Epic Games' Unreal Engine is a monumental name in the games industry, being a strong platform for hundreds of titles. Unreal Engine has hosted a litany of games, ranging from Final Fantasy 7 Remake to Black Myth: Wu Kong. Now, Epic Games stands to achieve a rare honor that makes a nod towards the prestigious Unreal Engine.

The widespread use of the platform has many concerned regarding the ongoing case that pits Apple versus Epic Games as the court system decides how market controls should be maintained, or mitigated, from the select few that host said markets. This made the decision from Judge Rogers to prevent Apple from blocking applications built upon the Unreal Engine an important note in the case before the trial has even begun.

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Epic Games is having its Unreal Engine recognized during the Annie Awards, scheduled to receive the Ub Iwerks Award. The award is given to "individuals or companies for technical advancements that make a significant impact on the art or industry of animation."  The award is named after Ub Iwerks, the late Disney animator that won multiple awards for his animation works at the dawn of the industry.

Regardless of the legal battle that Epic Games currently finds itself embroiled within, it does not mar the impact that the engine has had on the industry as a whole. Thanks to the Unreal Engine, hundreds of fantastical visions have been brought forth for people to experience. Taking into account that the entirety of Unreal Engine 4, the most recent iteration of the engine, is free to use, only incurring royalties when a title is monetized and lifetime gross revenues from the product reach over $1,000,000. The Unreal Engine is one of the more flexible and generous engines available.

The Unreal Engine EULA is also surprisingly liberal, allowing competing companies to freely use the engine to learn from, use, and openly discuss. This all culminates into a birthing spot for unmitigated brilliance, used by a wide array of developers ranging from newly anointed indie studios to monstrous triple-A studios with an employee count that rivals entire brigades. From the titular game Unreal in 1998, the engine has since become one of the most advanced 3D platforms enjoyed by developers and fans alike on an international scale.

The 48th annual Annie Awards is going to be virtual this year for safety considerations, broadcasting on April 16, 2021, at 1900 PST. Other notable award nominees include Pixar, Disney, Dreamworks, Insomniac Games, and Riot Games.

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Source: Annie Awards