May 18th, 2012

The first look at Unreal Engine 4

83 Comments

Epic Games has shared the first look at the capabilities of Unreal Engine 4. It is not confirmed that this engine will be supported on the Wii U, but there have been hints that it might be on its way. That doesn’t mean games on the Wii U could look as good as the screenshots after the break, but they’d still look very nice.

(To clarify, this tech demo was shown to developers in March, but this is the first look for the public.)

  • DR4G0NB0RN

    I hope you will read this, David. According to Epic Games, they are “unimpressed” by the PS4 and 720 specs. They’ve done nothing but praise the Wii U. Maybe the Wii U will be Epics console of choice?

    • Green Reuben

      clearly the ps4 and 720 will be more powerful than the wii u, so maybe epic has ideas for the controller, one can only hope.

    • DR4G0NB0RN

      How will they “clearly” be more powerful? Do you know the specs?

    • uPadWatcher

      Epic Games is alreay given Nintendo the fullest support… especially co-founder/VP Mark Rein and game designer Cliffy B.

      Sony and Microsoft are not ready for the next level now that Nintendo is moving up the ladder.

    • kidtendo

      Weren’t they saying that the rumored specs of the PS4 were so powerful that none of today’s current HDTVs can display it?

      That sounds cool and all but like it’s not going to sell well at all with how the new HDTVs are only just starting out.. so people without the HDTV (especially since they’ll start out expensive) won’t be that willing to buy the console especially with how i’m sure the console itself will be very expensive..

      I love the PS3 though

    • Enzo

      I don’t think anyone has any form of reliable source saying anything about the PS4, but no offense I think kidtendo’s comment is the least likely out of all of what anyone has said.

    • D2K

      I will be interested to see how much memory is available in the new consoles. That really is the key to everything. If developers have more memory to work with that means they can add higher resolutions textures and mapping with no slowdown.

      And also it matters on who can best use the extra memory if it is made available in the new consoles.

  • http://wiiublog.com Jared

    This looks great!! i expected something gody or like some one puting glitter on poop but im pleased and the beautiful mountins would go good with ssx :).Its just right, And does any one think Zelda should look like this (all realistic and edgy) or like skyward still.

    • TGM

      Zelda and “edgy” shouldn’t be in the same sentence.

    • http://blaaa josh with the truth

      they said they would make the one for wiiu realistic like the demo

    • George Tirebiter

      @Josh with the Truth

      It’s never been said what the Wii U Zelda will actually look like. All that’s been said so far is that the E3 2011 footage was not intended as a demonstration of any final product, like the Zelda footage from Spaceworld in 2000. Like how that was an up-resed Ocarina, this footage was basically a more polished Twilight Princess, and it’s not really in Nintendo’s nature to repeat a look in a console Zelda game (even the art assets of Majora were different in tone from Ocarina.) Sticking as close to that model as possible would be a good way to bring people back, though.

      With Skyward Sword not even a year old yet, it’s more likely they’d be pursuing the new 3DS Zelda anyway (perhaps made by Retro, who would be a replacement for Capcom’s Flagship studio).

    • http://wiiublog.com Jared

      @TGM what i ment was zelda has all ways been daringly innovative(edgy) we saw that in skyward sowrd how everybody wanted real like in Twilight P. but in the end alot of people loved skyword. sooo im sayin will they be real with some edgyness to make us have the same reaction ween we all saw the wii u for the first time? Or stay on the skyward path

  • Oblivion comet

    How do they judge a console’s specs if the console doesn’t exist?
    (the ps4)

    • DR4G0NB0RN

      Just because the console hasn’t been revealed to the public, doesn’t mean it’s non-existent.

    • Enzo

      Just because it’s possibly being worked on, doesn’t mean we can possibly have any clue of what’s going on and that any of what you see is reliable. Especially after the comments made by Sony, it’s best to wait until they give the word. The rumors about the PS4 are getting out of control, some saying it’ll be so mind-blowing that the Wii-U will be like the Wii all over again. Some say the PS4 will be worse than the Wii-U. Some say it will be on par. There’s not really anything tangible to work with yet and none of it should be taken as fact. As David always says, just treat them like rumors.

    • DR4G0NB0RN

      SMH….. It’s not a rumor. It was actually stated by Epic Games. How is THAT a rumor?

  • sam765

    Nah… Im more than happy with UE3…

  • http://passid.ca/joshm Joshua

    Looking good, Unreal! Looking good!

  • Snake

    @DR4G0NB0RN

    First Epic Games works for Microsoft and i am sure that 720 will run UE4 second read this

    http://www.nowgamer.com/news/1379318/unreal_engine_4_epic_reveals_its_ps4_xbox_720_game_engine.html

    • DR4G0NB0RN

      Um no they don’t work for Microsoft. They are a 3rd party developer who made an exclusive deal with microsoft for Gears of War. That article there says nothing about what consoles the UE4 engine will be on. The title is just an attention grabber. YOU need to watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zwxOGAtBd8

    • Snake
    • DR4G0NB0RN

      He saying that they don’t have any intended platforms for UE4 yet. He never ruled out the Wii U. If there’s anything that even seems negative about the Wii U, it’s seen everywhere and blown out of proportion. Plenty of people have already pointed this out.

    • Enzo

      Seen everywhere and blown out of proportion? I don’t know about that, a lot of people hate the Wii-U and think it’s going to be crap.

    • Kaizar

      Panoramic view is revolutionary in video games, and the Wii U is the first and only, if you exclude the 3DS, i.e. Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D & Super Mario 3D Land & Resident Evil: Revelations & etc. etc.

      But the Wii U is the first and only in Home Consoles and the Wii U is going to implement way more than any other system and then some.

      And in such games as Darksiders 2, you don’t have to pause the game to change your items, while you’re in the middle of a battle; therefore making it more of an actual video game and more of an actual video game experience.

      THIRD POWER!

  • Snake

    @DR4G0NB0RN

    Then my bad but Gears Of War is only for 360 that’s why i was thinking that they are with MS

    • uPadWatcher

      You should know the fact that Epic Games (People Can Fly is an EG division) had developed a video game from Electronic Arts called BulletStorm.

  • suportedcofe

    If unreal engine 4 is not gonna work with ps4 or 720 I really don’t think it matters if wii u will be able to support it.

    • uPadWatcher

      I assume that both Epic Games and Nintendo are keeping things a secret until June 5th.

    • http://n00bpwners.com zxride64

      Could be, Epic games are excited about the Wii u and said E3 will be an eye-opener.

    • Kaizar

      The 720 won’t come out till 2014, and the PS4 won’t come out till 2K14 or 2K15.

      BITE MY SHINY METAL ASS!

    • DR4G0NB0RN

      @Kaizar

      And just how do you know the release years? Do you work for either company?

    • Kaizar

      Because Microsoft said that they don’t have enough for even a prototype of the 720 for E3 2012.

      And Microsoft also said that even doe they are making a new X Box right, that it wouldn’t come out 2013.

      And I think David post this, on this blog, many months ago.

      WE THE BEST! FOREVER!

  • The Video Gamer

    This looks no way near as good as the Good Samaritan demo. I think the Wii U can handle this.

    • Captain Falcopn

      Till the footage for Unreal Engine 4 comes will it look amazing

  • uriel

    well considering xbox 720 and ps4 are coming out at later dates this is confirmed to work for those consoles and improved versions….wii u will be lucky to run a certain weaker version since it is only 50 percent more powerful than current gen which is not a large amount if you think how much more powerful 720/ps4 may be over current gen ….i highly doubt its only 50 percent

    • Wildman

      It’s going to be way more than just 50% more powerful.
      The v1 dev. kits were 50% more powerful than the current gen. hardware.
      They are on dev-kit hardware version5 now. It’s still not final until E3 2012.

  • http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/16a07c1e06c4010a42f31cc4d1a0702d.png ABEzilla116

    Christ, this looks amazing.

  • Adrien

    “It is not confirmed that this engine will be supported on the Wii U”

    That’s the important question. If not, I think that the “WiiU” will disappoint me..

    • Enzo

      I don’t see why this matters THAT much. It matters, but it isn’t going to devalue the Wii-U.

  • WENDY

    Is it just me or do some of these look EPPPIIICCCC whereas others look kinda…current

  • http://wiiublog.com Jared

    @TGM what i ment was zelda has all ways been daringly innovative(edgy) we saw that in skyward sowrd how everybody wanted real like in Twilight P. but in the end alot of people loved skyword. sooo im sayin will they be real with some edgyness to make us have the same reaction ween we all saw the wii u for the first time. Or stay on the skyward path.

    • supermajora1

      I hope Nintendo doesnt stay on the skyward path that game had 3 fucking linear levels replayed over and over again with only one town to explore. I dont care if Nintendo goes the realistic approach or not. This isnt my first HD Console seeing as how I have a PC and PS3 so they can make it look as cartoony as they want.

  • Kaizar

    I only have respect for screenshots 2, 7 & 8.

    The rest of them look pretty fake and 7 doesn’t help.

    I hope Unreal Engine 4 can do way more better than this, because I had set my expectations too far high, after seeing Unreal Engine 3, to imagine what improvement there would be.

    I don’t care what the specs between the 2 engines are, because at the end; it is about how it looks like in person with are own 2 eyes (Im talking to you Sony & Microsoft fanboys).

    SHABLAGOO!

    • Raven The Great!

      Maybe Unreal 4 is all about the optimizations

  • J.P

    Are you sure this is Unreal ENGINE 4 ???

    I meant Gears of War 3 kinda look close to this. (Unreal 3.5 at 720p)

    This is more like Unreal Engine 3.5 for PC.

    Nothing mind blowing like when Unreal 3 was first shown…

  • J.P

    So is this game Overlord 3 ???

    • Big E

      Thank god I wasn’t the only person thinking this.

  • Drew

    kidtendo what are you smoking nothings more powerful than TVs because how the crap would you play it!
    Buy our new PSTV FOR YOUR PS4 (sarcasm)

    • Raven The Great!

      Sssh!
      Don’t give Sony ideas!

  • Trulaw

    David you may want to take a look this Aliens Colonial Marines interview with Randy Pitchford

    http://uk.gamespot.com/aliens-colonial-marines-2012/videos/aliens-colonial-marines-interview-with-randy-pitchford-6377485/

    At about 07:20 He talks about the Wii U’s power and how they use the controller in a bit more detail.

    • Tak

      Great interview and my of my top games that I’m looking forward, but the way he talked about Wii U controller got me worried. I don’t wan’t it to be used as a motion tracker and play the game on the TV, because the core game play would be down graded from the Wii’s sensitivity. I want this game to forget the TV, and use the tablet for virtual reality gaming.

      “bbbbut its so small!!!”
      No it isn’t. Considering the viewing distance, the Wii U tablets screen is comparable to a 32″ TV. Wii U tablet only moves with you, and you can look everywhere naturally like it was virtual reality.

    • Trulaw

      @Tak You may be able to choose to play it like that and they just have not said so yet but either way the bleep of the motion tracker coming from the controller sounds like it could inject some extra atmosphere.

  • FLUDD

    Hah still looks grainy

  • Tak

    Engines first demonstrations are not always so impressive looking, as they consentrate more on showing new effects, and the artistic horse power(actual artists) are allocated in finnishing actual games, but at least these screen shots makes me tone down my demands on Nintendo to reach Unreal 4 level specs. I wouldn’t mind, of course, but there are other things that are far more interesting to me.

  • MadCrain

    Well you all have to see that Sony isn’t doing very well, just like Nintendo, so maybe PS4 and Wii U will have the same specs, I’m not sure if Sony is worse than nintendo, although I doubt it, but if it is than the Wii U will be superior, it’s all about the money the company has.

    • Tak

      I think its more like, what kind of product they think will sell the best.

  • MadCrain

    Yeah but without money, The PS4 won’t be what Sonys known for, making beasts systems, that stuffs not free, and they’re having a hard time with Vita sales, soo maybe they can’t afford UE4…maybe Nintendo can’t either…I bet Microsoft will probably, they are still rich xD

    • supermajora1

      Since when has Sony been known for making beast machines? PS1 had worst graphics than N64 and PS2 had worst graphics than gamecube and xbox.

    • http://www.youtube.com/user/justiceflares Justiceflares

      Adding onto supermajora1 ‘s comment, all they have done over the years as well is copy Nintendo and Microsoft. For example their controlers with the lights on them. I mean come on can’t they even think of something better?!

    • Kaizar

      But Nintendo is way more richer in their video game sector, than both Microsoft & Sony.

      Here are the first 6 month sells:

      Wii = 2.47 million

      PS2 = 2.2 million

      X Box = 1.9 million

      Gamecube = 1.54 million

      X Box 360 = 1.384 million

      PS3 = 1.271 Million

      And heres the 3DS first 1 month sells:

      3.61 million

      @MadCrain

      What are you talking about for Microsoft video game funding?

    • sam765

      Sony’s “beast” systems like the PS3 and the Vita are both half-baked products.

  • ): ecafllorT

    WOAH!!!! Those images look unreal!!!

  • MadCrain

    @Kaizar
    Dude, microsoft sells PCs, Windows and a whole bunch of shit, and they haven’t had a disaster like Nintendo with the money loss or Sony with the Vita sales. So they’re money is intact and they are probably richer than Nintendo and Maybe Sony by now.
    @Supermajora1
    I meant now they are making beast machine, I mean the PS3 is pretty powerful and so is the Vita, I think fans Expect something mind blowing, and I suppose that is what they want to deliver.
    @Justiceflares
    Yeah couldn’t agree more, I’m not a Sony fanboy, I’m not a fanboy, period.

    • Kaizar

      Microsoft loses mo ey on each 360, like Sony with PS3.

      And Sony also makes lots of money with all their non-video game stuff, just like Microsoft.

      So don’t tell me that Sony isn’t making money if another non-apple company is making money outside of video games as well.

      And Nintendo has gain more money then they have lost.

      Selling a 2 GB 3DS cartridge for $40 is 3 times more money than a 2GB SD memory card for $40.

      And DS games are up to 512 MB for $30 to $40 each.

      And Wii games are 4.7 GB 12 cm disc (also duo layer 8.7 GB) at $20 to $50 each and you can buy blank 4.7 GB 12 cm disc for $1 (like the 99 cents store).

      And the 3DS is only being sold at a $3 to $6 lost after the first 5 to 6 months release.

      And the 3DS is being sold at a profit again in September.

      So what kind of lost with this kind of Huge profit in video game sales are you talking about?

      Not to mention downloadable first party games; i.e. Dillon’s Rolling Western & Pushmo & Ketzel’s Corridors & Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword.

      WE THE BEST!

  • NinjaFart

    mother a’ god

  • Big E

    Imagine if Square-Enix used Unreal 4 and made a Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles.

    • Aanx

      meh… It would lose its charm.

    • Big E

      …Depends on the art style used. I didn’t mean by for it to be realistic, just to have much more detail in the characters and environments.

  • SONIC2011

    Why are we all arguing about stuff we don’t know!? Can’t we just discuss how amazing-looking these photos are? Geez. I mean, we can’t judge something just because some talking head says something good or bad about it. In a number of months, we’ll know more about the Wii U, and maybe something will be announced about the PS4 or the Xbox 720. But for right now, can’t we all just mark these things as rumors and have faith and hope that it will turn out great? Can’t we all just get along?

    • Tak

      We could, but the Samaritan looked far more impressive and intriguing in every way. Epic made an epic fail when they sid, that the Unreal 4 would make the Samaritan look like a joke. I know that this is just a short demonstration of certain effects, but it seems that they merely added support for lots of particles and made bland looking demo of it.

      For me the Unreal 4 looks like a million of particles and nothing more compared to Samaritan. Depending on the money that is needed to make a console that runs Unreal 4, I might prefer Samaritan level console and something else, like a 3d screen for the tablet, instead(obviously, I don’t know if “Samaritan” -console would be any less expensive than Unreal 4, and having easy compatibility with other next gen consoles would be nice feature too)

  • SONIC2011

    Wouldn’t it just be awesome if all the consoles could have UE4? That’s what we should be hoping for.

    • MadCrain

      It would be amazing, that way Fanboys dont have anything to talk about because they are all equals :D Ofcourse each system has inredible IPs, Nintendo has Mario,Zelda, Samus, Kirby, Donkey, Starfox, (breathes) etc… and Microsoft has Halo and Gears of war which I love, and Sony has God of war, Ratchet and Clank…ummm…I cant remeber Lol! Still, im gonna buy me a Wii U before getting any other console lol.

    • Captain Falcon

      @MadCrain Oh how I hope that would be true, but that’s not the case. It ALL depends on its games, security, online system, user interface, processing, hardware, features, and gpu. It doesn’t solely just depend on the gpu.

  • cm93

    meh

  • StarTropics

    As pretty as it is I’m actually quite underwhelmed

    Why don’t they show a character with long flowing hair to show that Next gen consoles/PC cards are capable of it next gen

    • MadCrain

      Gay tendencys, Lol just kidding

    • StarTropics

      Where are the PS3/360 games that actually have realistic hair or fields of long grass not just a grass texture. With water getting more realistic every generation, hair and grass is still pretty much the same

  • leo

    I think the wii u name wont change at ALL . wii U’s Power is being kept a secret but, as we all know E3. So maybe the wiiu is going to be more powerfull than we expected it to be.

  • DarkRoseKid

    Dont see anything different from UE3 sorry just dont it looks the same to me

  • idk

    Ok you all are flooding yourselves in Nintendo fanboyism so calm down and stop jumping to conclusions and bashing on other things that arent nintendo its pretty immature

    • Tak

      A fanboy calling everyone else fanboys while not being able to tell why and where, not to mention to actually contribute some substance your self, THATS immature. What were you thinking?

      Lets try to keep on page clean of that blind labeling, ok?

    • Tak

      Meant:
      one page.

      At least one page of Nintendo discussion, without having to be called something I am not.

  • http://MacroManJr.blogspot.com/ Brian L.

    As a guy in the computer graphics industry, when I first saw these, considering the major hype made over the Unreal Engine 4, I found it a bit underwhelming.

    It’s quite pretty and all, and it’s definitely better with its handling of particles, but comparatively, in terms of quality, I haven’t seen anything here that excellent usage of the Unreal Engine 3 couldn’t produce. I wouldn’t dish out a million dollars on a license for it, if I were a bigger game company. It doesn’t blow me away like they kept hyping it would. Though, I hope these were just early low-end examples of the engine’s ability.

    Also, I should say that I think Tim Sweeney’s expecting way too much out of the next generation of consoles. I don’t think anybody is going to produce the tech-specs monster he’s hoping someone will.

    He seemed to indicate that the Unreal Engine 4 will be targeting consoles, but he might want to consider aiming for PCs for meeting his technical expectations, because Microsoft and Sony (and Nintendo, of course) might not deliver what he’s hoping to use Unreal Engine 4 on.