VU Games using Unreal Engine 3.0

Following in the footsteps of Midway, NCsoft, BioWare, Microsoft Game Studios, and others, VU Games announced today it has licensed the Unreal Engine 3. Developed by Epic Games, the toolset is designed specifically to create games for next-generation consoles and PCs equipped with the latest graphics cards. No specific games were mentioned.

Though the exact terms of the licensing arrangement were not disclosed, the deal will allow all of VU's internal and external studios to use the Unreal Engine 3 to develop games. "Unreal Engine 3 technology will enable us to create exceptional high-quality next-gen titles in a productive and cost-effective fashion," said Peter Della Penna, VU Games' executive vice president and chief operating officer, product development.

Epic Games first demonstrated the Unreal Engine 3 at E3 2004. The engine was also the basis for several more-polished demonstrations at this year's expo, including a PlayStation 3 tech demo and a dazzling movie of Gears of War for the Xbox 360. Epic Games' official site has a detailed breakdown of the Unreal Engine 3 toolset.