Are 3D Production Tools Profitable? An In-Depth Look at the Unreal Engine

What is Unreal Engine?

UE (Unreal Engine) is one of the most advanced game engines in the world, developed by Epic Games, and is known for its stunning, photo-realistic graphics.

A game engine is software that handles and streamlines the key processes commonly used in game production. In simple terms, it allows you to easily create 3D models of elements like nature, houses, and humans, which are commonly needed in various 3D games.

Unreal Engine, which first appeared in the 1998 game "Unreal," is one of several game engines available, and it is widely used in numerous games. What’s more, it’s very popular because it’s available for free. Although it's called a game engine, it can also be used for creating 3D videos and other media.

UE is developed by Epic Games, a U.S.-based game company known for titles like "Fortnite." UE is not only used in Fortnite, which is run by Epic, but also in other popular titles from other companies, such as "Final Fantasy VII Remake" and "Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age." It seems to be quite a major engine in the world of game development.

Some key features of UE include "the Blueprint system, which allows game development even with minimal programming knowledge or experience," "photo-realistic graphics," "the fact that all features are free to use," and "its applications beyond just game development."

However, while all features are free, there’s a rule that if the total revenue from a game or app created using UE exceeds $1 million, a 5% royalty must be paid. Essentially, it’s a "pay a share if you hit it big" type of model.

That said, it's not very realistic for a complete beginner to create something that surpasses this revenue mark, so it’s probably not something most people need to worry about.

List of Typical Game Engines

As for game engines, it seems that UE and “Unity” are the most famous. According to statistical data, among the engines used in games released on Steam (a platform for selling games for PCs), UE is in first place with a 23% share, and Unity is in second place with an 11% share. These figures are expected to increase further if home video games and smartphone applications are included.

Unity, which is in second place in terms of market share, is inferior to UE in terms of graphics, but is said to be suitable for smartphone application development and small-scale development. In other words, there is a division between UE for higher quality games and Unity for smartphone apps of moderate quality.

In the case of Unity, only some functions are free, but if you want to develop and release a game with multiple developers, you will need to register for the paid version. Furthermore, the company has announced that it will revise its fees next year, and in addition to the existing flat fees, it appears that royalty payments based on revenue and the number of installations will be required.

Further investigation revealed that Unity development requires proficiency in the C# programming language, while UE will require the C++ programming language. However, UE has a feature called “Blueprints” that allows for some development even if you are not that skilled in programming.

In addition, it seems that programming skills are not necessary to the extent of combining assets that are prepared in advance for Unity. However, it is said that you need to have some knowledge of programming to be able to use Unity.

Does this mean that it is impossible for someone without any programming knowledge to create something with UE from scratch?

Features of Unreal Engine

The reason Unreal Engine stands out from other engines lies in its real-time rendering capabilities. This allows creators to immediately view high-quality graphics, significantly speeding up the development process. Additionally, its high-precision physics simulation faithfully reproduces natural movements and collisions, making it not only useful for game development but also for product design and simulations.

Furthermore, Unreal Engine supports cross-platform development, meaning it can easily be deployed on PCs, consoles, mobile devices, as well as VR and AR devices. This flexibility has gained widespread support across a variety of industries, not just the gaming world.

How to Learn Unreal Engine

There are abundant resources available for learning Unreal Engine. Epic Games offers Unreal Academy, which provides numerous free online tutorials for users ranging from beginners to advanced developers. This makes it possible for individuals with little programming experience to start developing games or simulations.

Additionally, platforms like YouTube and Udemy also feature a wide range of tutorials and courses specifically focused on Unreal Engine, allowing developers to learn at their own pace. By utilizing these resources, it is entirely possible to reach a high level of proficiency through self-study.

With the use of game engines such as Unreal Engine and Unity, anyone can create 3D models to be used in games. We tried to find out if it is possible for a complete amateur to make money by creating 3D models.

Recently, there has been a growing interest in 3D games such as “APEX” and “Fortnite” and the 3D digital space known as the “Metaverse”.

One day, I heard that software called “Unreal Engine (UE),” which can create high-quality graphics in 3D, is available to anyone for free. I heard that anyone can use the software called “Unreal Engine (UE),” which can create high-quality 3D graphics, for free. I heard that anyone can use it for free, and I thought I could make a fortune using it. When the editorial department of this magazine contacted me with this information, I decided to give it a try right away.

The term UGC (User Generated Content) has recently become popular in the world of 3D games, and it is said that users who are not developers are making money by selling content they have created on their own.

The age of the metaverse is coming! If we can create something in 3D from now on, we may be able to make a fortune. This is what I thought of as a dream.

Let's actually try running the Unreal Engine.

I downloaded UE to my computer and started it up. Of course, it is free of charge, and the installation was quick and easy. When I actually launched UE, a 3D map was already prepared, and I was able to move the terrain freely and move the characters (which looked like inorganic dolls) around.

However, “This is amazing!” I don't want to play a boring game where people can just move around in 3D.

I was not interested in playing a boring game where you can only move people around in 3D.

▶Unreal Engine 5 development screen, where various assets are selected and placed in a 3D digital space to create a map.

▶Unreal Engine's Blueprint function. This function allows users to create various functions in a game by connecting graphical graphs without writing a program.

▶Various assets are available on the Unreal Engine marketplace. By simply combining these assets, you can build a beautiful graphical world.

Summary

It is difficult, though not impossible, to earn money by selling assets developed using the Unreal Engine or by producing videos.

However, it is worth learning because the demand from companies is high.

I'm thinking of using UE to make some money, but what can I do with UE in the first place? Can you create something like the Metaverse?

Satake: If you're asking if it's possible to create something like the Metaverse, then yes, but it would be pretty crazy for an amateur to create that by himself or herself. For example, imagine a game that has “super cutting-edge 3D digital beautiful graphics! Imagine a game like that. In the case of making such a game, the budget would be in the billions and the number of members would be in the hundreds, right? It is not something that an individual can make.

It's not something that can be made by an individual. You are absolutely right.

Satake: Also, if you want to do heavy development with UE, you will need a very high-spec PC. There are various hardware requirements, but unless the computer is around 250,000 yen, it will quickly become sluggish and stop working properly.

So you need a high-spec machine that can play the latest computer games. When I hear that, I feel like it's not something that an individual can afford. I heard, “With UE, it's easy to make 3D digital things and earn money,” but maybe that's not realistic?

Satake: I guess it depends on the person, but it is not something that someone who has never done anything like that before can do right away. It will probably take six months to be able to use the functions properly, and several years to become competent enough to be in charge of some of the game development.

Growing Demand for Engineers Skilled in Unreal Engine and Unity

So, is it impossible for an individual to develop and release a game quickly and easily?

Satake: There are individuals and small groups of people who have developed and released games, but it is not something that can be done on a part-time basis. And if you use UE, it is for games that put a lot of emphasis on graphics, so I don't think it would be used for personal development.

If you want to make a relatively light game, you generally use Unity or other game engines. Even if you do make a game, whether it sells or not is another matter, and even if you can make 3D models, you know that it doesn't mean you can make an interesting game.

So those who are doing personal development are not making much money?

Satake: Unless you are doing it as a side job or something, it's never easy because the only income is from game sales. Minecraft,” which is still a worldwide hit, came from indie games, but this is the exception to the rule.

Most indie games are a hit if they sell a few hundred copies. Even if you sell 100 copies of a game priced at 1,000 yen, you will only make 100,000 yen. Furthermore, platform fees such as Steam and Apple deduct approximately 30% from the total amount.

In fact, there are some people who want to become independent game developers, but most of them give up because they have to develop for several years without any income, and even if they release a game, they are not sure if it will sell or not.

So, most of them have given up. - Every once in a while, there is a buzz on the Internet about a game developed by an independent developer, but behind that buzz is a large number of games that are not selling. Then, is it impossible for an individual to make money by mastering UE?

Satake: The most direct route is to learn to use UE to some extent by referring to various sites on the Internet, and then apply for jobs in 3D model production, but I'd like to earn money through something other than that.

For example, if you search YouTube, you can find “short animations made with Unity,” so that might be an option. I don't think it's worth the effort to learn UE.

You're absolutely right.

Satake: Also, UE and Unity have stores for selling 3D models, so there may be a way to make money by selling your own 3D models. However, both UE and Unity have a large number of excellent assets available for free, so unless they are very attractive, I don't think they will sell.

Unfortunately, it is also not realistic for an amateur to make money by making a model in a few days. In fact, if you are that good, you should be able to make much more money working as an individual engineer on commission from a company.

Earning tens or hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue from Fortnite?

As I listen to you, I'm beginning to realize that it's a very tough world for an individual to make money by creating 3D models.

Satake: In the meantime, I'll tell you a story that makes you dream a little.Recently, a feature that allows players to create custom content for “Fortnite” has been gaining momentum, and it seems that quite a few creators are earning tens or hundreds of millions of yen.The UEFN (Unreal Editor for Fortnite) tool that can be used to create this content offers a lot of UE functionality, so if you can create content in UE, this might be a good way to get started.

millions of dollars! I'll have to look into this.

So, I immediately looked into UEFN.UEFN is a game production tool released in March 2023 by Epic Games, the company behind “Fortnite” and UE.The idea is that anyone can use it to create a game based on Fortnite.

Although the game can be created within the scope of the Fortnite world, it is possible to create games with unique maps and rules, and since it can use a variety of UE functions, the more capable the user is of using UE, the more freely they can use UEFN.

The system then allows Epic Games to share in the revenue based on the access and popularity of the user-generated content. Forty percent of Fortnite's revenue goes to its creators.

According to an estimate released by Epic Games in May of this year, there are approximately 400 creators who receive more than $100,000 (approximately 14 million yen) per year. Among them, there are 61 creators who receive more than $1 million.It seems that many of them are companies or groups of several people, but it is quite a dream come true.It is not easy to make money by creating 3D models, but if you play games and develop something based on those games, you can have a hobby and a job at the same time.It seems to have more potential than learning to make 3D models from scratch.However, I have only played Fortnite a few times.Therefore, I will be confined to my room to play Fortnite for a while.

▶ Fortnite.

An online game released by Epic Games in 2017, it is a third-person shooter with crafting elements.

Profile.

◉Akagawa Makoto

36 years old, freelance writer. He likes to make a little money anyway, and in addition to his day job, he dabbles in a variety of other jobs, including YouTuber, Uber delivery man, clinical trial, and undercover research.He is quick with his footwork, and is always ready to take on new projects as soon as he hears about a good way to make money.



Related Articles

MMORPG in the Metaverse

Thorough Explanation of HeyGen: Functions, Fees, and Points to Note When Using the Service AI Simultaneous Interpretation in Multiple Languages Coming Soon?