As we enter the new console generation, engines have been as much a part of the conversation as the games they power. Electronic Arts has Frostbite 3 and Ignite. Ubisoft has Anvil Next, Disrupt, and the UbiArt Framework. Epic is readying Unreal Engine 4. A new company has been founded, and it's working on something to compete with all of those.

Oxide Games was founded by a team of industry veterans. They are:

Brad Wardell, CEO of Stardock

Dan Baker, Civilization V DirectX 11 engine designer

Marc Meyer, Civilization V UI designer

Brian Wade, Civilization V lead developer

Tim Kipp, Civilization V 3D engine architect and systems lead

The new 64-bit engine, Nitrous, is being designed for multi-core processors. It is intended for use on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Stardock, which provided the seed funding for Oxide Games, is currently developing titles to run on the engine, and the team is working with Nvidia, AMD, and Intel to maximize compatibility.

Our Take

Stardock is taking a similar approach to EA. By investing in an engine like this, they can streamline development and maximize the knowledge base in-house. If Nitrous turns out to be of interest to other developers, Stardock will be able to license out the engine, providing a revenue stream. Stardock has told us that Galactic Civilizations III won't be using Nitrous, but with Stardock's history of strategy titles and the pedigree of this team, I would expect that there will be a pairing in the near future.