The Nintendo Switch just added a big piece to the indie puzzle. Today, Unreal announced that game developers will be able to release their games on the Nintendo Switch. The featured announcement said that the Nintendo Switch will have “fully-featured native support for the popular platform in Unreal Engine 4.16.” Unreal and Nintendo started out, with early support for Unreal 4.15 build back in February, but now they’ve officially partnered up.
Powerful Development For Nintendo Switch
This powerful engine has been used to develop huge AAA titles including: Gears of War 4, Street Fighter V, Tekken 7, and the upcoming Kingdom Hearts III. But it’s also made indie titles like Dead by Daylight, Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds, and about 1,500 different titles on IndieDB. A common criticism for Nintendo has been sacrificing performance for, innovation. While the PS4 and XBONE have boasted about having the best processors and graphics chips (for a console), Nintendo has preferred to focus on pushing the boundaries of how we look at gaming.
Whether it was the motion controls of the Wii, the second screen for the Wii U, or the Switch’s grab and go functionality. Nintendo really tries to think differently. But that different thinking has required developers to work with less, and in harsher conditions. Developers stated that they were floored by how easy it was to develop for the Switch.
The Wii and WiiU on the other hand, were hard to develop for, for third party developers. And Nintendo was also difficult to work with apparently. This was a major factor into the failure of the WiiU and it’s rather short lifespan. But with this new engine, and it’s famous ease of development, Nintendo is hoping to turn the corner. Because at the end of the day, more games will mean more money for Nintendo and for developers.
Getting Started with Switch
The steps for getting started with Unreal and Nintendo are very straightforward. First, developers will need to go to Nintendo’s Developer website and become an approved developer. Then they need to fill out Unreal’s Console Development Request UE4 form. Once developers are approved for it will be sent an electronic NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement). After that, all they have to do is wait for source access, and compile the code for the Nintendo Switch platform.
Looking Forward
This is all a far cry from Wii U’s issues with third party development. Nintendo has learned from it’s mistakes in the past. No matter how many units the latest Mario Kart, and Legend of Zelda game move, the Switch will need third party support. Adding an engine that is as open and easy to develop is a major step up. More games are made every day, and it’s not AAA titles leading the pack. It’s the small developers struggling to hone their craft. The disgruntled former employees, tired of the corporate grind. Young, fresh faces right out of college ready to show the world what they can do.
Some of the best games I ever played came from indie developers, and the Switch can now look for that diamond in the rough. I’m very excited about this announcement, not just for Unreal, but what it means for indie developers everywhere. And you should be too.
Do you imagine daring aerial tricks? If so, Frontline 59, a revamped Project Wingman with new content and PSVR2 enhancements, is out today.
In an alternate-history Earth at war, you sell your ace pilot skills to the highest bidder as a mercenary. In many game modes and missions, fight aerial dogfights and support ground forces against overwhelming odds.
The six new Frontline 59 missions were designed for VR for maximum immersion. PS5 players without headsets can complete these missions.
Thoughts on Project Wingman: Frontline 59? Does this look like a cockpit strap?
Returnal developer Housemarque will move into a fancy new studio by the end of next year.
Finland’s longest-running game developer, founded in 1995 and based in Helsinki. Housemarque says it wants to move to Helsinki and create “the Nordics’ most advanced gaming headquarters” in a new blog post. The studio wants to be a “testament to our rich gaming legacy” and a “beacon of innovation and creativity in the Northernmost capital”.
Brand director Mikael Haveri calls the studio’s modern, expensive workspace more than just a “shiny new office”. The post states, “We are creating an environment that merges Nordic sensibilities with creativity, aiming to attract the world’s best game developers,” with cutting-edge meeting rooms, audio studios, testing areas, and wellness spaces.
In addition, Housemarque wants the new studio to be green. “Our revamped hub will champion green initiatives, balancing technology and planetary care,” it says. “As we embark on this transformative journey, we’re committed to solidifying our gameplay innovation position.”
It sounds great, but we won’t see it until 2024.
Another PS Studios team gets a workplace makeover. Media Molecule’s Guildford office was completely renovated, and Firesprite moved into a modern studio like Housemarque’s. Further back, Guerrilla Games moved to a fancy studio in 2021. Sony appears to be investing heavily in its teams’ work environments to ensure the best conditions.
Housemarque has several job openings and may expand if its new home is larger. We’ll find out next year, but the Finnish studio appears to be improving.
Update: Red Dead Redemption for PS4 only supports 60fps on PS5 via backwards compatibility.
Original Story: Red Dead Redemption PS4 got a patch. Version 1.03’s official description is “General bug fixes, stability fixes, and improvements” and weighs a few hundred MB. However, starting the game will reveal a 60-fps option. It can be turned on and off in the pause menu.
It’s unexpected, but it’s a welcome improvement to a basic, overpriced remaster. We tested the game on PS5 via backwards compatibility and found it running smoothly. Hurrah!
However, we don’t know if base PS4 and PS4 Pro have this option. We’ll update this article when we know.
Red Dead Redemption finally has 60fps—are you happy?
- Gadgets8 years ago
Why the Nexus 7 is still a good tablet in 2015
- Mobile Devices8 years ago
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs Galaxy Note 5: is there room for improvement?
- Editorials8 years ago
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – How bad updates prevent people from enjoying their phones
- Mobile Devices8 years ago
Nexus 5 2015 and Android M born to be together
- Gaming8 years ago
New Teaser For Five Nights At Freddy’s 4
- Mobile Devices8 years ago
Google not releasing Android M to Nexus 7
- Gadgets9 years ago
Moto G Android 5.0.2 Lollipop still has a memory leak bug
- Mobile Devices8 years ago
Nexus 7 2015: Huawei and Google changing the game