Unreal
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Documents about Unreal
Thomas Brush11 min
Is It Finally Time To Switch Engines?
The primary thesis of this discussion is that game developers should prioritize consistency and problem-solving over the frequent, unproductive debate surrounding game engine selection.
- Blaming a game engine for development issues or lack of success is a common distraction that rarely reflects the reality of professional game development.
- Successful developers prioritize consistency and problem-solving over engine-hopping, as switching tools is often a form of procrastination that prevents project completion.
- Engine-specific 'out-of-the-box' aesthetics can make games feel generic, so developers must be intentional with design to ensure their project has a unique look and feel.
Thomas BrushJan 2026
Report25 pages
State of African Games 2026
The analysis delivers a data-driven overview of African-developed video games, concentrating on performance across global platforms—primarily Steam, with supplemental PlayStation and Xbox data—from 2015 through 2025.
- South Africa dominates the African game development sector, accounting for all top-ten selling titles and contributing to a 2% share of global Steam unit sales.
- The industry is shifting from volume-driven growth to longer development cycles, evidenced by a decline in annual Steam releases from a peak of 23 in 2023 to 11 in 2025.
- There is a significant genre mismatch in the market, as action titles dominate release volume while simulation games achieve the highest median sales at approximately 372,000 units.
Sensor TowerJan 2026
Article
PC & Console Predictions in 2026
The gaming industry is entering 2026 characterized by structural shifts in development, monetization, and market dominance.
- The $60 game price point is obsolete, replaced by a fragmented market ranging from $5–20 for indie hits to $100+ for tentpole releases like GTA VI, with $80 becoming the new AAA standard.
- Development cycles are contracting from 6–10 years as studios adopt AI tools for asset creation and coding, while shifting away from the expectation that every title must be a 200+ hour open-world experience.
- Sony is expected to enter the dedicated handheld gaming market to compete with the Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam Deck, driven by strong consumer demand for portable PlayStation experiences.
Sensor TowerDec 2025
Deconstructor of Fun6 min
Fortnite’s Platform Problem (It’s Not What You Think)
Fortnite functions primarily as a centralized licensing powerhouse rather than a true open platform.
- Fortnite functions as a centralized licensing powerhouse that absorbs external IP, such as Ferrari and James Bond, rather than operating as a decentralized platform for third-party creators.
- Despite reaching 9 million concurrent users during the Chapter 7 launch, Fortnite struggles to translate these spikes into significant growth or engagement for the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) ecosystem.
- Fortnite maintains a superior financial position compared to Roblox by prioritizing monetization efficiency and higher average revenue per user, despite Roblox’s significantly higher concurrent user count of 21 million versus Fortnite’s 3 million.
Deconstructor of FunDec 2025
Deconstructor of Fun18 min
Epic + Unity! The Gaming Bromance Nobody Predicted
The gaming industry is witnessing a significant shift in platform interoperability following a strategic partnership between Epic Games and Unity.
- Epic Games and Unity have formed a strategic partnership allowing Unity-based developers to publish content directly into the Fortnite ecosystem.
- Unity is integrating its cross-platform commerce and in-app purchase SDK into Unreal Engine to promote a more interoperable digital landscape.
- Roblox has implemented facial recognition technology to verify user age and restrict communication between different age groups to address safety concerns.
Deconstructor of FunDec 2025
Jonas Tyroller119 min
Writing Clean Code for Games (Industry Veteran)
Game development success is fundamentally driven by human coordination, team dynamics, and pragmatic design rather than the pursuit of perfect technical architecture.
- Success in game development is driven 80% by choosing the right game and team, while technical programming skill primarily serves to reduce bugs, minimize crunch, and improve maintainability.
- Avoid over-architecting systems before development begins; most successful games are built on codebases that are messy but functional rather than perfectly structured.
- Gameplay programmers should function as 30% game designers, focusing on player-facing features and the fun factor rather than treating development as a pure coding challenge.
Jonas TyrollerDec 2025
Presentation19 pages
Wyniki Finansowe 3Q25
This financial analysis details the third-quarter 2025 performance of PCF Group S.A. (People Can Fly), a global game development studio.
- PCF Group S.A. reported a net loss of 117 million PLN for the first nine months of 2025, a significant increase from the 33.3 million PLN loss recorded in the same period of 2024.
- A 92 million PLN write-down for the project 'Lost Rift' (Victoria) following its September 25, 2025, Early Access launch was the primary driver of the group's financial deficit.
- Despite the net loss, total revenue grew to 152.1 million PLN in the first nine months of 2025, up from 131.9 million PLN in 2024, driven by work-for-hire projects including Delta, Zulu, and Echo.
PCF GroupDec 2025
Deconstructor of Fun63 min
TWIG #359 Unity x Epic, Roblox Controversy, Saudi Money and Why The Game Awards Make No Sense
The gaming industry is currently navigating a period of significant strategic realignment, marked by an unexpected partnership between Epic Games and Unity.
- Epic Games and Unity have formed a strategic partnership to integrate Unity’s commerce SDKs into Unreal Engine and allow Unity-built content to function within the Fortnite ecosystem.
- Roblox is facing significant regulatory and reputational pressure regarding its current moderation practices and child safety protocols.
- The 2024 Game Awards have been criticized for a disconnect between award nominations and actual Western market performance, particularly regarding the mobile sector's representation.
Deconstructor of FunNov 2025
Financial report8 pages
CD PROJEKT Group Q3 2025 Earnings Transcript
CD PROJEKT Group’s financial results for the third quarter of 2025 demonstrate strong growth, driven by the continued commercial success of the Cyberpunk franchise and strategic licensing agreements.
- CD PROJEKT Group reported Q3 2025 revenue of 350 million zloty, a 53% year-over-year increase, with net profit rising 150% to 193 million zloty.
- The company holds 1.4 billion zloty in cash and liquid assets, with over 1 billion zloty currently allocated to active development projects.
- The Witcher 4 is currently in full-scale production, while the next Cyberpunk title has entered the pre-production phase.
CD ProjektNov 2025
Mobilegamer.biz19 min
That Unity-Epic deal, Minecraft Blast, Netflix Games 2.0, Duolingo, Ubisoft, Stash, EA and more
The mobile gaming industry is currently defined by strategic alliances, platform pivots, and significant consolidation within the web shop and monetization sectors.
- Unity and Epic Games have entered a strategic partnership allowing Unity-made games to publish directly to Fortnite and integrating Unreal Engine support into Unity’s monetization and web shop tools.
- Netflix has pivoted its gaming strategy toward mainstream, family-oriented, and party games, moving away from the underperforming indie titles that previously populated the service.
- King has entered soft launch for 'Minecraft Blast' in Malaysia, marking a significant effort to bring the Minecraft IP to mobile via a puzzle-based gameplay model.
Mobilegamer.bizNov 2025
Financial report52 pages
Quarterly Report of 11 Bit Studios S.A. for the Nine Months Ended 30 September 2025
Financial performance for 11 bit studios S.A. through the first nine months of 2025 reflects a period of significant operational transition and heavy product launches.
- 11 bit studios reported a net profit decline to PLN 22.0 million for the first nine months of 2025, down from PLN 47.5 million in the same period of 2024, driven by increased depreciation and amortization costs.
- Total revenue for the nine-month period reached PLN 101.3 million, representing a 5% year-over-year decrease.
- The company has reduced the estimated cost of its 2021–2025 Incentive Scheme to zero, indicating that original long-term revenue and profit targets will not be achieved following the termination of Project 8 and delayed releases.
11 bit studiosNov 2025
Thomas Brush102 min
Let's Review Your Games — Ep. 034
Successful game design hinges on the delicate balance between atmospheric immersion and intuitive player guidance.
- Implement a structured 'Level Zero' to teach core mechanics sequentially before granting players open-world freedom, as this significantly reduces early-game drop-off rates caused by overestimating player intuition.
- Prioritize clarity and purpose within the first five minutes of gameplay, as this initial window is critical for establishing player engagement regardless of the game's genre.
- Replace abstract, text-based instructions with logical, guided sequences that allow players to learn mechanics through active gameplay rather than forced wait times.
Thomas BrushNov 2025