Does Riot Use Unreal? A Deep Dive into Riot Games’ Engine Choices
Yes, Riot Games uses Unreal Engine, but it’s not their sole engine of choice. Riot employs a multi-engine strategy, leveraging the strengths of different engines for various projects. While League of Legends, their flagship title, is built on a proprietary engine, some of their other games, such as Valorant, and EA WRC, utilize Unreal Engine. It is more precise to say that EA will be using Unreal Engine for EA WRC, now developed by Codemasters, rather than saying Riot will use Unreal Engine for EA WRC. Riot also uses Unity for some of their mobile and card game titles like Legends of Runeterra and League of Legends: Wild Rift. This strategic approach allows them to optimize development processes and cater to the specific needs of each game.
Why Multiple Engines? A Look at Riot’s Development Philosophy
Riot’s decision to use multiple game engines isn’t arbitrary. It reflects a deep understanding of game development and a commitment to delivering the best possible player experience. Each engine has its own strengths and weaknesses, making it suitable for different types of games and development styles.
The Power of Proprietary Engines: League of Legends
League of Legends, being Riot’s legacy title, is built on a proprietary engine that has been refined and optimized over many years. This in-house engine allows Riot complete control over every aspect of the game, enabling them to fine-tune performance, implement unique features, and maintain a consistent visual style. This bespoke engine has allowed Riot to build and evolve the game exactly as they wish, with complete control over the codebase and technology.
Unreal Engine: The Choice for Valorant
Valorant, Riot’s foray into the tactical shooter genre, leverages the power of Unreal Engine. Unreal Engine 4 (UE4), and now Unreal Engine 5 (UE5), provides a robust foundation for creating visually stunning and highly performant games. Riot’s development team cited that using Unreal Engine allowed them to focus on gameplay mechanics and optimization rather than spending time on core systems. This is a huge benefit, as it enables the team to iterate faster and deliver a polished product more efficiently. Using Unreal Engine enables the developers to leverage Epic’s continuous engine improvements.
Unity: Mobile and Strategic Games
For titles like Legends of Runeterra and League of Legends: Wild Rift, Riot has turned to Unity. Unity’s cross-platform capabilities and ease of use make it an ideal choice for developing mobile games and titles that need to run on a wide range of devices. Unity’s strong asset store and large community also contribute to a faster development cycle.
The Future of Riot’s Engine Strategy
As Riot Games continues to expand its portfolio of titles, it’s likely that they will continue to adopt a multi-engine strategy. This approach allows them to choose the best tool for the job, maximizing efficiency and ensuring that each game receives the attention and resources it deserves. The company might develop additional proprietary engines for future games with unique technological and artistic requirements.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding Riot Games’ engine choices:
1. Which Engine does League of Legends Use?
League of Legends uses a proprietary engine developed and maintained in-house by Riot Games. This engine has been continuously updated and optimized over the years to meet the specific needs of the game.
2. What Engine does Valorant Use?
Valorant is built using Unreal Engine. Riot Games chose Unreal Engine to focus on gameplay and optimizations, leveraging the engine’s robust features and development tools.
3. Does Riot Use Unity?
Yes, Riot Games uses Unity for some of their games. Legends of Runeterra and League of Legends: Wild Rift are built using the Unity engine, leveraging its cross-platform capabilities and development efficiency.
4. Why Doesn’t League of Legends Use Unreal Engine?
League of Legends was developed before Unreal Engine became as widely adopted as it is today. Furthermore, the game’s proprietary engine has been extensively optimized for its specific gameplay and features, making a switch to Unreal Engine a complex and potentially disruptive undertaking.
5. Is Unreal Engine Hard to Learn?
Learning Unreal Engine can be challenging, especially for beginners. It requires some knowledge of C++ and a willingness to learn its unique workflow and toolset. However, the engine’s extensive documentation, tutorials, and community resources make it accessible to developers of all skill levels.
6. Who Owns Unreal Engine?
Unreal Engine is owned by Epic Games, the same company that develops and publishes Fortnite. Epic Games provides Unreal Engine as a licensed technology to game developers and other industries.
7. What Percentage of Games Use Unreal Engine?
Unreal Engine is one of the most popular game engines in the industry. While the exact percentage varies, it is estimated that around 15% of game developers use Unreal Engine as their primary engine. This number fluctuates based on game types and developer preferences.
8. Is Unreal Engine Better Than Unity?
Whether Unreal Engine is “better” than Unity depends on the specific project and developer preferences. Unreal Engine is often favored for its high-fidelity graphics and powerful tools, while Unity is praised for its ease of use and cross-platform capabilities. The best engine depends on the project’s goals and requirements.
9. Does NASA Use Unreal Engine?
Yes, NASA uses Unreal Engine for various applications, including visualization and simulation. For example, NASA collaborated with Buendea to develop XOSS using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5.
10. Is Unreal Engine 5 Easy to Learn?
Unreal Engine 5 is not necessarily “easy,” but it builds on the foundations of previous versions, making it accessible to experienced Unreal Engine developers. While the new features and tools may require some learning, the engine’s improved usability and extensive resources make it easier to get started than previous versions.
11. Does Ubisoft Use Unreal Engine?
Yes, Ubisoft has used Unreal Engine for some of its games in the past, including titles in the Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six, and Splinter Cell franchises. However, they also use their proprietary engine, Anvil, for games like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry.
12. Why is Unreal Engine So Popular?
Unreal Engine is popular due to its powerful features, high-fidelity graphics, extensive toolset, and large community support. It provides developers with the tools they need to create visually stunning and engaging games across a wide range of platforms. The engine’s accessibility and versatility contribute to its widespread adoption.
13. What Cloud Does Riot Use?
Riot Games uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) for its cloud infrastructure. AWS provides Riot with the scalability and reliability they need to support their global player base and maintain availability for their games.
14. Is Riot Owned by Microsoft?
No, Riot Games is not owned by Microsoft. In 2011, Riot Games was acquired by the Chinese conglomerate Tencent. Riot Games operates as an independent subsidiary of Tencent.
15. Does Riot Games Use C++?
Yes, Riot Games uses C++ extensively in their development process. Their platform is written in C++, and they also use Python for utility needs. C++ is a powerful and versatile programming language that allows them to create high-performance games and systems.