Nau Engine (game engine)

Computer and video games (Russian market)

Main article: Computer and video games (Russian market)

2023

Creating an engine

On May 2, 2023, the name of the game engine, which is being developed by the VK holding, became known, investing about 1 billion rubles. The project name is Nau Engine.

According to TASS, citing a statement from the Nau Engine press service, each developer, regardless of the level of training, using this engine, will be able to create their own game for all platforms, including PCs, mobile devices, consoles and a web browser. The solution contains a kernel with an editor that allows you to create standard projects and ready-made game systems, and an interface for connecting to popular services is also available. The Nau Engine is an open source project.

Nau Engine Logo

A distinctive feature of the Nau Engine will be to meet the needs of developers at any stage in the creation and life of the game... The engine will help not only in the development process, but also provide access to tools for integrating with platforms and creating metasystems of the game - content updates, seasons, communities, leaderboard and many others, - noted in VK.

By May 22, 2023, funding plans previously announced had not changed. It is also reported that the core of the Nau Engine development team includes heads of programming, production and functional and UX design departments, but the search for new employees continues to this day, from PR manager to programmers and technical artists.

Earlier it was reported that the launch of the first beta version of the Nau Engine is scheduled for 2024. However, by May 22, 2023, you can get access to the project and participate in testing by leaving an application on the site.

The engine is an integral part of the entire gaming ecosystem. The main principle of the Nau Engine, developed by a team of independent professionals, is the path from simple to complex and low entry threshold for everyone. Thus, the creation of games becomes available to any enthusiast. Embodying his ideas, he himself chooses how deeply to immerse himself in the nuances of development, - commented Alexander Myasishchev, head of development at Nau Engine.[1]

VK invests 1 billion rubles in the development of the game engine

VK will invest 1 billion rubles in the creation of a domestic game engine (a basic means of developing video games), and its development will take three years. VK CEO Vladimir Kiriyenko announced this during a joint press conference with the Ministry of Digital Industry in mid-February 2023.

According to him, a team will be formed in 2023, it is planned to create a kernel and the main modules of the engine. For 2024, it is planned to open access and start working with the gaming community, for 2025 - the fashion editor and the creation of a game distribution platform, said the CEO of VK.

VK Office

After discussing various options for creating a game engine, the Ministry of Digital Science and VK settled on the fact that the most effective model will be the one in which the company invests in the technology and makes an open product in partnership with the developers, which will be available to everyone, becoming part of the industry-wide infrastructure.

In fact, we will need to take into account the specifics of various game formats. At the same time, take into account the possibility of porting them both to consoles and to personal computers and mobile devices, browser games. We believe that the technology should be universal and allow you to create any type of game, "Vladimir Kiriyenko explained.

According to him, the game engine will be created based on open source technologies.

It is important for us that this is created using open technology, and we involve the entire gaming community to create and build the best game engine, "he added.

To create a basic version, you will need at least 100 specialists of different competencies (programmers, technical writers, artists and others).

At the same time, we understand that we need to reduce the barrier to entry, since both the guys creating their first game and experienced game developers will be interested in this product. Therefore, we make access for any level of training, - said the head of VK, stressing that the advantage of using such an engine will be significant savings that can be obtained both in time and in the cost of creating game content.

Vladimir Kiriyenko is also convinced that for success in the gaming industry, you need to create products that will be interesting for both Russian and foreign users to play. In addition, engines for the gaming industry are also used in the production of animated films, therefore, in his opinion, it is necessary to create a technology that can be used both in the mass B2C segments and in the B2B segment.

According to Kommersant, VK plans to spend 2.8 billion rubles of extra-budgetary funds on the development of the game engine. According to the newspaper, it intends to develop paid components and additions to the engine, provide services for its revision and conduct paid training and consultations.

The head of the Ministry of Digital Science Maksut Shadayev believes that despite the fact that by February 2023 there are no restrictions on access to foreign engines, it is necessary to prepare for different scenarios.

And the presence of our own development, our own infrastructure important component for us, seems to me very important, - said the minister.[2]

2022: VK requested 3 billion rubles from the Ministry of Digital Science to develop a video game engine

VK Holding requested 3 billion rubles from the Ministry of Digital Science to develop an engine for video games, which became known on September 7, 2022. According to Kommersant, the company plans to create "an analogue of foreign Unity or Unreal Engine."

The Ministry of Digital Science confirmed to the publication consultations with representatives of the industry, the project to create a Russian engine may become one of the areas of work. VK told, participate in the discussion about the creation of a Russian tool for game development.

VK requested 3 billion rubles from the Ministry of Digital Science to develop a video game engine

Before VK, the state corporation "" volunteered as the developer of the domestic game engine. It told Rostec the newspaper that by September 7, 2022, they expect forms from the Ministry of Digital Science to submit an application for participation in the tender, and also noted that they are ready to work on the engine together with VK.

The development of both the engine itself and gaming products, in the development of which the MY.Games division is interested, is labor intensive and costly, Rostec emphasized. By common forces, they believe there, it is possible to conduct development in parallel, which will speed up the achievement of results.

A newspaper source in one of the large IT companies believes that by September 2022, only VK has enough competencies to implement such a project. In his opinion, it is logical that if it is financed by the state, then after its creation the engine should be available to all Russian game developers.

The developers have had difficulties accessing the distribution sites of mobile (App Store, Google Play) and computer games (Steam) since the beginning of the Russian military special operation in Ukraine. In the new conditions, studios are building networks of unrelated legal entities in different countries in order not to fall under sanctions and maintain access to content distribution channels, a source in the game development market told the publication. According to him, studios are trying to leave development in Russia, and publish and distribute abroad.^[3]

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