I think the issue they have with building a new engine is that doing so doesn't guarantee the games will be better and it also means tossing out 100% of all accumulated experience in the existing engine. This does not just apply to their own employees but to the wider gaming community too which has built up a very large amount of experience modding their games.

What they should really do is employ some talent for a new engine and then do something experimental at a small scale first. Then build off of that.

Do they want to though? No. They want a golden goose.

[–] ashinadash@hexbear.net 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

I think it might actually be smarter for them to (very slowly) transition to UE5 ( disgost ) than try to spin up a new engine. I mean, the last time a Microsoft owned studio tried making a new engine was the Slipspace engine for Halo Infinite, which... doggirl-sweat

Idk how feasible it is to even make a new engine these days. It's hard work, I guess Crimson Desert is the first game on an all-new engine in a while?

[–] Awoo@hexbear.net 9 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

A large chunk of UE5's value is being able to plug in technologies from third parties. The problem with this however is that third party technologies are out of your control when it comes to modding, you can't provide the userbase with access to anything that uses those technologies because you don't have the license for them.

I guess Crimson Desert is the first game on an all-new engine in a while?

Yeah. Then there's CDPR with Cyberpunk. I think the most impressive engines that exist currently are rage9 (rockstar) and Decima (Death Stranding/Horizon Zero Dawn). Special mention for Ubisoft's engine too Anvil, which is a seriously amazing technical marvel wasted on making the exact same Assassin's Creed gameplay over and over and over again.