Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney once said that the future of games lies in the hands of the consumers and not the developers. Now, it appears that the company is finally putting money where its mouth is.
More specifically, Epic Games has made a $15 million investment in Manticore Games, which is the company behind the game creation and sharing system tool called Core. The purpose of Core is that it allows anyone – emphasis on anyone – to create online multiplayer games and share them with either a close circle of friends or the entire world.
It’s somewhat similar to PlayStation’s Dreams, although it’s not as stylish or surprising. In addition to that, Core has amazing plans for a creator economy wherein the most popular game designers will be able to earn money out of what they have made. For starters, Manticore Games is putting $1 million towards paying creators.
Tyler Wilde from PC Gamer tried Core earlier this year, and although it’s a cool tool to mess around with friends, he wasn’t mind-blown by what it has to offer. Epic Games, on the other hand, could see potential and this huge investment will definitely help the tool get off the ground that much faster.
Speaking of the investment, Epic President Adam Sussman once again asserted his commitment and belief that sooner or later, the gaming industry will become an open platform.
He is aiming for a system wherein users are the ones who drive the market of the gaming world and at the same time, they are able to build multiplayer games for one another with convenience and ease. Sussman even goes on to describe it as a “metaverse playground where players can discover endless entertainment.”
Although this may not happen for a long time, Sussman actually might not be that far off. Recent releases have shown us time and time again how much power a player can have when given even just a little bit of creative license.
As a matter of fact, these games usually end up becoming one of the most long-lived and enjoyed titles of all time. Let’s take Minecraft as an example, as it is a game where creativity is celebrated and commended.
Minecraft is turning 11 years old this year, yet it’s still one of the most-played games out there. This just goes to show that fans will always want the chance to show off their creativity in a game.
Another example is Animal Crossings: New Horizons, as its creative aspect is one of the reasons why the game is so popular. This serves as further proof that gamers simply love getting the chance to express their creativity.
Although there are other tools that empower players to create their own games, such as RPG Maker and Dreams, they are not quite as ambitious as Core.
We have yet to see how Manticore Games will make use of the $15 million investment, but Core is in open Alpha right now and you can download and play it for free.
Do keep in mind that since it’s still in open Alpha, a lot of changes could be made once the official version gets released. For now, it’s a great way to get a feel for the tool and see what it has to offer.
