Explaining the Unreal Engine Model in 1 Minute

After the massive success of the game Black Myth: Wukong, which has sold over 18 million sets in just a few weeks, many people are wondering about the company behind its stunning graphics. The answer lies in Epic Games, the owner of Unreal Engine 5, the game engine used to create this game.

What is a Game Engine?

A game engine is a software used to create and develop games. Every game must be created through various game engines available. If we compare a game to a car, a game engine is like the engine that makes the car move.

Types of Game Engines

Game engines can be classified into two groups:

• Internal engine: designed for use within a company only, not open for general use. Examples include the Rage Engine used in Rockstar GTA games and the engine used in the game Elden Ring.
• Game engine open for general use: available in both free and paid formats. Examples include Unity, used to create the game Among Us, and Source 2, used to create the game Dota 2, as well as Unreal Engine 5, used in the game Black Myth: Wukong.

Unreal Engine 5

Unreal Engine 5 is a game engine developed by Epic Games, first released in 1995. Its strong points include automatic resolution of game objects, realistic reflections and shadows, and a more user-friendly interface for developers.

How Does Unreal Engine Make Money for Epic Games?

Game developers can use Unreal Engine for free, but they must register and provide some information to the company. If a game using Unreal Engine generates more than $1 million in revenue, the developers must pay 5% of game sales to Epic Games each year.

Revenue from Unreal Engine

According to the latest information released by Epic Games in 2018, the company’s revenue from Unreal Engine was 4,170 million baht. If we calculate the revenue from the sales of Black Myth: Wukong, which has sold 18 million sets, generating approximately 28.6 billion baht, Epic Games would earn around 1,430 million baht.

Unreal Engine Beyond Gaming

Unreal Engine is not only used in the gaming industry but also in movie production. Examples include Guardians of the Galaxy Part 2 and The Mandalorian series. This makes Unreal Engine a business model that covers almost all areas of entertainment, generating revenue for Epic Games every year.

About Epic Games

Epic Games is a company that develops games and game-related software. One of its most popular games is Fortnite. In 2022, the company had a turnover of 200,000 million baht and is currently valued at 1 trillion baht. The largest shareholder is Tim Sweeney, founder and CEO of Epic Games, who owns 51.4% of the company’s shares.