Epic’s Unreal Engine 5: The Bleeding Edge of Photorealistic Visuals in Video Games and Film.

It has been 2 years since the whole World learned of the existence of Epic’s next iteration of their prolific Game Engine. During the State of Unreal Event held a few months back, Epic officially revealed Unreal Engine 5 to be widely available to Users and Developers all across the Globe. Having first shown a PS5 Demo showcasing the multiple facets of the Engine, Epic subsequently released a playable Tech Demo of the Engine last December in the form of ‘The Matrix Awakens’ that better encapsulated what their Engine is truly capable of, and what Users can expect from Video Games in the next generation of Consoles.

Goals and Expectations

Epic has expressed the fact that as time has continued to progress, it has become increasingly expensive and time-consuming to develop high quality games. This is primary problem that many Game Developers in todays day and age face. In order to fill the gap in response to this very problem, Epic has developed the Unreal Engine 5 with the Game Developer’s desire for innovation and drive for productivity in mind. The Company hopes that with the widespread utilization of Unreal Engine 5, Game Developers will be able to much more easily bridge the gap between their creativity and what actually is the limit of possibility when it comes to the Visuals of Next Generation Gaming. Epic’s main goal with Unreal Engine 5 is to enable developers to start thinking of Video Games as Holistic Products, meaning that Epic wants Game Developers to stop constraining themselves to simply one medium related to high quality video game content, as with Unreal Engine 5 Developers will be able to scale their operations by being able to create exceptional games in not only Consoles or High-Quality PCs, but also on Smartphones and other handheld devices or portable devices. This would allow Game Developers to reach a much wider audience while also encouraging them to think of new Video Game ideas.

Utilization in Video Games

The Primary target for Epic, Video Game development is what Unreal Engine 5 is truly made for above all else. Boasting a vast variety of improvements such as an Upgraded User Interface and Enhanced Performance, however where Unreal Engine 5 really shines is with the implementation of its two new major features, the first of which is known as ‘Lumen’, the purpose of which is to act as a Photorealistic Illumination Solution for Video Games that is aimed at providing as close-to-reality lighting in Video Games as currently possible. The second of the major features is called ‘Nanite’, a Graphics Detail oriented tool that is designed to exponentially expand the Geometric Detail of the Visual in Video Games, allowing Game Developers to create Experiences that capture every ounce and pore of an object or individual down to the tiniest of details.

Utilization in Films and TV Shows

Beyond the medium of Video Games, with their new generation of Unreal Engine 5, Epic hopes to increase their target audience by providing tools for Filmmakers as well. After having utilized the implementation of Unreal Engine for the Visual Direction of shows such as ‘The Mandalorian’ and Films like ‘The Batman’, Epic now sees a greater opportunity for the expansion of their Unreal Engine property. Epic Unreal Engine’s collaboration with Industrial Light and Magic resulted in the creation of ‘The Volume’, a virtual set designed as a dome that projected real time Visuals, removing the need for Green Screen altogether. With Unreal Engine 5, Epic believes that it will open more avenues for greater crossover potential between Video Game technologies and Filmmaking Technologies, all paving the way for greater accessibility for Creators to express their Creativity on a large-scale with minimum limitations in realizing and projecting their unique ideas onto the Big Screen.