Unreal Engine 5 now available

Epic Games has released its next-generation game engine, Unreal Engine 5. In a State of Unreal event earlier today, the company revealed that Unreal Engine 5 is available for download.

The new game engine will feature new technologies such as Lumen, a fully dynamic global illumination solution for true-to-life lighting, and Nanite, which allows game developers to create games with massive amounts of geometric detail.

Epic has also said that Unreal Engine 5 will come with an updated UI and practical tools, like the ability to partition off sections of an open world to make it easier for teams to work on different areas at the same time. Developers can now animate in context with the engine’s built-in artist-friendly animation authoring tools. You can now iterate faster and more accurately, with reduced need for time-consuming round-tripping with DCC tools.

Alongside the launch, Epic has made available two technical demos of the engine. First is Lyra Starter Game, which is a sample gameplay project built alongside Unreal Engine 5 to serve as a starting point for creating new games, as well as a hands-on learning resource. Second is a city scene from The Matrix Awakens: An Unreal Engine 5 Experience. The project is a feature of buildings, vehicles, and crowds to demonstrate how the company uses the new and improved systems of Unreal Engine 5.

Multiple games are now set to be released using the new platform. Notable games include The Witcher 4, an unnamed Tomb Raider game, and new Gears of War game.

Source: Unreal