LucasArts Signs Multi-Year, Studio-Wide Unreal Engine 3 Licensing Agreement

[Char Ell]

LucasArts Signs Multi-Year, Studio-Wide Unreal Engine 3 Licensing Agreement

April 26 2011 Press Release
Leading developer and publisher to leverage award-winning game engine technology across platforms

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and CARY, N.C. – LucasArts and Epic Games, Inc. announce a long-term, studio-wide agreement for LucasArts to develop multiple projects using Epic Games’ award-winning Unreal Engine 3 for the engine’s supported platforms.

“Unreal Engine 3 is a forward-looking solution that shortens the path between inspiration and execution on a wide variety of gaming platforms,” said Zak Phelps, director of technology at LucasArts. “We are thrilled to add another exceptional tool to our technology mix.”

“LucasArts is now primed to capitalize on Unreal Engine 3’s ability to scale across platforms, from mobile, through PC and console all the way up to the next generation of games,” said Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games. “We can’t wait to see what happens when LucasArts combines their talented workforce and amazing intellectual properties with Unreal Engine 3.”

About LucasArts

LucasArts, a division of Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd., is a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software worldwide for video game console systems, computers and the Internet. Based in San Francisco, Calif., as well as on the Internet at www.lucasarts.com, LucasArts was created in 1982 by George Lucas to provide an interactive element to his vision of a state-of-the-art, multifaceted entertainment company.

About Unreal Engine 3

The award-winning Unreal Engine is known for its cutting-edge graphics, best-of-breed toolset and scalability across platforms. Unreal Engine 3’s highly mature toolset and content pipeline consistently evolve along with its advanced mobile features, multi-core processor support, optimizations for iOS, Xbox 360® and PlayStation®3 and massive world support. Unreal Engine 3 is designed to accelerate developers’ productivity for computer and video games, mobile games and applications, training simulations, 3D visualizations, digital films and animated television shows. Additional information on Unreal Engine 3 can be obtained at http://www.unrealengine.com.

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, including “Unreal Tournament 3” for PC, PlayStation®3 and Xbox 360®. Epic’s “Gears of War” franchise has sold more than 13 million copies worldwide and won more than 50 Game of the Year awards. Epic’s Unreal Engine 3 is the five-time winner of and Hall of Fame inductee for Game Developer magazine’s Best Engine Front Line Award. Unreal Engine 3 has also held the Develop Industry Excellence Award in its category for the past three years. Additional information about Epic can be obtained at http://www.epicgames.com.

Epic, Epic Games, Gears of War, Unreal, Unreal Development Kit, UDK, Unreal Engine, UE3, and Unreal Tournament are trademarks or registered trademarks of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States of America and elsewhere. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

LucasArts and the LucasArts logo are registered trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd. © 2011 Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. or Lucasfilm Ltd. & ® or TM as indicated.

I guess this means LucasArts' in-house developed Ronin engine used on Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 is getting tossed. Perhaps the integration of movie and video game development assets didn't work out as well as envisioned.

[Alexrd]

Originally Posted by Char Ell

I guess this means LucasArts' in-house developed Ronin engine used on Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 is getting tossed.

I don't think so. They can use both engines for different purposes.

[urluckyday]

Maybe now they can focus on making a good game now that they don't have to worry about creating their own engine or anything like that...

How about they re-release Grim Fandango in Unreal 3? I'm game!

[Sabretooth]

To be honest I don't know about a Grim Fandango remake/sequel. It would be colourising Casablanca - would break my heart.

[HockeyGoalie35]

*cough* Republic Commando 2.
I can hope can't I? RC was made on the Unreal 2 engine.