Korean MMO Gets Unreal Engine 3 License

T-Entertainment, creators of Korean massively multiplayer online role-playing games Laghaim and Last Chaos, licensed the Unreal Engine 3 for an upcoming MMO codenamed L2, the company announced today.

“We have a team of seasoned professionals devoted to L2 project, and we are confident that by integrating our expertise and Unreal Engine 3’s excellent performance, L2 will be a top-tier MMORPG that fascinates gamers all around the world,” said John Hong, CTO of T-Entertainment.

“T-Entertainment is a well-diversified entertainment company that is poised to launch yet another successful MMORPG worldwide,” said Jay Wilbur, vice president of Epic Games. “We are constantly improving the Unreal Engine, and look forward to providing them with cutting-edge game development tools and technology for many months to come.”

The company describes their upcoming PC game as a "futuristic fantasy with a taste of space opera" and say they're shooting for a worldwide release in 2010.

Sega Reups Unreal License for Secret Game

Tantalizing. Sega just announced that they've signed a new Unreal Engine 3 licensing deal for an "unannounced, cross-platform game."

"The great capabilities of Unreal Engine 3 make it possible for our developers to deliver incredible gaming experiences,” said Dave Cobb, Vice President of Development for SEGA of America, Inc. "Unreal Engine 3 provides superior power and flexibility enabling SEGA to bring original and exciting next-generation multi-platform titles."

Yeah, yeah, yeah, but what's the game Cobb? Well, Sega won't say just yet, but I can't help but wonder. It can't be the new Aliens game since that was already announced. I'm hoping it's the fourth unnamed Platinum Games title. Something that's going to be as visually sexy as it is aesthetically interesting and provocative.

Thoughts?

Epic Snags Undertow Developer Chair Entertainment Group

Utah-based Chair Entertainment Group, developers of Xbox Live Arcade title Undertow, have been acquired by Epic Games, the companies announced today. Through the agreement, Chair becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Epic, keeping the Chair name while developing Unreal Engine titles.

"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 Epic VP Mark Rein. "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."

Mark Rein Says Unreal Engine 4 Is a Ways Off

It's just a research project today. Our plan is that it will be aimed at the next generation so it is many years away.

More EA Games to Use Unreal 3 Engine

Electronic Arts are expanding their licensing agreement with Epic Games, giving EA the right to use the engine in more than five upcoming games currently in development, the two companies announced today.

Under the initial agreement, signed back in 2006, EA used Unreal Engine 3 on several games including Medal of Honor Airborne and Army of Two. EA is not saying which games they are currently developing using Epic's engine under this new agreement, but both companies were quick to pat each other on the backs.

"With the largest and most talented studio operation in the world, it's critical for us to give our studio teams the best tools they need to make great games," said Frank Gibeau, President, at EA. "This agreement reflects our commitment to Epic's technology which, in combination with our own cutting-edge systems, allows us to create ground breaking hits."

"Epic is committed to providing EA with the premier development infrastructure, tools and technology for its upcoming games," said Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games. "We're extremely excited that EA has chosen to expand their use of Unreal Engine 3 and we can't wait to see more of the great games they will produce with it."

Any bets on which games will be getting the Unreal treatment?

"Gears of War 2 Will Have New Lighting" (Swell)

The Gears of War 2 Cole hype train is in full effect. People are hanging on every Epic word. Even really BORING things like Epic found Tim Sweeney saying "The next Gears of War game will have improved physics features and new lighting and rendering features."

Better physics and new lighting? Holy shit, yes, yes, YES. Sweeney did offer up some more meaty clues as to what's in store for the Unreal Engine 3, and thus quite possibly Gears of War 2. But we're extrapolating! Guessing! About the Unreal Engine 3's future, says Sweeney:

Mark Rein "Blown Away" By New 50 Cent Game

When we heard he was coming we were like 'oh no, we're gonna get killed!' But he was over the moon, we're chuffed about it... We're obviously an Unreal Engine 3 licensee and he just came in for a visit and said 'oh my god, I can't believe you're working on this, it looks phenomenal'. That was it; it wasn't anything particularly formal, he came in to say hello to his licensees and was blown away by it. That was great for us.

NCsoft Readies Two More Unreal MMOs

"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, Development Unit, NCsoft. "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."

Unreal Engine 4 Targeting Consoles, Not PCs

There is a long life ahead for Unreal Engine 3. Version 4 will exclusively target the next console generation, Microsoft's successor for the Xbox 360, Sony's successor for the Playstation 3 - and if Nintendo ships a machine with similar hardware specs, then that also. PCs will follow after that.

2K Games has licensed the Unreal Engine 3 for multiple "unannounced games in development." Many of you will remember that Bioshock was UE3 based, and while this news doesn't point to "ZOMG Bioshock 2," it does lend a bit of credence to the capabilities and ease of use of the UE3 engine...a reputation that's been in question by some, especially with 2K's president going on record to say things like "2K had a very positive experience working with Epic's Unreal Engine 3 since it enables games to perform exceptionally well on both console and the PC." Plus, wow, we can't believe Bioshock 2 has been announced with such little fanfare (joke, btw, I don't want to see that quote floating around the internet this afternoon....maybe I should delete it...nah.) Here's the full tale from the mouth of PR.

Unreal Engine 3 Licensees Get Supoenas

Unreal Engine Invades Kids' Summer Camp

iD Tech Camps, a sort of summer camp for children interesting in game development and computers, announced today that they will be offering classes on using the Unreal Engine 3 tools to make games to six or seven students this year. The instruction sounds like it will be heavy on the modding, but there will also be instruction on creating original games and environments.

"We've partnered with iD Tech Camps because of their reputation for quality game development instruction for teens," said Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games. "Unreal Tournament 3 delivers unparalleled game quality that gamers have come to know and expect from Epic Games. We are reaching an audience of gaming enthusiasts who play the game as well as learn to design and mod with our deep set of tools."

This seems like a pretty smart move on Epic's part. It's sort of like Apple giving computers to schools to use in their labs. It hooks kids when their young.

The Red Mile-developed video game version of Frank Miller's Sin City may very well not suck. It may very well also help Epic Games' Mark Rein sleep better at night, as the game based on the long-running comic book series will absolutely not feature a single bald space marine and will most likely not have that Unreal Engine 3 "look." Oh, did I forget to mention it's using the Unreal Engine? Well, it is, as Red Mile and Epic have announced today, cruelly teasing us with a tiny tidbit of info and failing to include a single screenshot for us to pick apart. Dare I say it? Dare I look forward to Sin City the game?

AcroGames Licenses Unreal Engine 3

The only thing that surprises me about Unreal Engine 3 license announcements anymore is that everyone doesn't already have one. Now Korean developer AcroGames has licensed the engine from Epic, and thanks to some digging done over at Gamasutra, we know they are working on an online PC title. AcroGames is an amalgam of talent that have worked on both NCsoft's Lineage II and Softmax's Magna Carta RPG for the PlayStation 2, so it really could have gone either way.

Said Epic vice president Jay Wilbur, "AcroGames is a promising team comprised of top talent and we look forward to working with them. We are committed to supporting the Asian game market with best of breed development tools, and our agreement with AcroGames marks a significant achievement in this effort."

AcroGames Licenses Unreal Engine 3 For Online PC Title [Gamasutra]

Delayed Fatal Inertia Coming to PS3s Next Spring

by John Gaudiosi

LOS ANGELES—Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 technology is grabbing the attention of Hollywood producers. Once Warner Bros. Television's "Chadam" project, a 10-part, short form Internet series produced by HDFilms, appears online, Jace Hall, former game developer, Hollywood executive and technology expert believes the floodgates could open for more entertainment business.

"The bottom line is that generally speaking, for every dollar you spend on 3D you're going to get a better result out of the Unreal Engine 3 than you would from a standard package like Maya up to a certain point," said Hall, founder of HDFilms. "There's this area where if you are given $5,000 to make animation using UE3 where it will be better than what you'd get out of giving the same amount of money to Pixar to use Maya. You'd get maybe a texture. We're not trying to set a new bar for 3D, we'll leave that to the films that come out and spend $100 million. But we will bring the best 3D yet seen in short form online entertainment."

It would appear at this point the number of developers who license Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3.0 should start issuing us press releases to let us know they're not using it. But I suppose we're still fascinated enough by the penetration of the Unreal Engine these days to find it notable that yet another publisher has signed on. Today, it's SouthPeak Games who announced that the software will be used in its upcoming Monster Madness EX: Battle for Suburbia for the PlayStation 3. It's the port of the Xbox 360 and PC game of nearly the same name, just with an added E and X.

It may sound like very dry stuff, but SouthPeak and Epic both agree that the license is very important for independent studios who, according to Mark Rein "would typically have to wait a long time to work with our award-winning game engine." While Monster Madness was generally given a "meh" by reviewers, we hope that it will be put to good use by whomever SouthPeak signs on next.