Unreal Engine 4 Is Now Free

This week Unreal Engine 4 became free. Free up front, that is to say – Epic Games ask that you share some of your revenue once you've made over $3,000 on whatever you make with their engine. Once you start making real cash, you'll pay a 5% fee on gross revenue. If you plan on creating software using Unreal Engine 4 that doesn't get distributed to make cash – no worries! This system competes with other big-name engines like Unity, and here the team at Epic have made a massive move toward holding their spot as a real top-tier competitor.

Below you're going to see a few examples of what Unreal Engine 4 is capable of. These examples are made with Unreal Engine 4 and – in some cases – other in-engine additives. Pre-made trees, for example.

These demos come from a creator called Koola.

Just one year ago, Unreal Engine 4 was released with Unreal Editor and a $19 a month subscription fee. Since then, many big-name projects and demos have been released with Unreal Engine 4 into the wild.

Epic Games founder and CEO Tim Sweeney spoke up this week on the next step in Unreal Engine 4 – making it free.

Unreal Engine works for gaming, but it also works for a wide variety of software-making oddities. You can make your own world – and you can explore it. This software engine can be used for virtual reality apps and games, education, architecture, sculpture, or even filmmaking.

If you're a developer, teacher, or just a rather creative person, have a peek at Epic Games' Unreal Engine 4 right this minute.

UPDATE: Now with 100% more sizzle!