Grasshopper working with Unreal Engine 3

No More Heroes studio toiling on multiplatform action horror title using Epic Games' oft-licensed technology; Epic denies tech headed to Wii.

Goichi Suda's next game is turning into a massive collaboration. In August, it was revealed that the designer of No More Heroes had teamed up his Grasshopper Manufacture studio with Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami and Q Entertainment to make a new action horror game. Electronic Arts also signed on to assist the project through its EA Partners program.

Now there's another partner in the mix, as today EA announced the game would be built using Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3. Beyond being notable for the news of another developer signing up to use the engine, the announcement also raises eyebrows because of the game's platforms.

EA initially confirmed the game for release on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, and Nintendo's Wii, but Epic does not currently support the Wii. If the Unreal Engine 3 is indeed being used in all versions of the game, it could be the first time the technology appears on Nintendo's console. As of press time, a representative with EA had not returned GameSpot's request for comment.

Unreal Engine 3 has powered a wealth of current-generation titles, from blockbusters like Gears of War to critical casualties like Hour of Victory. It also has been the subject of a lawsuit from Unreal licensee Silicon Knights, which used the engine for Too Human.

[UPDATE]: When asked if the Grasshopper news meant Epic Games had begun supporting Unreal Engine 3 on Wii, company vice president Mark Rein flatly responded, "No, no Wii support in UE3."

122 Comments

  • The_Dude1212

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 4:34 pm PT

    Damn...

    Guess they couldn't have made the effort to make it work on Wii, huh?

  • rob_dAmAgE

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 4:21 pm PT

    seriously, i don't care what console you are a fanboy for- i'm just glad that suda's putting out more twisted stuff!
    btw- i really hope they port "no more heroes" to the other platforms. that way it will sell better.

  • morgan_1979

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 3:07 pm PT

    oh man, now we have people hating each other just for liking different consoles, don't fall into that please. Games are for playing not for fighting.

  • thee_Decider

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 2:32 pm PT

    Great to see Suda 51 getting a bigger budget to work with. I can't wait to see what twisted game he comes out with next.

  • LastPRmarine

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 1:27 pm PT

    BiA uses the Unreal Engine it has turn out great

  • BLuFAlc0n

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 1:13 pm PT

    @ -Luffy-
    who are you????? does it really matter about perfect grammar in a comment page????

    @ footfoe2
    ......??????? ok, to end this, just keep it to yourselves, which console you think is the best, and I didn't started this??? This is about the racist Mark Rein and a new game!

    If u think the Wii's the best, it is
    If u think the PS3's the best, it is
    If u think the PC's the best, it is

    whatever u think's the best, that's what the best are!

    UE3 will work out for the Wii eventually...
    Quantum3 worked out right?

  • Black_Kill3r

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 12:52 pm PT

    Gee i don't even own a console , the PC rules for me , no fighting and arguing about witch console is best , like it even matters , the only thing that matters is for U to have fun and enjoy playing on it , HECK I STILL LIKE TO PLAY NES GAMES ONCE A WHILE . So stop arguing over witch is best and learn that THE ONE U LIKE IS BEST!!!!!

  • footfoe2

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 12:48 pm PT

    BluFalcon, your a disgrace to the air force..... or that one old super hero.

  • Bill_Pappas_Gr

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 12:44 pm PT

    i have too all the consoles(except wii.i sold it cause it is more like a console for kids).both consoles have pros and cons futures.for the time 360 is is the best.but in the future ps3 will domain.think about it.

  • Bill_Pappas_Gr

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 12:44 pm PT

    i have too all the consoles(except wii.i sold it cause it is more like a console for kids).both consoles have pros and cons futures.for the time 360 is is the best.but in the future ps3 will domain.think about it.

  • footfoe2

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 12:42 pm PT

    No more heroes = most immature game ever. I had hoped those people stopped making games

  • -Luffy-

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 12:41 pm PT

    BLuFAlc0n, please go back to suckling your mother's breast and riding your tricycle. You're obviously not old enough to be on this site. Every other one of your words is misspelled and you can't even manage to scramble together one proper sentence.

  • Ddcooljoe

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 12:31 pm PT

    I thought the whole point of these comments was to express your opinions...

  • Incubus420

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 11:11 am PT

    UE3 isn't the best thing...I only like it on Gears. Every other game that uses it endes up looking like Gears too much. Lets see what Squar Enix can do with it.

  • Incubus420

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 11:11 am PT

    UE3 isn't the best thing...I only like it on Gears. Every other game that uses it endes up looking like Gears too much. Lets see what Squar Enix can do with it.

  • mastersword007

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 10:28 am PT

    No, sims sold more. You just said that SMB only sold 40 copies. SIMS SOLD 50 + 20 exp. packs. Do the math!

    PS2 is better because it's got more 'Great' games. Have you seen the amount of fantastic games it had? I still play it to death.

    OOOH sales. I don't care about sales. Since when is sales = Quality? Nintendo gamers never talked about Sales during the previous gen, but now it pops up everywhere!

    I don't need luck to get a Wii. The Wii is EVERYWHERE here. I had trouble finding an 360 elite.
    Also tEH FUL POTENTIAL LULZ of the PS3/360 is much better than tEH FUL POTENTIAL LULZ of the Wii.
    You MIGHT get what you pay for with the Wii, but you get MORE than you payed for with the 360/PS3

    All you've been stating is opinions opinions opinions.
    Wii having great games? Opinion
    360 not having great games? Opinion.
    OPINIONS ONLY. I don't care about your or any other Wii fanboy's goddamn opinion.

    You have no clue whatsoever about the Racism part, do you? Also, read the bottom of my previous post.

    ALSO READ GODDAMN IT! Nintendo DID save gaming, but they're not the ONLY ONES.

    I've seen so many Wii fanboys bashing 360/PS3. Even on youtube. Have you seen the amount of video's that state retarded arguments on how the Wii is better than the rest? I've seen Wii fanboys entering topics they shouldn't have, spewing random bullcrap etc. etc.
    The 360 fanboys aren't the only ones.
    Every console has it's own amount of fanboys and that's the truth.

    One is (still) a $250 dollar console with motion sensing, with good games like SMG, but bad with Online and does not have a lot of good games.

    One was pretty expensive, but is not extremely cheap. Has a solid controller, biggest and best library of this gen and has pretty strong hardware. It does break down often, but is repaired for free and fast too. Online costs around $5 a month, but is the best.

    One is pretty expensive, but very powerful! Has a good controller, but not many games have made good use of it. It has Blu-Ray and A LOT of other interesting stuff. It has its fair share of great games and Online is good and free (Better than Wi-fi by far). Try to guess which part is which console.

  • rocketman97

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 10:25 am PT

    blufalcon
    shut up.
    there, everyone happy? ha
    anyways, as far as the WII having UE3, i dont see how it could do it. the original xbox or ps2 would never be able to handle it, and sadly for the wii's graphical power, neither will it

  • Emraldo

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 10:16 am PT

    @BLuFAlc0n So Epic is racist cause they won't attempt to support hardware that can't handle their game engine? o.O

  • Hvac0120

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 10:05 am PT

    Wow. REAL comments are going to be wiped out by banter from console war flames. You guys need to take this argument to the System Wars forum and quit spamming the article comments.

    BACK ON SUBJECT:

    Until the "[UPDATE]", this article was a mix of "Rumor Control" and sales pitch for Epic. Did Epic sponsor this article?

    LASTLY:

    I don't think Epic is going to make a version of Unreal Engine 3 for the Wii. The engine is too powerful and they likely don't want to dumb it down to adapt to the Wii. Too much work for not enough ROI.

  • darkarchon123

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 9:53 am PT

    Sounds like this could be a good game!

  • BLuFAlc0n

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 9:42 am PT

    @retrofraction12
    yup, ur totally right!
    that's why Wii haters just go and say that Wii has PS2 graphics, coz some of those game developers are lazy!!
    It's not the Wii which is ripping people off, it's the lazy game developers! and thats why High Voltage made an EFFORT!!! like Nintendo ALWAYS do! so as Activision, who even bothered of creating Guitar Hero, and CoD for the DS!

  • BLuFAlc0n

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 9:34 am PT

    @mastersword007

    Oh....the Sims???? Nope, It's Mario, Sims is just third in the list, before the 2nd best selling franchise = Pokemon, and the first best-selling franchise = Mario!!
    Original is legendary, and how did the PS2 become better than the Wii, coz it sold more? The Wii is the best console in this gen, or when it comes to sales, DS THEN!! PS" only did well coz of DVD-Playable, and backward compatibility! and same to Wii! Motion Sensing, not faulty, not overheating, doesn't break down whithin a year! and FULL BACKWARD COMPATIBILITY FROM NES = GC! The Wii isn't thrash, u get what yyou have paid for if u know how to use the Wii whithin FULL POTENTIAL!! It can send demos to DS, watch videos, free online, AAC support! etc.

    I never said America is being racist to Japan, that's why I included Activision as an example! I said the person from Epic Games Mark Rein! IS RACIST, a Nintendo discriminator!! coz he doesn't like making games for the Wii, coz the Wii's are awesome! The reason 360's aren't selling well because 360 has no good games! for me, not for you! and it's not just Japan, it's the whole Asia itself! and I didn't like any games for the 360 that's why me nor Japan will buy a 360.

    About the Wii, they can't afford one, that was a joke only but! WHAT I MEAN IS, You need LUCK to get the Wii! 360 PRO and Arcade are cheaper than the Wii, so yeah, can't afford it lol!

    The thing is for me, the Wii is awesome, for u, it isn't and it applies to all 360 fanboys! A few might like both!

    and guarranteed, Nintendo DID SAVE THE GAMING INDUSTRY! THE MAIN SAVING!
    and guarranteed 360 fanboys starts this argument, because any page I go to related to the 360's, they all put the fanboys comments, being better than the Wii and PS3, even @ Wii pages and PS3 pages! 360 fanboys just type in all the mean arguments!
    I'm sick of fanboys and Wii haters.....
    The only reason I start hating 360's are because of 360 fanboys hating the Wii.......
    If they've only STOPPED BEING FANBOYS!

    You don't have to bother at the rest of the post, half of it doesn't apply you...

  • retrofraction12

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 9:32 am PT

    If the wii can do the COD4 engine I really don't see why it can't run the unreal 3 engine.

    The wii is a quality system, it is the software developers that are the crap. ( not counting High Voltage software and nintendo )

    the main problem is not that the wii is underpower it is that most developers are unwilling to make an engine just for the wii ( ushally it is a ps2 engine), but companies like high voltage has shown that the wii can hold its own you just have to make an engine specific for it.

  • mastersword007

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 9:11 am PT

    @ Huy: How Ironic, this coming from a Wii fanboy. Not being able to buy a cheaper console after buying an expensive one.

    @ BLuFAlc0n: What the hell are you talking about? Since when does original mean legendary? Are you saying that the Wii is legendary? Nah, couldn't be. Nobody's THAT stupid. The PS2 is easily better than the Wii BY MILES! The Wii isn't even the best console this gen. The Wii is actually EXPENSIVE trash. You're not getting what you're paying for.

    Oh Really? America is being racist against Japan? If you hadn't been living under a rock lately, you would have seen that it's the other way around. Why do you think 360's weren't selling so well in Japan until a great JAPANESE RPG came out on it? Not making games for a certain console has nothing to with being racist. Grow up.

    Super Mario Bros being the best selling game of all time? You haven't done your research have you. Stop spewing lies over and over again. 'The Sims' is the best selling game of all time with 50 million copies sold (70 mil if you count exp. packs)

    Lets continue...
    Hating on the Wii because they can't afford one...Hmm...that doesn't sound right. I thought the PS3 and 360 (Not the Arcade version) cost more than the Wii. I agree with Nintendo being awesome, but that doesn't mean the Wii has to be awesome too.

    Nintendo isn't the only one saving the gaming industry. Research moar.
    Also this, How do you know that 360 fanboys start these arguments. Oh, you were just plain GUESSING. Ok then.

    I'm not even going to bother with the rest of your post. It's not worth it.

    Who am I? Just a Wii60 owner

  • CamiKitten

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 9:04 am PT

    EA's got their nose in this, oh boy lol!
    And lol @ where these comments headed.

  • CamiKitten

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 9:04 am PT

    EA's got their nose in this, oh boy lol!
    And lol @ where these comments headed.

  • huy11324

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 8:46 am PT

    yeah bluefalcon, the fanboys will never stop and it usually seems to be the 360 kids who start it. It is so sad to see that crap, just cus their mommy bought them a 360 for their birthday, doesn't mean u should trash every other system out there.

  • BLuFAlc0n

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 8:25 am PT

    @peeweeshift
    .............Quantum3 engine, beats unreal 2.5 engine
    and lol, "Ultimate fanboy comment".

    @Kazu666
    u don't get it, what do u mean by 'good console'
    and PS2 don't even have major awesome titles, they're just popular, like the Wii, that's why people buy them. It's like ur trying to say that PS2 are also cheap thrash... Original doesn't mean good, it means LEGENDARY!!!
    and the Wii isn't cheap thrash, the Wii isn't faulty!
    Epic games ARE RACIST, no not Epic games sorry, I meant Mark Rein!! if not, Discriminating Nintendo! coz Mark Rein is just a no-lifer who is racist coz Nintendo is a Japanese company, owned by a Japanese person! Unlike Microsoft which is American, and Mark Rein is probably American. Some company like Activision are NOT RACIST coz they make games for all platforms! @andrew_ribbons
    first, those games arent original!! Halo copied Metroid and Starwars, and the other game, I've never heard of it! and what do u mean Nintendo games never passed 10 million??? have u heard of Super Mario Bros.!! THE BEST-SELLING GAME OF ALL TIME!!! which reached more than 40 million+, Super Mario Bros. 3 made more than 20 million, so as Pokemon Red/Blue! even Wii Sports and Wii Play outsold Halo 3! @conan6980

    I've kept mistyping, sorry if it isn't too perfect for u

    LOOK EVERYONE!! I've never made that message to say that Wii's are better than PS3/360 by miles, the message was made FOR FANBOYS TO STOP INSULTING THE Wii!! I've never insulted any PS3/360 consoles AT ALL!!! FANBOYS JUST HATES THE Wii coz they can't afford one!! lol. Originality is one thing for Nintendo, the other one is...EFFORT!!!! THAT'S WHY THEY'RE STILL ALIVE, the Savior of the Video Game Crash!! YOU'S FANBOYS SHOULD BE THANKING NINTENDO FOR THIS, or elso there won't be any video game consoles today, without Super Mario Bros. there won't be any good games right now. Without Nintendo, the Playstation was never made, also the Xbox. Without the SNES, there's no multiplayer! Without the NES, there's no online for gaming! Without the N64, the graphics wouldn't improve, WITHOUT THE SNES CONTROLLER BASIC LAYOUT, PS/Xbox Controllers were never made! Nintendo always got different layouts of controllers and names for every console generation, apart from the NES = SNES part, the rest are original!
    Withou Nintendo, generations won't change!

    I'm sick and tired of arguing, CAN'T U FANBOYS SHOULD STOP BEING FANBOYS!!! AND TRY TO LIKE DIFFERENT THINGS! OR JUST KEEP IT TO YOURSELVES! Insulting other consoles that other people like can cause fanboyism, mainly, it's the 360 fanboys who start this arguments! I don't know why???

  • OldWiseBob

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 7:55 am PT

    The reason people don't buy Wii software is because most of it is horrible. These coming months are changing that. PS: make that engine work for Wii please?

  • himalaya

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 7:49 am PT

    I love the big "N" as much as the next guy, and the Wii was a game changer (Next gen will all include motion control of some kind). BUT the games most hardcore games want to play are not on the system. It is underpowered for a next gen console.

  • conan6980

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 7:40 am PT

    Also @blufalcon, go back to school and take some English classes. Wow!!! Your grammar and spelling are a pinnacle of the English language. I nominate both plus your intellectual rant for the Pulitzer prize.

  • andrew_ribbons

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 6:42 am PT

    "@blufalcon. Ultimate fanboy comment. Wii all the way but seriously dude you sound a little obnoxious and childish with that comment."

    Sounds like? More IS like...

    Anyone who can seriously try and claim MS never do original or great games can go *much profanity* themselves. Play Rise of Nations, Freelancer and yes, even Halo games. They are all PERFECTLY original and fantastic titles. Just because little kiddy-toes here hasn't been around long enough to play older games like the first two i mentioned, doesn't mean they aren't great classics in their respective genres. Halo...well that's just a statement in itself. Do i see Nintendo selling 10million copies of any game? Nurpe, didn't think so.

    I love the Wii's ideas, but it's implementation in games is just poor all round apart from a select few Ninty first party stuffs.

  • raahsnavj

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 6:41 am PT

    Yeah, before I read the 'update' I was positive that the Wii would be left out. And frankly that is ok. To make games for gamers you can't keep using last gens hardware, especially when we are already into the 3rd year of this gen.

  • Rect_Pola

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 6:40 am PT

    Ahh, the troubles of marching to the beat of different drummer. It's not like we don't expect stuff like this anymore. Wii simply not a workhorse, it simply can't do what PS3 and 360 can. Usually this is a graphical argument, but I've always applauded art design that intentionally avoided gritty realism. That said the Wii's abilities are hardly sub-par. It has it's share power, and if used well can make brilliant looking games if one has the patience to make it work. And this is far from future-tense conjecture, wii has games that prove the point. There are other engines besides UE3 that do the job and with the Wii's success Epic would be crazy to not develop something developers could use.

  • Kazu666

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 6:24 am PT

    BLuFAlc0n
    'Original' does not mean good.
    The Wii is cheap trash. Nothing else. and while graphics may not be everything, they are still SOMETHING, if i wanted PS2 graphics, i'd play good games on my PS2.
    Oh, racism is descriminating against people of another race (skin colour).. Epic prefering to make games for a good console is in no way racist...

  • peeweeshift

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 5:55 am PT

    @blufalcon. Ultimate fanboy comment. Wii all the way but seriously dude you sound a little obnoxious and childish with that comment. Anyways there's always the hope that they will use the unreal engine 2.5(aka Unreal Engine 2X, the one they used on xbox to make unreal championship 2). The game would definitely impress graphically for a wii title if they used that engine.

  • IXIWhistIXI

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 5:17 am PT

    Mugupo...I don't think you know what the unreal engine 3 is if you think it's outdated.
    COD4 engine is alright, but it also doesn't allows the deep customization that UE3 offeres....not to mention, you can't just USE COD4 engine, it's not made as an open source engine like Unreal and Source engines are. Typically, you have to be making a call of duty game to use the COD4 engine...

  • rob_dAmAgE

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 5:01 am PT

    doesn't this big budget unreal engine stuff go against sudas whole "small studio punk rock" ethic???

  • rockstar_88

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 2:40 am PT

    FAIL. Megaman 9 has the best graphics. J/K.

  • webdoom

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 2:27 am PT

    im sorry.. COD4 engine looks better than UT3 engine? LOL! mugupo UT3 not only looks better but it is a lot more advanced than the COD4 engine with more funcionality and more utilities.

  • mugupo

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 1:01 am PT

    Unreal 3 engine is out of dated, not one game using that engine look better than COD4 engine, i wanted see more company use COD4 engine or COD5 because they are far ahead.

  • mugupo

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 1:01 am PT

    Unreal 3 engine is out of dated, not one game using that engine look better than COD4 engine, i wanted see more company use COD4 engine or COD5 because they are far ahead.

  • Hector_01

    Posted Oct 7, 2008 10:49 pm PT

    @Petri87
    @NiteX - UE3 is the best engine out there so i hope you mean a bad choise for the Wii. UE3 games look amazing. The only thing that has been able to top it is the MGS4 engine and just barely. Games whit UE3 dont need to look like GoW or UT3. Just look at Lost Odyssey, its a colorfull game that looks really good. Also the updated UE3 has better lighting and meterial effects like water and meat and in the UE3 demo at CES the enviroment fell apart pretty nicely

    Um, the greatest looking engine so far is actually the crysis engine mate. I have seen the ue3 engine at its best and it doesnt even compare to what the crysis engine can do. Seriously, you should see crysis warhead on full detail in dx10 - OMFG

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