A few years ago, a professional-grade graphics engine demanded a massive investment. For an independent developer, economics were often the main reason to delay or cancel a project. Today, however, that story is very different. Epic Games had started offering Unreal Engine 4 on a very accessible subscription model, but yesterday they confirmed the removal of the fee. Unreal Engine 4 is free.
Do you remember the first Unreal? Its Windows version debuted in April 1998, and its graphics were spectacular. In fact, I had the privilege of playing it with two Monster 3D II cards in SLI mode. Seeing the Skaarj fall at 1024x768 pixels for the first time is not something you easily forget, though all the credit went to its graphics engine. In an earlier time and place, licensing the original Unreal Engine could cost six figures without blinking, but over the years Epic Games began to write new rules in the graphics engine market. As its technology advanced, resources for developers multiplied, including very flexible licensing schemes.
Unreal Engine 4 is the crown jewel of Epic Games. In early 2014, it was established that access to the engine's code would be via subscription, with a monthly cost of $19. Yesterday, Tim Sweeney, founder of Epic Games, confirmed that subscription disappeared.
Unreal Engine 4 Is Now Free
Yes, Unreal Engine 4 is free. This means free access to the complete toolset, the Unreal Engine Marketplace, and to "100 percent of the C++ code". Previously, the only way to get the engine for free was by identifying as a student or teacher. Another interesting detail is that participants of the subscription model can expect refunds and a $30 credit in the Marketplace. Newcomers will also find video tutorials and samples to start creating.
Now, I imagine you're wondering what the fine print is. What Epic Games asks for is a fixed 5 percent calculated on gross income after the first $3,000, per product, per quarter. The Unreal Engine CLUF (especially section 4: 'Royalty') has many more details on this point. For example, revenue from in-game ads, crowdfunding, or microtransactions is also considered gross income.
Despite all these parameters, the announcement has caused a lot of noise. In general, it's seen as a direct blow to Unity, another extremely popular engine in recent times. Of course, each developer will have to judge which engine fits their project best, and whether it's worth investing the time to adapt... but that doesn't change the fact that it's excellent news.
