[UPDATE] Epic Games confirms it will debut new technology platform with PC-exclusive cooperative survival game due out next year; designer Cliff Bleszinski says game may come to other platforms after PC launch.
Epic Games' Fortnite will be the first game to use the Unreal Engine 4, the publisher confirmed during its San Diego Comic-Con panel today. The game was also confirmed to be a PC-exclusive title and given a 2013 release window.
Originally revealed in December, Fortnite is described as a cooperative "sandbox survival game," with gameplay divided into two main sections: day and night. During the day, players will work together to build fortifications using whatever materials can be scavenged and scrounged. Once night falls, they will retreat into their forts as they hope to fend off waves of monsters and survive until morning.
[UPDATE] After the publication of this story, Epic Games design director Cliff Bleszinski tweeted that Fortnite may not always be a PC exclusive.
"To be clear--Fortnite is PC primary and first, but we wouldn't rule out the possibility of other platforms later," he said.
As for advancements of the Unreal Engine 4 over its predecessors, the new framework includes tools intended to shorten production cycles and lower development costs. In terms of technical specifics, the new engine includes a new dynamic lighting system, which operates based on calculations of objects' inherent properties, as opposed to being dictated by preprogrammed effects. This technology will supposedly allow for more realistic lighting, where colors mix, translucent materials glow, and objects viewed through water refract.
Check back with GameSpot soon for more on Fortnite, and more from Comic-Con.
Brendan Sinclair has been a games journalist since 1999. His tastes are eclectic, though he has a definite affinity for games with arcade roots. He's Canadian, but has also been at home in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, and San Francisco.
1 Like PC exclusive? WHAT WONDERFUL WORLD HAVE I JUST WOKEN UP IN AFTER A DANGEROUS NIGHT OF DRINKING?
you save for no damage but your liver takes +3 toxic.
as you are slowly recuperating, you realise it is not a pc exclusive. you pour down one more glass.
that remark is a little naive, they decided to release on pc first because current gen consoles cannot run UE4 without removing features that will make it look like UE3 in the end.
i'm suspicious that they are still making a console game with console gamers in mind, that's just to be released for the pc first because: tech.
we are usually treated poorly like that.
@chilipalm Yes, As a pc gamer i think PC Gaming has fallen down alot, Take a look at the classic enjoyable PC games and now there just filthy console ports, I'm no PC Elitist i own X360 myself, But games like Max Payne 2 and Far Cry and DOOM 3 and other games supported modding and Today's games aren't even near as appreciable.
2 Like wow I can't belive all the butt hurt console people here, we pc gamers get 1 exclusive from epic and the console players are pissed off as if how dare they....
@beast70 As a person who loves PC gaming, I think everyone deserves to play awesome games on all platforms. If a game can work on a console then it should be on it, the more people who get to appreciate a great game the better.
@beast70 i wouldnt worry too much about it it'll be on consoles too eventually. Some of use are gamers we play console and pc lol.
@Hotswagle7 No, both games are entirely different gameplay from each other and have significantly difference graphics.
I don't know much about Unreal Engine 4.
it will be just another HD or capable doing more than that.
but photo-realistic engine used on Crysis, Battlefield 3, Dirt 2. is kinda awesome.
future graphics probably lead to photo-realistic rather than goes to stereoscopic 3D.
@Ladiesman17 suffice it to say that the unreal engine 4 is quite simply stunning, if you haven't already, go check out the tech demo for it. however, i must say that stereoscopic 3D and photo-realistic graphics are not mutually exclusive events. producing stereoscopic 3D isn't hard (provided you have the graphical horsepower and appropriate hardware) you merely have to display the same image twice using some manner of filter
@Ladiesman17 You should go check out the tech demo of UE4. If you want real life graphics, being a science experiment, join the army or train to be a professional racer.
Easy there, I'm just assuming, I still like old-fashioned games though.
just imagine how amazing if you can see
Dragons, Giant Snake or Battle-ship flying above your head
(in a form of photo-realistic.)
being Racer or Soldiers is a weak example.
-_-
It's an odd graphic choice when trying to show off a new engine.. but whatever, I'll give it a look. The unreal engines are always solid so even if this flagship game doesn't turn out to be the best, I'm still excited because other companies will get to start pushing the engine even further. People often underestimate the difference in realism that lighting makes, so even if that's the main improvement (crisper shadows, refraction, more realistic sun glare, etc.), I'm sure it will be noticeable.
@tushwacker i think this is actually quite a good choice to show off a new engine. if the trailer is anything to go by (i.e. if it is representative of the actual gameplay or aesthetic style) the various forts and so on are comprised of individual items, as opposed to the tile system featured in games like minecraft or starforge, so if you have an engine that can put lots of detail into those objects it will look beautiful
Can't just they use the bloody engine to make something that is either Gears of War or Gears of War clone, even Gears of War was originally an Unreal Tournament, only clearly defined who is Marcus and who is face made of shit. Unreal Engine deserve something more than just that, FROSTBITE engine enabled C&C General 2 (hope they don't fuck up), I want to look at something than just Space Marines with BFG.
Wait, wait, wait, hold on, wait just a minute......... wasn't this game announced for the Xbox 360 on E3 or am i wrong?
@guildclaws No it was just announced, everyone just assumed 360 because of the Epic connection.
1 Like Ok... is this it?
Is this the Half Life (1998) that killed the PS1/N64 generation and forced next-gen to come?
Is this the Doom 3, the Far Cry, the Half-Life 2 that brought the PS2 era to an end?
Is this what will kickstart the "next-gen"?
It better show things that absolutely can't be done in consoles. And I mean in ways useful to gameplay, not just looking better.
"Originally revealed in December, Fortnite". This game was originally revealed last year at Microsoft's E3 presentation. Also stating that it is a PC exclusive doesn't seem right either as it was again at this years E3 for the xbox360. If this is now only going to be a PC exclusive, I won't be getting it.
1 Like Well Epic.... I thought i could trust you in delivering yet another over the top gameing experience. I fail to see how makeing this a PC exclusive is going to continue that tradition. And that doesnt even look like Unreal 4 but i could be wrong since you never spend the proper time to make unreal 3 a stunner so im honestly not suprised. Have fun with this terrible excuse for an Epic game PC fans becuase their real thing will always be Gears of War. I ment no harm to the feelings of PC gamers im simply overly pissed at Epic's Decison. Theyve always loved thier console crowd.
@Biotasticmeat this is the dumbest comment I have ever read..... " I thought i could trust you in delivering yet another over the top gameing experience. I fail to see how makeing this a PC exclusive is going to continue that tradition." so that translates to "whaaa whaa whaaa why didn't you make another exkbawks 360 exclusive, now i can't play this game whaa!"
@Biotasticmeat "I thought i could trust you in delivering yet another over the top gameing experience. I fail to see how makeing this a PC exclusive is going to continue that tradition." And making it an exclusive makes it a bad game? Well in that case Gears of war must be shitty too eh? As it's an Xbox 360 exclusive.
I agree with robathy; I don't think their intentionally trying to screw anyone over but the older consoles can't handle the new engine.
1 Like @Biotasticmeat WTF am i the only one that read this "To be clear--Fortnite is PC primary and first, but we wouldn't rule out the possibility of other platforms later," ? its not PC exclusive its PC priority then they will jump on consoles(when the consoles will be able to run it ofc)
1 Like @Biotasticmeat They're not making it PC exclusive because they want to. They said in interview that the engine is designed to run on next gen hardware, the only system that has next gen hardware is the PC, if you want to make a console game, use UE3. Do you think they should have just pulled development? They've been building this tech for years (since 2003) and have been quoted as saying the next gen of consoles will come in 2010, it's not their fault they pushed the boundaries and the console manufacturers weren't listening.
This game doesn't really have my interest, however I am kind of surprised it's not on any console.
Well I imagine it could only be a pc exclusive. I'm not sure if current consoles could handle an Unreal 4 engine. But lowered prduction costs sounds good for devs hope that transfers over to better and less costly games for consumers
1 Like @PodXCOM Mortal Kombat doesn't look like Gears of War. Shockingly Epic makes versatile engines.
@adam1808 What I mean is: it doesn't look powerful.
Go look at the Fox Engine or Luminous Engine. In fact, look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe0RoDDzR-o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2eohnOYgms
Fortnite doesn't even look like it has the same lighting as Unreal 4.
@adam1808 Then what's the point of having it for the "Next-Gen", or have it run on Unreal Engine 4?
The whole point of it being on the PC is because Epic wants the PS4 and xbox 720 to be as powerful as it can be. If this game can run on the PS3, then what is the point of having new consoles? It would just be pointless to have it only for the PC.
The whole point of the Samaritan demo and Elemental demo was to make people want to have the Next-Gen.
@PodXCOM They've probably scaled down most of their tech to ensure it works on all PCs right out of the gate. When you're making a minecraft-like you're not going to want to put in all the bells and whistles that will make it too sophisticated to run on your average desktop. Epic seem to have a policy of being everywhere, having a stylised art style allows them to make something that your average kid can scale down to run on his mum's laptop.
This comment has been deleted
Yet if it said Xbox exclusive you would continue reading and then re-read and then share with your buddies. :|
The UE 4 demo was top notch. Can't wait to see how all the destructibility works out :D
So it's PC exclusive after all, huh? Oh well. No loss to me. This game doesn't look very good to be honest. A little surprised to see it running on Unreal 4 though. I know realistic graphics don't equal good graphics, but I would've thought Epic would at least showcase a game that is more of a graphical powerhouse. I'm really hoping the tech demo they used to showcase Unreal 4 makes it's way to the surface as a launch title for the next generation consoles soon.
@DarkReign2552 Don't judge this game so quickly. Sandbox games with day and night cycles requires a lot of work to make the lighting realistic. Games like GTA 4 they have to put extra lights in every alley and every room and tunnel and test the lights to make sure its believable during nightime and that is only for a constant environment. For this game, the lighting needs to be dynamic with advanced final gathering and global illumination so that the building or whatever needs as little light sources (eg window or a torch) especially when they don't know what forts people are going to build. Most current game engines are not really capable of that level of lighting.
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