Intel Acquires Offset Software, Project Offset Engine

Author: by Staff

In a surprising move, technology giant Intel has acquired engine team Project Offset, according to a brief statement on the official webpage of the often buzzed-about graphical game engine. The announcement, from Project Offset's Sam McGrath, simply explains: "Today we have some major news to announce. Intel has acquired Offset Software. Yes, you read it correctly! Project Offset is going strong and we are excited about things to come. Stay tuned." Project Offset's technology page explains that the engine is "...a complete platform for creating next generation games. Every aspect of the engine is designed around the goal of reducing development time and cost, while empowering designers and artists with the tools they need to create spectacular visual effects and immersive environments." The Project Offset team has had a low-profile history thus far - with the only official engine licensing announcement coming in early 2006, when Red 5 licensed the technology for its as yet unrevealed MMO. At the time, Mark Kern, President and CEO of Red 5 Studios, commented: "Offset Software's next generation graphics are simply stunning... And Offset's content creation tools will enable Red 5 Studios to add real-time cinematic quality to our game world." More recently, comments on the Project Offset team page in October 2006 revealed that the team was working on a game using the platform: "We just passed a big milestone for our as-yet-unannounced publisher. Everyone on the team is extremely motivated to make Project Offset the best game it can be, and we couldn’t be happier with the way things are working out." However, it's unclear how the Intel acquisition affects this project, and exactly which elements of the engine the technology company is interested in using. With Intel recently purchasing Havok, the firm could potentially be looking for a complete game technology solution through the integration of the two firms.