Behold, Unreal Engine 4!


If you happened to play any video games in the last six years chances are you’ve tried a game that used the graphic power house that is Unreal Engine 3.  Well news broke Thursday that video games are about to get even more visual appeal as the Unreal Engine version 4 is on its way!

Here’s a snippet from a Wired article that detailed a demo that used the new engine:

Unreal Engine 4

As early as last March, Epic was making the case for more power with a demo screened at the 2011 GDC. Called Samaritan and built in Unreal Engine 3 with a new set of specialized plug-ins, the video showcased the rendering power of current high-end hardware, displaying an impressive array of effects, like realistic clothing, lifelike lighting, and highly detailed facial expressions. It took three high-end graphics cards to handle the demand, but it grabbed people’s attention. “We used it as an opportunity to make a point to the developers,” Sweeney says. “‘We want 10 times more power; here’s what we can do with it.”

The article went on to discuss the production of the demo:

Another shot of Unreal 4 in action!

In a scant three months of production, a team of 14 engineers has fashioned a video demo to show off the new engine, and it acts essentially as a full-featured, if small, top-of-the-line game—the first title of the next generation. “I had sleepless nights over this damn thing in the beginning, but I think we got the disasters out of the way,” says art director Chris Perna, the man responsible for the look and feel of the demo. Lead artist Wyeth Johnson adds, “In the time I have been here, we have never not pulled it off.” Johnson, a six-year veteran of Epic, is referring not only to the company’s ability to deliver on tight deadlines but also its track record of wowing the skeptics.

Unreal Engine 4, 'nuff said

The demo itself showcased effects and renderings that are just not possible for the current era of gaming platforms (check out some of the images in the article).  So the question is where does the technology go from here?  Is it coming to E3?  Will it be featured on the Wii U, the PlayStation 4 or the Xbox 360 successor?  Or will this be only possible on the PC?  I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

SOURCE: Kotaku & Wired