CODEMASTERS
REVS
IN-HOUSE
GAME ENGINE
New EGO Game
Technology
Engine
Revealed as
New Name for
Codemasters
Studios'
Proprietary
Middleware
Burbank, CA
- Thursday,
December 6,
2007 -
Codemasters®,
developer
and
publisher of
award-winning
video games,
today
announced
the EGO™
Game
Technology
Engine as
the
distinctive
new name for
Codemasters
Studios'
proprietary
middleware.
With a new
name
befitting
its
accomplishments
and future
potential,
the EGO
Engine is
the
evolution of
the Studios'
core
technology,
the first
generation
of which,
called Neon,
powered the
creation of
award-winning
racer DiRT™.
Central to
the creation
of all games
at
Codemasters
Studios, the
EGO Engine
is a
continuous
multi-platform
project that
has already
benefited
from almost
three years
of
development
within
Codemasters'
Central
Technology
unit.
Following
the
successful
deployment
of the base
technology
in DiRT, the
enhanced
middleware
is now being
utilized in
the
development
of GRID™ to
drive the
title's
highly
detailed new
damage and
physics
systems, and
the massive
environments
that will
become
battlegrounds
in Operation
Flashpoint™
2: Dragon
Rising.
"Officially
naming the
EGO Engine
takes our
middleware
from having
a project
title to
becoming a
tech brand,"
said Gavin
Cheshire,
VP,
Codemasters
Studios.
"Developing
the engine,
even through
its initial
phases, has
been lengthy
and a major
investment
for
Codemasters.
Not every
third-party
is in a
position to
devote
resources to
such an
ambitious
project and
stay
competitive.
However, at
Codemasters,
we've
invested in
the
technology
and the
support
infrastructure
to ensure
all titles
have an
impressive
and
competitive
edge."
"With the
EGO Engine
we have
technology
that is
specific to
our needs
and one that
doesn't
force us to
compromise,"
said Bryan
Marshall,
Chief
Technology
Officer,
Codemasters
Studios.
"Particularly
for
Operation
Flashpoint
2, we simply
could not
fulfill the
ambitions we
have for the
game with
any
off-the-shelf
middleware;
certainly
not one that
enabled us
to develop
across the
major fifth
generation
consoles
simultaneously
with PC,
rather than
as an
afterthought,
and no one
was doing
that."
On-going
development
of the EGO
Engine
formed part
of the
£40.5m
($84.3m)
Codemasters
invested in
game design
and
technical
development
in the 12
month fiscal
period to
June 30,
2007, an
increase of
over 150%
over the
previous
year.
"We made
significant
investments
in our own
cross-platform,
multi-genre
development
solution in
anticipation
of the next
generation
console
transition,"
said Rod
Cousens,
CEO,
Codemasters.
"Now we are
in a
position to
rev mature
middleware
technology
to get the
most from
today's
leading game
systems. The
EGO Engine
is already
making its
mark on the
industry
with
award-winning,
multi-million-unit
selling
titles."
Notes to
editors:
Official
Name - Full:
The EGO™
Game
Technology
Engine from
Codemasters®
Official
Name - Short
Form: EGO™
Engine
About GRID™
Coming mid
2008, GRID
is the new
racing
experience
from
Codemasters
Studios. Set
to capture
every moment
from the
starting
grid to the
checkered
flag, GRID
will
concentrate
those
moments into
an intense
and dramatic
race
experience.
Taking
players to
beautifully
realized and
dramatic
race
locations
over three
continents,
gamers will
compete in
an
unprecedented
variety of
races - from
major
championships,
to events on
world famous
official
tracks, to
challenging
city-based
competitions,
encompassing
road events
and urban
street
races. To
register for
future
driver
briefings
and get a
place on the
grid, be
sure to
visit
www.codemasters.com/grid
About
OPERATION
FLASHPOINT™
2: DRAGON
RISING
Operation
Flashpoint
2: Dragon
Rising marks
the
long-awaited
return of
the
multi-million
selling
total
conflict
simulator.
Operation
Flashpoint
2: Dragon
Rising will
challenge a
new
generation
of players
to survive
the chaos
and rapidly
evolving
situations
of military
combat in a
new and
contemporary
theatre.
Players will
experience
visceral
military
combat in a
wide variety
of roles,
from
infantry
marine to
helicopter
pilot, in a
gaming
experience
that will
take them as
close to war
as they'll
ever want to
get. To view
the trailer
video and to
sign up for
future
development
briefings,
please visit
www.codemasters.com/flashpoint2
About
Codemasters
Codemasters
is a leading
developer
and
publisher of
best-selling
interactive
entertainment
products for
a global
audience on
current and
future
gaming
platforms
and
channels.
Established
in 1986, the
company's
dominant
brands
include
Colin McRae
Rally, TOCA
Race Driver,
LMA Manager,
Brian Lara
Cricket and
Operation
Flashpoint.
The company
is
headquartered
in Southam,
Warwickshire
UK and
maintains
operations
in the U.S,
Germany,
France,
Spain, and
Benelux.
More
information
about the
company and
its products
is available
online at:
http://www.codemasters.com.
Codemasters
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