Codemasters details new engine

Codemasters has unveiled the latest iteration of its proprietary in-game graphics engine, an evolution of the eye-catching technology that powered the Colin McRae: DiRT title.

The EGO Game Technology Engine is the second generation of the company's middleware, and will be used in forthcoming games Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising and Race Driver: GRID, neither of which have confirmed release dates as yet.

The engine, which is multi-platform capable, has been in development for three years at the Codemasters Central Technology Unit, and this investment - part of the GBP 40.5 million spent on design and development in the past year - is something that Gavin Cheshire, vice president of Codemasters Studios, is confident will stand the company in good stead.

"Developing the engine, even through its initial phases, has been lengthy and a major investment for Codemasters," he said.

"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."

CEO Rod Cousens added: "We made significant investments in our own cross-platform, multi-genre development solution in anticipation of the next generation console transition.

"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."