Unreal Engine 6 Wants to Make One Giant Metaverse with All the Games

Epic Games' Ambitious Metaverse Vision: Unreal Engine 6 and Interoperability

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has outlined an ambitious plan to revolutionize the gaming landscape by creating a truly interoperable metaverse, leveraging the power of Unreal Engine 6. This vision encompasses a shared marketplace and assets across major games utilizing the Unreal Engine, including Fortnite and potentially Roblox and others.

Sweeney highlighted Epic's strong financial position, stating the company is well-resourced to execute this decade-long project. A key component is the integration of Unreal Engine's high-end development tools with the user-friendly Unreal Editor for Fortnite. This fusion, projected to take several years, will form the foundation of Unreal Engine 6.

The resulting Unreal Engine 6 aims to empower developers, from AAA studios to indie creators, to build applications deployable across various platforms as standalone games. This fosters an interoperable metaverse built upon a shared technology base and content. Sweeney cited the collaboration with Disney as an example of this interoperability, aiming to extend this model to other platforms. While discussions with Roblox and Microsoft haven't begun, Sweeney anticipates future collaborations.

A key driver is the belief that players are drawn to games offering shared experiences and long-term engagement, leading to increased spending on digital items. An interoperable economy increases player confidence in their purchases, knowing assets will remain valuable across multiple games.

Epic EVP Saxs Persson echoed this vision, emphasizing the potential for a federated metaverse connecting platforms like Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite. This approach prioritizes player connection and allows the best ecosystems to thrive. The core strategy, as Persson and Sweeney explained, is to build upon Fortnite's successful model, expanding its core features to create a larger, more interconnected gaming experience. The belief is that a truly open metaverse will prevent any single entity from dominating the space, mirroring the diversity seen in the smartphone market.