Joystiq

Grasshopper goes Unreal for EA horror franchise

Ross Miller — 2008-10-06T22:30:00+00:00

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

It may seem like a stretch, but we're keeping a close eye on every scrap of information surrounding the collaboration with Goichi "Suda51" Suda and Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami (as well as Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Q Entertainment). Publisher Electronic Arts has announced (via press release) that Suda51's studio Grasshopper Manufacture has licensed Epic's Unreal Engine 3 for the multiplatform horror franchise. We're curious what the use of UE3 means for the Wii version of the game, given Epic's non-support of the console.

Unfortunately, what's lacking in the press release is any information about the game itself. Said Epic VP Jay Wilbur, "Grasshopper Manufacture is one of the most daring and innovative studios in the world, and we can't wait to see what they're able to do with Unreal Engine 3." Welcome to the club, buddy.

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Capcom licenses Unreal engine for Euro-developed title

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2008-06-25T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Business

Capcom has announced that Epic's Unreal Engine will be providing the stunning and inevitably shiny visuals for another of its upcoming titles, a new project being developed somewhere in Europe. Keiji Inafune, Mega Managing corporate officer for Capcom, described the technology as "a perfect fit" for the unnamed title, deeming it capable of "ensuring a high-quality game experience." We rather like those.

The developers will also benefit from having "thorough knowledge" of Unreal Engine 3, though if they encounter any problems, they should send an e-mail to the folks working on Capcom's Unreal-powered jetpack-em-up, Dark Void.

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We have 360 Unreal Tournament III screenshots

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2008-06-11T19:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters, Online

click to enlarge

Actually ... we only have seven.

But they are new shots from the upcoming Xbox 360 version of Unreal Tournament III! We thought you might like to take a look at 'em before the game's summer release. In case you've forgotten, the Xbox 360 version of Epic's frantic fragfest features five "exclusive" maps, split-screen capabilities and two new characters.

Gallery: Unreal Tournament III (Xbox 360, 06/11)

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The Last Remnant hitting Xbox 360 first this Winter

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2008-06-10T07:31:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, RPGs

Though we're certain Square Enix's interpretation of words like "final" and "last" differs greatly from ours (o hai Final Fantasy XIX!), we think we're all in the same boat when it comes to "first," as in, "The Last Remnant will launch on the Xbox 360 first." Speaking at a Japanese Xbox 360 press conference (liveblogged by IGN), Square Enix revealed that the Unreal-powered RPG would be arriving on Microsoft's system first this Winter, with the PlayStation 3 version following at a later date.

The Last Remnant is still set to enjoy one of those newfangled worldwide releases, with North America, Europe and Japan receiving the Xbox 360 version simultaneously -- or at least, close to simultaneously.

[Trailer via X3F]

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Sega re-licenses Unreal Engine 3 for unknown cross-platform title

Ross Miller — 2008-05-27T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Business

Sega has extended its licensing agreement with Epic Games for use of Unreal Engine 3 with an "unannounced cross-platform title." According to the press release, details of the project will be announced at a later date.

If all this feels like deja vu, that's because it is. Sega's original license was announced in May 2007, except then it was for multiple unannounced projects, details of which were to follow. As of this writing, we still don't know what those titles were, and we couldn't find any news over the last year. Our then-best guess Condemned 2 uses Lithtech Jupiter EX. Universe at War and Sonic Unleashed utilize the Alamo and Hedgehog engines, respectively.

If May 2007 announced multiple unannounced titles, whatever happened to them? Is this a new game or related to the older projects? A Sega representative said that they have no comment to either question at this time. Our new guess? Resident Evil's Shinji Mikami is working on a mystery title for Platinum Games, who now has an extensive publishing deal with Sega. However, we don't know if Sega would have to make a new license deal for a game it's not developing in-house.

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Midway shows off Superman in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2008-05-21T11:29:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Fighting

The official website for Midway's Unreal-powered, cross-dimensional brawler, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, has posted the first shot of what appears to be Superman's 3D model. As you can see, the developers have managed to capture the Kryptonian's chiseled features, indestructible physique and patriotic pose quite well. So well, in fact, that we're left feeling a little sorry for the mere mortal kombatants.

Gallery: Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe

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Epic Games takes seat, acquires Chair Entertainment Group

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2008-05-20T17:55:00+00:00

Filed under: Business

Epic Games today announced its acquisition of Utah-based Undertow developer, Chair Entertainment Group. Under directors Donald and Geremy Mustard, and CEO Ryan Holmes, Chair Entertainment becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Epic, keeping both its name and "its focus on creating new original game properties which utilize Epic's Unreal Engine technology."

We've placed the full press release, which contains the usual "We're thrilled to buy this awesome company!" and "We're so glad this amazing company bought us!" quotes, after the break. Not specifically mentioned is how the acquisition will affect Chair's Ender's Game projects, if at all. After requesting comment, we were promised an update "as soon as one is available." Funny, we were just about to tell you readers the same thing.

EPIC GAMES ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF CHAIR ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Cary, North Carolina - May 20, 2008 - Epic Games, Inc., creators of the award-winning Unreal and Gears of War video game franchises and the industry leading Unreal Engine, today announced its acquisition of Utah-based development studio, Chair Entertainment Group, LLC. Under the terms of the agreement, Chair Entertainment Group has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Epic Games and will continue to operate under the same name while maintaining its focus on creating new original game properties which utilize Epic's Unreal Engine technology.

"Chair's stylized approach to creating games is further enhanced by their ability to stretch our technology in new directions that not only help in creating amazing gaming experiences but also demonstrate the power and versatility of the Unreal Engine," said Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games, Inc. "We are thrilled to bring the Chair team into the Epic family, and look forward to working with them to create original new games that continue to innovate and inspire."

"Our team has long admired Epic for its ability to shape the game industry with its innovative technology and first-rate video game offerings," said Ryan Holmes, Co-Founder and CEO of Chair Entertainment Group. "We share Epic's passion for creating ground-breaking game play experiences and are excited for the opportunity to partner with a truly visionary company."

Founded in 2005, Chair Entertainment Group is jointly led by directors, Donald and Geremy Mustard, and CEO Ryan Holmes. Best known for its award-winning Xbox Live Arcade title, Undertow, Chair's previous success includes the launch of its Empire property which has produced an Orson Scott Card-written New York Times bestselling novel and a feature film currently in development with Warner Bros. In 2007, after several years of building games with Unreal technology, Chair entered into an agreement with Epic Games to make Unreal Engine 3 their exclusive technology for game development.

About Epic Games
Epic Games, Inc., based in Cary, NC and established in 1991, develops cutting-edge games and cross-platform game engine technology. The company has created multiple million-selling, award-winning titles in its Unreal series, recently shipping Unreal Tournament 3 for PC and PlayStation 3. Epic's breakthrough game, Gears of War, sold over 4.7 million copies and was awarded overall Game of the Year for 2006 by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, Game Developers Choice Awards, GameSpot, GamePro and many others. Epic is also responsible for the Unreal Engine, which is the underlying technology for a wide range of games including the Game Critics Awards' Best Console Game and Spike TV's 2007 RPG of the Year Mass Effect by BioWare and the 2007 BAFTA Best Game and Spike TV Game of the Year BioShock by 2K Games. Epic's Unreal Engine 3 is the current holder, and three-time consecutive winner, of Game Developer magazine's Front Line award for Best Engine. Epic was also recognized as 2006 Studio of the Year by Spike TV, 2006 Developer of the Year by Official Xbox Magazine and 2007 Large Company of the Year by the North Carolina Technology Association. Additional information about Epic can be obtained through the Epic Games Web site at www.epicgames.com.

About Unreal Engine 3
The award-winning Unreal Engine is known for cutting-edge graphics and its best-of-breed toolset. Unreal Engine 3 maintains those features while adding massive world support, multi-processor support, next-generation console optimizations, and one of the most mature tool pipelines in the industry. Unreal Engine 3's advanced toolset is designed specifically to accelerate developers' productivity for ultra-complex, next-generation content. Additional information on Unreal Engine can be obtained through the Unreal Technology Web site at www.unrealtechnology.com.

About Chair Entertainment

Founded in 2005, Chair Entertainment Group is an independent video game production company committed to creating blockbuster entertainment franchises through development of its original intellectual properties. In 2006, Chair launched its first original property, Empire, as a best-selling novel written by Orson Scott Card. A feature film based on Empire is in development by Warner Bros. and Chair has future plans for video games and comic books based on the property. In November 2007, Chair launched Undertow, the award-winning underwater action shooter which was named Xbox Live Arcade Game of the Year by Official Xbox Magazine. Additional information and gamer forums can be found at: www.chairentertainment.com.

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CliffyB: Gears of War 2 co-op will be "bigger and better" etc.

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2008-05-14T14:45:00+00:00

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

Alright, that's it. Nobody is allowed to describe any aspect of their game as "bigger and better" anymore. Let's try and expand that promotional vocabulary, people. Let's go for, "Hey, my game is greater and grander!" Or perhaps, "My game's online mode is sicker and more substantial!"

That's roughly what Epic designer, CliffyB, had to say about Gears of War 2's cooperative mode when Shacknews asked about four-player action. "We're not announcing anything about co-op at this time, we'll probably get around to it around E3 time, but rest assured, it will be bigger and better," he teased.

On a related note, Bleszinski did tell us that the saw-tastic sequel's multiplayer mode would at least benefit from a party system this time around. "I think that if we were not to have a feature like that, it would probably be a pretty big f*ckup." As for missing out on four-player Locust culling? That would be a bigger and better f*ckup, surely.

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Mirror's Edge reflects on Unreal Engine 3

Ross Miller — 2008-05-07T16:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, First Person Shooters

click to embiggen

Although they have an in-house engine for the Battlefield series (Frostbite), EA DICE has gone with Epic's mega-popular Unreal Engine 3 for the Parkour-inspired Mirror's Edge. According to the development team (via Electronic Arts PR), the reason was that the Mirror's Edge project began early on in Frostbite's development, so they decided to use the more-developed Unreal technology instead.

DICE is also developing "a new lighting solution that truly makes Mirror's Edge stand-out visually." If you haven't had a chance to check out the trailer, do so now. Full statement after the break.

Gallery: Mirror's Edge

"With Mirror's Edge we deliberately set out to create something that was different from Battlefield. Frostbite is a very powerful engine but this project started a long time ago and at that time Frostbite was still being developed and was very closely supporting the Battlefield Bad Company team.

"Because of this we made the decision to develop on UNREAL technology. In addition, because we have a very unique art-style in the game we have been developing a new lighting solution that truly makes Mirror's Edge stand-out visually."

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UT3 on Xbox 360 adds five 'exclusive' maps

Alexander Sliwinski — 2008-04-17T15:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters

There's still no release date for Unreal Tournament 3 on Xbox 360, but there are some details now on what makes the 360's iteration different from PC and PS3. IGN reports that the Xbox 360 version of UT3 will have five new "exclusive" maps, two new characters and includes two-player splitscreen. It will also contain the free maps available as DLC for the PS3 and PC versions of the game.

Jeff Morris, senior producer at Epic, tells the site he believes UT3 will be a reprieve for those with "tactical shooter fatigue." He stands by the game being an "unabashedly twitch" title. We're expecting more details (maybe even a release date) on the Xbox 360 version of UT3 sometime tomorrow.

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NCSoft licenses Unreal Engine 3 for two MMOs

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2008-03-25T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: MMO, Business

Mo' MMO news now, with Guild Wars publisher NCSoft announcing its licensing of Epic's Unreal Engine 3 for use in two upcoming, still unannounced massively multiplayer titles. The company previously incorporated Unreal technology into Lineage II and giant-mech shooter, Exteel. Much like the rest of us, it seems the folks at NCSoft simply can't resist a well structured rendering pipeline.

"Unreal Engine 3 has a well structured rendering pipeline, and its graphical quality is superb thanks to advanced lighting and shadowing systems," said Young-muk Choi, lead programmer for NCsoft's Development Unit. "Tools within the Unreal Editor empower us to instantly produce and optimize our outputs, and we especially love how the engine enables designers to easily prototype concepts without the need for programming." Jay Wilbur, VP of Epic Games, returned the press release back patting by saying, "We expect to be completely wowed by what they do with our latest technology."

So do we, Mr. Wilbur. In fact, it'll take a lot to wow the millions who've already been thoroughly WoW'ed.

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Schilling's 38 Studios chooses Unreal

Ross Miller — 2008-03-05T22:00:00+00:00

Filed under: MMO

Add yet another developer to the Unreal roster. Curt Schilling's 38 Studios has announced (via GameDaily) that it has licensed Epic's Unreal Engine 3 for its MMO project Copernicus. The studio also recently licensed BigWorld's MMO dev tools.

Of course, given the tentative 2010 release, we don't expect to see any thing from the game for a at least another year. For now, all we've really got to think about is how the Mova facial technology would beautify the legendary baseball pitcher's avatar.

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A post about Gears of War 2 box art

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2008-02-22T03:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360

Since Gears of War 2's brief GDC teaser offered very little in the way of new information (you know, aside from the confirmed return of chainsaws and vast amounts of testosterone), we now have to resort to box art analysis. Though the art from Microsoft's press site is labeled as "temporary," it should be more than adequate to fuel your imaginary trip to the store to pick it up.

You'll also have to imagine yourself mulling over paying $60 or $70 -- as you'll see in the gallery, the Limited Edition seems very much inevitable.

Gallery: Gears of War 2: Artwork and Temp. Box Art

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Epic's Mark Rein responds to Microsoft buyout rumor

Ross Miller — 2008-02-19T15:15:00+00:00

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

Did you hear the one about Microsoft buying Unreal Engine developer Epic Games for one billion dollars? The rumor stems from the latest issue of GamePro magazine, and while not flat-out denying the rumor, Epic VP Mark Rein did has some choice words.

In an email to Develop, Rein said, "I have not seen the actual GamePro article but if they're going to make predictions about us selling Epic we would prefer if they started at $2 billion, because we don't want anyone thinking that we're cheap," followed by a smile-inducing emoticon. A more tangible bit of Epic Games speculation is that Gears of War 2 will be unveiled at GDC this week.

[Via X3F]

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Subpoenas place other UE3 licensees in midst of Epic, Silicon Knights lawsuit

Ross Miller — 2008-01-24T12:55:00+00:00

Filed under: Business

Subpoenas have been issued to multiple licensees of Unreal Engine 3 to testify in the ongoing litigation between UE3 maker Epic Games and Too Human developer Silicon Knights, according to Shacknews. Though no licensees are specified, developers who use the engine include Electronic Arts, 2K Boston/Australia, SOE, Square Enix, Ubisoft and the U.S. Army.

Said Rein to Shacknews, "I'm leaving the litigation to the lawyers but, if this is the case, I'd like to apologize to any of our licensees who Silicon Knights have inconvenienced." Should license contracts be submitted as unsealed court evidence, there is a chance the licensing fees and other trade secrets could become public record, though Epic's lawyers can move to seal court documents.

In late July, Silicon Knights filed a lawsuit against Epic Games over what it felt was inadequate support for its Unreal Engine 3 that harmed development of Too Human. Epic responded and filed a countersuit. In November, Epic's motion for dismissal was denied.

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Watch this space, Epic Games plans to double in size

Jason Dobson — 2008-01-14T11:30:00+00:00

Filed under: PC, Business

Having tired of rubbing actual elbows with fellow teammates, Epic Games' always verbose VP Mark Rein has confessed that he and his squad of developers have "pretty much run out of space" in the company's North Carolina base of operations, and that plans are well underway for an expansion to "at least" double the facility's current size. According to a report by North Carolina's News Observer, the devs coughed up a cool $1.57 million for the new office space, which will be positioned on a five-acre lot adjacent to Epic's current 31,000-square foot HQ.

Headcount at Epic currently stands at 94, with current growth of around one new employee a month expected to continue for the next couple of years. So with all of this added space, will the developers get to spread out, and maybe quit knocking over each others' Mt. Dew as they reach for their mouse? Unlikely, as the report notes that the new facility will instead be largely used to house the numerous play testers that visit Epic, rather than have to rent out space down the street. We understand the need completely, though until the devs get additional space of their own we'd suggest judicious application of lids.

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Red Mile licenses Unreal Engine 3 for Sin City game

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2007-12-20T20:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Action

Red Mile Entertainment's game to kill for, Sin City, is set to be powered by the increasingly pervasive Unreal Engine 3. The developer announced today that it has entered into a licensing agreement with Gears of War monger Epic Games, with president and COO Glenn Wong describing the technology as a "perfect fit for our Sin City video games." Said games are to be based upon Frank Miller's popular series of Sin City graphic novels, which recently served as basis for a successful 2005 film (confusingly titled "Sin City").

Not much is known about the initial game at this stage, save for the fact that it'll be overseen by Escape from Butcher Bay writer, Flint Dille. Oh, and that it'll be powered by Unreal Engine 3. We should probably write a news post about that.

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Mark Rein excited about UT3 mods on PS3

Ross Miller — 2007-11-29T14:27:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters, Online

The always talkative Epic Games VP Mark Rein is exuberant about the open system for downloading Unreal Tournament 3 mods for the PlayStation 3. "It's fantastic! I can't understand why people are so nervous about what Sony... no, Sony's wonderful," said Rein in a lengthy interview with Gamasutra. Rein also noted how this advantage is why the game landed on the PS3 first, before they resume Xbox 360 development next year.

Rein also lauded the freedom in having an open system for mod downloads and stated that they will encourage modding through sponsored contests much like they have in the past (note: ironic to this situation, Rein's last name means "to restrain or control"). He did add, however, that they have an ability to "blacklist mods that do bad things." The two interviewers seemed befuddled by the freedom of the system, giving Rein more of a chance to assert his gospel.

The next challenge for Epic is to try an accomplish that same openness on Microsoft's closed system Xbox Live. "They may or may not embrace it. We don't know," he said "That's why we've made the game for the PlayStation 3 first, because we knew exactly what the boundaries were going to be." Unreal Tournament 3 is due out December 10.

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Unreal Tournament PS3 shipping in 'limited quantities' Dec. 10

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2007-11-26T09:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, First Person Shooters

Despite initial doubts, Midway has confirmed that the PlayStation 3 version of first-person twitchfest, Unreal Tournament III, will begin shipping to North American stores on December 10th, with "limited quantities" leaping onto shelves the following day. Initial supply has no doubt been hampered due to Epic's last-minute (some say miraculous) completion of the game, not to mention the fact that Bob the disc burner wanted to go on vacation like yesterday.

In case you missed it during the Thanksgiving avalanche, Unreal Tournament III is already available for the "personal computer."

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Unreal Engine 3 coming to Wii (but not by Epic)

Ross Miller — 2007-11-23T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Nintendo Wii, First Person Shooters

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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