It’s always tough for a new platform getting studios to adapt to the new hardware with software that takes advantage of its true potential. Luckily for Sony, Epic Games and their Unreal Engine 3, arguably the most prolific engine this generation, are ready to go. Studios may now license Epic’s engine for NGP development, and founder Tim Sweeney said, “we see NGP as a true game-changer with a perfect combination of performance, innovative controls and gamer appeal that make it truly a high-end console in your pocket.”
Epic Games was one of the studios on stage at the PlayStation Meeting 2011 when NGP was revealed, showcasing the things UE3 can do on the handheld. “We were very proud to be onstage with SCE to give the world just a taste of what Unreal Engine 3 can do on NGP. NGP raises the bar for the performance of handheld platforms with its multi-core GPU and shader-based, multi-core CPU. This makes Unreal Engine 3 a particularly advantageous fit for NGP,” said Vice President Mark Rein. Teasing the launch lineup a bit, Rein further confirmed “multiple UE3 licensees are already working with NGP, some of which have indicated they intend to release their games for the platform’s launch.”
While the engine’s momentum may have slowed since the beginning of this generation, some of the most celebrated titles still use it, like Batman: Arkham Asylum, Mass Effect 2, and Borderlands. Seeing some of those titles appear on Sony’s handheld would be amazing, but a port of Epic’s own Unreal Tournament III, an early PS3 title, would mesh well with the NGP’s cross-platform interactivity theme, (it had PS3/PC cross-platform co-op and multiplayer) and certainly bring me closer to a day one purchase.
