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Nov.1,2023
A boon for small game developers? Capcom is considering licensing the RE Engine! I believe that none of you here are unfamiliar with the game company Capcom. In the current gaming industry environment where many big players have been struggling, Capcom has consistently delivered high-quality games. Games like "Resident Evil 4: Re," "Street Fighter 6," "Monster Hunter: Rise," and "Devil May Cry 5," whether new titles or remakes of old games, have been loved by players. They have received both critical acclaim and high sales, contributing to Capcom's tremendous profit and revenue growth in recent years. In fact, Capcom's prominence in recent years has even overshadowed many other major game developers, a result that many players didn't anticipate. It's worth noting that Capcom had a poor reputation for a significant period, especially when "Resident Evil 6" was released in 2012, which was widely criticized for its poor quality. At the time, Capcom was still a relatively small game developer. It wasn't until the release of "Resident Evil 7" in 2017 that Capcom managed to turn things around. The success of "Resident Evil 7" was not just about the game itself; it was facilitated by Capcom's new proprietary engine, "RE" (Reach for The moon), specifically developed for the ninth-generation consoles (PS5 and XSX). The project began in April 2015 and took a year and a half to develop. Following "Resident Evil 7," Capcom continued to use the "RE" engine for subsequent titles like "Devil May Cry 5," "Resident Evil 8," and "Monster Hunter: Rise." The period from 2012 to 2017 was likely one of Capcom's worst in terms of reputation. Aside from "Resident Evil: Revelations 2" in 2015, Capcom was primarily remaking older games during this time. It was only with the release of "Resident Evil 7" that it became apparent that Capcom had invested in developing a new engine, and the engine's performance didn't disappoint. The reason Capcom decided to change engines was quite simple. The previous "MT" engine had been in use for a long time, dating back to games like "Devil May Cry 4," "Dragon's Dogma," and even "Monster Hunter: World." These games' graphics had become outdated, considering they were developed during the seventh console generation (PS3 and Xbox 360). It was high time for an upgrade. The "RE" engine, unlike the previous "MT" engine, introduced numerous new graphics and rendering technologies, including subsurface scattering, dynamic shadows, shadow cache, FXAA+TAA, and more. Moreover, the "RE" engine allowed developers to achieve photorealistic rendering and shading, with characters, clothing, and objects scanned using 3D photography. In addition, the "RE" engine includes features like 4K resolution, HDR, VR mode, and more. In essence, the key feature of the "RE" engine was the substantial improvement of the graphics rendering system, which enabled games to run smoothly even at high performance. In other words, the games had better visuals, more realistic characters, and smoother gameplay, a fact evident in the new designs for characters like "Ada Wong" and "Jill Valentine." It's clear that the 3D character designs have significantly boosted Capcom's appeal in the 3D market. The birth of the "RE" engine showcased Capcom's technological prowess and innovation to the world, revitalizing its game lineup. Furthermore, Capcom is planning to share this professional game development technology worldwide. On September 1, Capcom Europe announced the "CAPCOM Open Conference Professional RE: 2023," a developer conference on the X platform. This conference will cover the design philosophy, features, and the professional knowledge required for using the game engine, specifically the "RE" engine. The conference will delve into the latest developments of the "RE" engine, and Capcom stated that the engine is further evolving to meet the challenges of various game genres. Notably, Capcom mentioned that, in addition to its significant role in their own games, the "RE" engine will be opened to additional new platforms. This openness might lead Capcom to license the "RE" engine to other studios and developers, potentially expanding its impact. The excellence of the "RE" engine is evident, and opening it up to others, particularly smaller game developers, is undoubtedly a positive development. However, game companies' engine choices are not as simple as it might seem. Developers with no prior experience with the engine may not be able to harness its full potential, and ongoing maintenance can pose significant challenges. Capcom's decision to share its engine expertise is a significant step forward for the industry and can encourage development and progress. Clinging to their outdated "antique" engines isn't a sustainable path. Isn't that right, Todd?
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