Unreal Engine 5.5 Preview 1 is now out and ready to explore; new Unreal Engine royalty rate savings when shipping eligible titles in the Epic Games Store on supported platforms; and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have burst from the sewers of NYC straight into Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN).
The Unreal Fest Seattle keynote has wrapped, with multiple big announcements in tow. There are new Unreal Engine royalty rate savings when shipping eligible titles on the Epic Games Store on supported platforms; Unreal Engine 5.5 Preview 1 is now out and ready to explore; and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have burst from the sewers of NYC straight into Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN).
On January 1, 2025, Unreal Engine will introduce ‘Launch Everywhere with Epic,’ a program offering a royalty rate reduction from 5% to 3.5% on all platforms and stores for eligible Unreal Engine games published on the Epic Games Store from 2025 onwards. Creators/developers are eligible for the rate reduction if a game is shipped on the Epic Games Store before or at the same time it is released on other stores on corresponding supported platforms (PC, Mac, Android, and in the future, iOS). This is inclusive of games participating in Epic First Run.
The royalty rate will revert to 5% if the Unreal Engine game is offered on another PC or Android store, but not on the Epic Games Store for the corresponding platform. More details on the royalty reduction will be shared ahead of January 1 so developers will have ample time to plan.
In addition to introducing improved terms for publishers to keep more revenue, Unreal has also been busy working on tech to help push the boundaries of high-fidelity 3D experiences and AAA-caliber content.
Unreal Engine 5.5 is another milestone on that journey, with Preview 1 now available; the full release comes out next month. UE 5.5 brings exciting rendering improvements: Nanite can now render Skeletal Meshes incredibly fast (currently an Experimental feature) and Path Tracer is Production-Ready. To support high-end games on mobile, UE 5.5 brings new features such as Mobile Preview functionality, which enables users to match device visuals and ensure players are getting the best possible experience for their device’s capabilities.
Epic Games is also bringing another fan-favorite IP to Fortnite. In addition to building Fortnite experiences using LEGO Elements, Fall Guys beans, and Rocket Racing tracks, users can also create Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) islands. Creators will be able to use TMNT templates, weapons, devices, Prefabs, Galleries, and bad guy NPCs to build the ultimate classic arcade experience. Establish a TMNT island starting November 13.
Finally, Unreal is expanding their community with an all-new Epic for Indies hub, with dedicated resources to support small and emerging developers with big ambitions.
You can access the new site for independent game developers within the Epic Developer Community to learn about all of the new perks, get to know each other, and share your knowledge and ideas there. In addition to the forum, be sure to check out the learning library with tutorials.pu.
Catch up on all the announcements here.
Source: Epic Games
Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist—L'Wren brings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.
