Introduction

Unreal Engine is a powerful game engine that was first released by Epic Games in 1998. It has since become one of the most popular and widely used game engines in the industry, thanks to its advanced graphics capabilities, robust physics simulation, and user-friendly interface. In this article, we will explore the ownership structure of Unreal Engine, as well as its history and key developments over the years.

Ownership Structure of Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine is owned by Epic Games, a private company based in North Carolina, United States. Epic Games was founded in 1991 by Tim Sweeney and Mark Klemke, who continue to serve as the company’s CEO and CTO, respectively. The company has grown significantly over the years and now employs thousands of people worldwide.

Epic Games has always been a strong supporter of open-source development, which is why Unreal Engine is licensed under an open-source model. This means that anyone can use, modify, and distribute the engine for free or commercial purposes. However, commercial versions of the engine are also available for purchase by developers who want to monetize their projects.

History of Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine was first released in 1998 as a 2D game engine called Unreal. In 2000, Epic Games released Unreal Engine 1.0, which introduced several new features and improvements over the previous version. This included support for 3D graphics, physics simulation, and scripting, among other things.

In 2004, Epic Games released Unreal Engine 2.5, which was a significant update that added many new features and improvements, including support for dynamic lighting, particle effects, and advanced animation tools. The engine was later updated to version 3.0 in 2007, which added even more features and improvements, such as support for motion capture and advanced networking capabilities.

In 2015, Epic Games released Unreal Engine 4, which was a major update that introduced many new features and improvements over the previous version. This included support for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), advanced animation tools, and improved performance and scalability.

Summary

In conclusion, Unreal Engine is owned by Epic Games, which has been a strong supporter of open-source development since its inception. The engine has come a long way since its first release in 1998 and has become one of the most popular and widely used game engines in the industry. With its advanced graphics capabilities, robust physics simulation, and user-friendly interface, Unreal Engine continues to be a favorite among developers around the world.