Feature: 'Unreality: Epic's Mark Rein on the Future of Game Middleware'

In today's main Gamasutra feature, and with costs predicted to escalate drastically in the next console cycle, many developers look to middleware to shave the price of development. With this in mind, Gamasutra had a chat with Epic Games Vice President Mark Rein on the future of middleware, and why he believes the cost of next-gen development is both overstated and unnecessary. As part of the interview, when asked about the retail price for next-generation game titles possibly rising above $50, Rein comments: "I don’t believe that’s going to happen. I’d be very shocked. I think they’re going to try, there’s no question, but honestly I don’t believe that. I honestly think the market won’t bear it! We’re already paying $50 per game, I honestly believe for the majority of games, the market will not pay $60. That’s just going to drive piracy through the roof, and people are just going to revolt. I think we spend enough money on games, and I just don’t think that’s reasonable. I think what you need to do is make better games, take your time, do them right, and sell more! I don’t think we’re ever going to have 20 million selling games, until we bring the cost of those games down, not up. I think the way to build the market is to decrease the cost of the games, not increase the cost of the games." Rein also tackles issues such as whether Epic plans a portable game engine, and how having multiple physics or audio engines would affect his company's product, in the full Gamasutra feature on the subject (no registration required, please feel free to link to the article from external websites).