Building freedom: Why open source game engines like Godot empower the UK games industry
The video game industry thrives on imagination. Developers weave captivating stories, craft breathtaking visuals, and engineer intricate mechanics to bring their dreams to life. However, this artistic freedom can be restricted by the tools they use. Many popular game engines are proprietary, meaning they're owned and controlled by a single company. This can leave developers beholden to the whims of that company, potentially limiting their creative and financial control.
The Rise of Open Source and a Level Playing Field
The open-source movement has revolutionized software development, fostering collaboration and innovation. Open-source projects, like the Linux operating system, have proven that high-quality software can be built and maintained without the constraints of a single entity. In the realm of game development, open-source engines offer a compelling alternative to proprietary solutions.
Why is open-source a win for the UK games industry? Let's explore the benefits:
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Empowering Developers and Businesses: Open-source engines like Godot grant developers complete access to the source code. This allows for deep customization, bug fixing, and feature development, fostering a sense of ownership and control. This isn't just about individual creators; it creates a level playing field for for-profit companies like W4 Games. Open-source removes barriers to entry, allowing us to innovate and commercialize value-added services like console ports, cloud offerings, and professional services, catering to developers who choose Godot as their engine.
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Community Powerhouse: Open-source projects foster vibrant communities of developers who contribute code, create tutorials, and troubleshoot issues together. This collaborative environment accelerates learning and innovation, benefiting all users of the engine. Imagine a world where UK studios of all sizes can tap into a global pool of expertise, accelerating development and shortening time-to-market.
- Sustainable Foundation: Open-source engines are not beholden to the financial fortunes of a single company. This ensures the engine's continued development and support, even if the original creators move on. Developers can rest assured their projects won't be stranded if the engine they rely upon gets discontinued.
Godot: A Powerful Open-Source Engine for a Thriving UK Games Industry
Godot, a free and open-source game engine released under the permissive MIT license, exemplifies the power of the open-source approach. Developed with a focus on usability and flexibility, Godot allows developers to create stunning 2D and 3D games for desktops, mobile devices, and the web. The MIT license empowers developers and companies alike by granting the freedom to use, modify, and distribute the engine's code for any purpose, including commercial projects.
A prime example of Godot's potential is The Case of the Golden Idol, a critically acclaimed adventure game developed by Color Gray Games and published by Playstack. This game, built entirely with Godot, went on to be nominated for the prestigious 19th British Academy Games Awards, showcasing the engine's capability of producing top-tier titles.
Another exciting example is Carrot Cake, a UK-based studio, who's utilizing Godot to develop their upcoming title, The Garden Path. This demonstrates the power of open-source for studios within the UK itself. Here at W4 Games, with a global presence spanning 12 countries, including the UK, we're proud to support developers like Carrotcake. In fact, they're leveraging our expertise by utilizing our Godot console porting services, currently in beta. This is a perfect example of how the open-source ecosystem fosters collaboration and innovation across the entire development cycle.
Here at W4 Games, we are strong advocates for open-source solutions in game development. We believe open-source engines like Godot align perfectly with Tech UK's mission to advocate for the "sustainable, equitable and ethical application" of technology. By embracing open-source solutions, UK developers gain greater control over their projects, fostering innovation and long-term success.
The Future of Game Development: Open, Collaborative, and Thriving
The open-source movement offers a compelling path forward for the video game industry. By choosing engines like Godot, developers and businesses alike gain the freedom, control, and collaborative spirit needed to bring their most creative visions to life. This, in turn, leads to a more diverse and innovative games landscape, benefiting players, developers, and the UK games industry as a whole.
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techUK – Unleashing UK Tech and Innovation
The UK is home to emerging technologies that have the power to revolutionise entire industries. From quantum to semiconductors; from gaming to the New Space Economy, they all have the unique opportunity to help prepare for what comes next.
techUK members lead the development of these technologies. Together we are working with Government and other stakeholders to address tech innovation priorities and build an innovation ecosystem that will benefit people, society, economy and the planet - and unleash the UK as a global leader in tech and innovation.
For more information, or to get in touch, please visit our Innovation Hub and click ‘contact us’.
Tech and Innovation Summit, 6 Nov (rescheduled date)
Emerging technologies will be debated and explored at our annual Tech and Innovation Summit, taking place on 6 November. This campaign week will directly feed into the themes discussed at the Summit.
techUK’s flagship Tech and Innovation Summit returns to traverse the extraordinary and ground-breaking discoveries made possible by the application of emerging and transformative technologies.
Upcoming events:
Gaming & Esports Technologies of the Future
National Videogame Museum, Sheffield Panel discussion
A Black Lens: Exploring Representation In The Future of Extended Reality (XR)
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Sign-up to get the latest updates and opportunities from our Technology and Innovation and AI programmes.
Learn more about our Unleashing Innovation campaign:
Sprint Campaigns
techUK's sprint campaigns explore how emerging and transformative technologies are developed, applied and commercialised across the UK's innovation ecosystem.
Activity includes workshops, roundtables, panel discussions, networking sessions, Summits, and flagship reports (setting out recommendations for Government and industry).
Each campaign runs for 4-6 months and features regular collaborations with programmes across techUK.
This campaign explored how the UK can lead on the development, application and commercialisation of space technologies and ultimately realise the benefits of the New Space Economy.
These technologies include AI, quantum, lasers, robotics & automation, advanced propulsion and materials, and semiconductors.
Activity has taken the form of roundtables, panel discussions, networking sessions, Summits, thought leadership pieces, policy recommendations, and a report.
Get in touch below to find out more about techUK's ongoing work in this area.
Event round-ups
Report
Insights
Get in touch
Rory Daniels
Rory Daniels
Rory joined techUK in June 2023 after three years in the Civil Service on its Fast Stream leadership development programme.
During this time, Rory worked on the Government's response to Covid-19 (NHS Test & Trace), school funding strategy (Department for Education) and international climate and nature policy (Cabinet Office). He also tackled the social care crisis whilst on secondment to techUK's Health and Social Care programme in 2022.
Before this, Rory worked in the House of Commons and House of Lords alongside completing degrees in Political Economy and Global Politics.
Today, Rory leads techUK's emerging technologies activity across everything from immersive, web3, AI and robotics to space, gaming & metaverse.
This involves co-running techUK's flagship Innovation campaign, managing four series (including the 'Meet the Innovators' interview series), and launching 4-6-month 'sprint campaigns' on transformative technologies and sectors.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorydaniels28/
This campaign has explored how the UK can lead on the development, application and commercialisation of the technologies set to underpin the Gaming & Esports sector of the future.
These include AI, augmented / virtual / mixed / extended reality, haptics, cloud & edge computing, semiconductors, and advanced connectivity (5/6G).
Activity has taken the form of roundtables, panel discussions, networking sessions, Summits, and thought leadership pieces. A report featuring member case studies and policy recommendations is currently being produced (to be launched in September 2024).
Get in touch below to find out more about contributing to or collaborating on this campaign.
Upcoming events
Gaming & Esports Technologies of the Future
National Videogame Museum, Sheffield Panel discussionEvent round-ups
Insights
Get in touch
Rory Daniels
Rory Daniels
Rory joined techUK in June 2023 after three years in the Civil Service on its Fast Stream leadership development programme.
During this time, Rory worked on the Government's response to Covid-19 (NHS Test & Trace), school funding strategy (Department for Education) and international climate and nature policy (Cabinet Office). He also tackled the social care crisis whilst on secondment to techUK's Health and Social Care programme in 2022.
Before this, Rory worked in the House of Commons and House of Lords alongside completing degrees in Political Economy and Global Politics.
Today, Rory leads techUK's emerging technologies activity across everything from immersive, web3, AI and robotics to space, gaming & metaverse.
This involves co-running techUK's flagship Innovation campaign, managing four series (including the 'Meet the Innovators' interview series), and launching 4-6-month 'sprint campaigns' on transformative technologies and sectors.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorydaniels28/
Running from July to December 2024, this campaign will explore how the UK can lead on the development, application and commercialisation of web3 and immersive technologies.
These include blockchain, smart contracts, digital assets, augmented / virtual / mixed / extended reality, spatial computing, haptics and holograms.
Activity will take the form of roundtables, workshops, panel discussions, networking sessions, tech demos, Summits, thought leadership pieces, policy recommendations, and reports.
Get in touch below to find out more about contributing to or collaborating on this campaign.
Upcoming events
Event round-ups
Guest insights
Get in touch
Rory Daniels
Rory Daniels
Rory joined techUK in June 2023 after three years in the Civil Service on its Fast Stream leadership development programme.
During this time, Rory worked on the Government's response to Covid-19 (NHS Test & Trace), school funding strategy (Department for Education) and international climate and nature policy (Cabinet Office). He also tackled the social care crisis whilst on secondment to techUK's Health and Social Care programme in 2022.
Before this, Rory worked in the House of Commons and House of Lords alongside completing degrees in Political Economy and Global Politics.
Today, Rory leads techUK's emerging technologies activity across everything from immersive, web3, AI and robotics to space, gaming & metaverse.
This involves co-running techUK's flagship Innovation campaign, managing four series (including the 'Meet the Innovators' interview series), and launching 4-6-month 'sprint campaigns' on transformative technologies and sectors.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorydaniels28/
Campaign Weeks
Our annual Campaign Weeks enable techUK members to explore how the UK can lead on the development and application of emerging and transformative technologies.
Members do this by contributing blogs or vlogs, speaking at events, and highlighting examples of best practice within the UK's tech sector.
Summits
Tech and Innovation Summit 2023
Tech and Innovation Summit 2024
Rory Daniels
Rory joined techUK in June 2023 after three years in the Civil Service on its Fast Stream leadership development programme.
Laura Foster
Laura is techUK’s Associate Director for Technology and Innovation.
Authors
