Epic Games' new, surprisingly inexpensive subscription model for Unreal Engine 4 development drastically lowers the requirements for those hoping to create PC games, but the announcement left fans wondering if Epic might do the same for developers eyeing the console side of things.
When asked if Epic had any plans to add console support to its Unreal Engine 4 subscription model, studio co-founder Mark Rein responded in the affirmative. "[W]e'd love to," Rein tweeted in reply. "For now you need to be authorized by MS and/or Sony first."
"But I need to stress that UE4 already runs amazingly on XboxOne and PS4," Rein immediately added. "Lots of devs are already making UE4 games on those platforms."
As Rein illustrates, while Epic are working to lower the barrier of entry to game development, in a closed, proprietary system like a gaming console, the console's manufacturer holds all of the real power. Until Microsoft or Sony decide to kick open the gates, expect the status quo regarding who is able to develop console games to remain largely stagnant.