ Nov 23rd 2007 1:51PM
Metroid isn't cartoony
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Nov 23rd 2007 6:46PM
better cartoony than generic shiny graphics with shades of 500 different kinds of brown.
Fernando Rocker @ Nov 23rd 2007 11:11AM
It's very possible... I mean, it will only be at 480p resolution, instead of 720 or 1080.
Thats a lot of memory saving.
Fernando Rocker @ Nov 23rd 2007 11:14AM
And the audio will only un Dolby ProLogic II instead of 7.1 or 5.1
Thats a lot of memory saving too.
Joe @ Nov 24th 2007 12:20PM
480p... pro logic II... ugh.
such low standards.
is it debauchery to want more than that?
Clack @ Nov 23rd 2007 12:21PM
Resistance is futile.
Also, a 480i game on the Wii will only have to process approximately 1/8th the graphical data that a 1080p game has to. If the port is handled by competent people, it should turn out ok.
lilco187 @ Nov 23rd 2007 12:34PM
Oh how they all hate...
Wii continues to show up all doubters, and they continue to doubt. Pretty soon the install base will be so great that the hate will lessen to a near-deaf whisper.
Dnice @ Nov 23rd 2007 12:41PM
Just to let some of you guys know... many 360 games are not even up to 720p quality like for example the great Halo 3 and the game sweet... Wii doesn't have to go to 720p...if with the use of this engine the Wii can be between 480 and 720P then I am happy. I am still sure it has to be Ubisoft thats starting the push for better graphics on the Wii with Red Steel 2. Time will tell... 2008 is going to be sweet for Wii and PS3.
iisjreg @ Nov 23rd 2007 1:22PM
Woah. Coherent thought?
EvilIlluminated @ Nov 23rd 2007 12:49PM
I'm fairly certain the game in question is Rock Band.
Shockgamer @ Nov 23rd 2007 12:50PM
Like trying to stick a nuke into a bubblegum wrapper.
License to ill @ Nov 23rd 2007 1:14PM
You're getting your hopes up, only to be disappointed Wii will never be in the same class graphically as the PS3 or 360, sorry it ain't gonna happen...
First party Nintendo games will always be the A class of this system.
Abuzar @ Nov 23rd 2007 10:38PM
No shit really. You're a retard, nobody said it would be on par with Xbox 360 or PS3, just that they might port over UE3 to Wii. Which in turn, if done right, might introduce very good looking games to the Wii. They wont look like Gears of War, but they'll look good.
License to ill @ Nov 24th 2007 7:06AM
I'm sure there's a ton of potential hidden in the underpowered wii. It should hit Xbox 1 graphics by next Nov...
chalito @ Nov 23rd 2007 1:52PM
I thought tomb raider anniversary looked great on wii, and I bet there's still room for more.
Abscissa @ Nov 23rd 2007 3:36PM
Mark Rein, wow, what a douchebag.
And to be honest, I don't give a flying fuck if a UE3 game looks worse on a Wii than on 360 or PS3. That's because I'm not a graphics whore. And not being a graphics whore is why I went with the Wii in the first place.
Vidikron (FU) @ Nov 23rd 2007 4:33PM
And if you're not a graphics whore then you should be happy with the UE2 engine. That's part of the point. This is not difficult to grasp.
Daran @ Nov 23rd 2007 9:54PM
No, he doesn't have to be content with the UE2 engine, when the Wii can have the UE3 engine.
He did say however, that he was content with graphics a class lower than PS3/360. If the Wii can manage the engine, then fine. Don't try to throw your Nintendo bias into this, by trying to show that your console of choice has a pseudo superiority because it can run a higher class engine.
GamerG @ Nov 23rd 2007 5:49PM
If the PS3 is not powerful enough to run the unreal engine what makes anyone think the Wii can?
Joe @ Nov 24th 2007 12:29PM
and you call yourself a gamer? What engine do you think epic is using to run Unreal Tournament 3 on the ps3?
you're a FUCKing idiot.
here's a clue, it's a newer verison of the Unreal Engine 3 than the one used for gears of war.
WedgeTalon @ Nov 23rd 2007 8:14PM
I wanna be a producer!
And sleep until half-past two!
+1 to Mr Miller for The Producers reference. :D
ThornedVenom @ Nov 23rd 2007 8:38PM
Screw graphics: just get an awesome physics engine and you're gold.
Superstar90 @ Nov 23rd 2007 10:22PM
Guys, I heard the Unreal 3 Engine is being ported to mobile phones! and home phones too!
kilodelta @ Nov 24th 2007 12:45PM
the truth of the matter is this: games that aren't made by nintendo won't sell on the wii. unless you are porting resident evil or something.
its not economical to waste time porting (read: dumbing down) an engine to a system where it is FACT your games and games made with it won't sell.
Duscrom @ Nov 24th 2007 1:03PM
Wow... what a waste of time.
UT3 on Wii is going to BOMB! a) FPS on Wii aren't doing well, Metroid Prime 3 did dacently, and that's only cause it was a Metroid game. I mean.. Red Steel was such a high Quality game, ya know. I mean, let' see, UT3 is a hardcore, Online shooter... With Wii's shitty online presence?
And, i don't know why anyone thinks that UE3 will be a big deal on Wii. UE3 makes heavy use of programmable shaders, which Wii doesn't have. Wii UE3 games will look as good as UE2 games... I mean, you still have to use UE2 quality assets... and assets are everything.
I know this excites you Nintendo Fanboys, but many of us are looking at this logically, The Wii isn't about Online play, or fancy graphics. That's like 80% the point of UT3. The Wii's major audience won't play it, so it doesn't even make financial sense. This isn't even about Bias, or Graphics Whoring... or anything like that.. it's about considering the logic of the game. Wii fanboys want it cause it's a big name franchise they can brag about.. but... when it comes out, it's not going to be a very good experience. And porting the UE3 engine to Wii, is as pointless as running 7.1 on the DS. Sure, i bet the DS can run the CODE for 7.1 audio, but you're stuck using 2 speakers.
Abscissa @ Nov 24th 2007 4:40PM
Here's the problem with your allegedly "logical" argument:
There are many people, like myself, that have a Wii, like FPSes, and care more about having an actual pointing device than any of that high-def bullshit. We WOULD play FPSes on the Wii IF people actually bother put some descent ones onto it. But all of the UE developers have ditched UE2 and moved on to UE3. THAT is why we want UE3 on the Wii - so that we might actually finally get more than just a miniscule handful of half-assed FPSes.
ZippyDSMlee @ Nov 24th 2007 7:25PM
...... even at a lower res and some down tuning the UE3can look great and if they can stream line the porting process it will mean more games for the WII.
Altho...the WII has sucky disc space and no way to over come it.....
Uhg the WII wont make it past 3 years in this industry.......
Saiyangirl13 @ Nov 28th 2007 4:21PM
so what happens if the wii can actually get ue3 up and running...will the "wii is so underpowered" arguements go away because if thats so someone should get work on porting this thing...