Fortnite developer Epic Games has announced the opening of a new studio located in Cologne, Germany in partnership with the founders of German developer, Factor 5.
Both Julian Eggebrecht and Achim Moller have joined Epic Games at the new studio, taking on 'Director of Online Technology' and 'Cologne Studio Director' roles respectively. As founders of Factor 5, the pair have released various games across Nintendo consoles in the past such as Super Turrican 1 and 2 on SNES, Contra: The Alien Wars on Game Boy, and Star Wars: Rogue Squadron on N64. The studio was also credited on Pokémon Stadium for work with sound compression.
According to a press release covering the announcement, Epic's new studio "serves as part of the company’s expanding focus on emerging forms of interactive media and streaming technologies". What this means in simple terms for us as consumers isn't 100% clear, but Eggebrecht has expressed his excitement for recruiting new and "exceptional" talent:
“At the core of Epic’s success are highly-skilled and passionate individuals. Germany is a nation at the forefront of technology and we look forward to extending our local presence as we fill newly created roles and hire exceptional talent.”
Epic says it currently has almost 200 job opportunities available across its various offices around the world, including some at the new Cologne studio.
[source unrealengine.com, via gamasutra.com]
Comments 32
This is great.
Eggebrecht has now the Turrican rights back...though not going to be really that excited until I see what this studio COULD produce and to be honest Factor 5 were way more than these two people plus Factor 5 really went down after the GC era and could hardly get any games off the ground (Kid Icarus, Pilotwings, Superman etc) and the one they did do was the mediocre Lair.
Wait and see.
Let's hope they'll develope some great retro-style games
Can only hope for a new Turrican but I won’t hold my breathe. And if it does it will probably be some diluted FPS
@hadrian Sounds like they are involved in something technical with one of them being the director of online technology and the focus on emerging streaming technology. That's probably for the best because the game play design in their games, especially controls, have been consistently mediocre. Technically, though, they were often standouts. Rogue Squadron on GC was crazy looking at the time. Flying always felt binary and clunky, though I enjoyed the game overall.
@Galenmereth Care to explain the anti-consumer business practices of Epic?
@Galenmereth Their ‘anti-consumer’ business practices are usually referring to their extensive use of MTX and exclusives being bought up for their store. Literally every big company is reliant on MTX and Fortnite is at least FTP and completely has 0 pay to win elements. Every store has exclusives otherwise there would be no reason to shop there and I’ve gotten a whole bunch of free indies which is a way more than the 0 free games I’ve received from Valve over the years. The same Valve who have refused to fix their problems over the years and have become entirely reliant on MTX through CS:GO. Maybe some competition will help clean up their act.
This will be more freemuim crapware.
Just let us buy the games again.
All overrated games. Never played the gb version of alien wars. Was it on the contra collection?
I'd love a return to the Star Wars Rogue Squadron games, but they don't have the rights anymore, and Disney would probably demand it be part of the new canon in some way.... yuck!
@hadrian now you’re talking! I’d like the originals on the switch
The sound compression on Pokemon Stadium was amazing...
I have a lot of fond memories from Rogue Squadron on the 64 - a really good Star Wars game. Would love to see more Star Wars on the Switch at some point.
Saw that picture and thought maybe we were finally getting a Rogue Squadron re-release... not that I'd want to give Disney my money for it...
This reads more like....we have no plans or rights to release new or classic titles we previously worked on.
Man, I’ve always wanted the guys at Factor 5 to make a new Star Fox game.
Just take everything they did with the rogue squadron games and make an all new modern space shooter using that gameplay style.
RIP Rogue Squadron Trilogy for Wii.....
@Axelay71 On the Switch (and maybe other platforms), there's an eShop game called Gunlord X that feels a lot like a Turricane game, but is obviously not at all related. I'm enjoying it right now.
Sweet
They can't make Star Wars... a Pokemon Spinoff isn't completely out of the realm of possibilities... regardless I'm eager to see what they'll be working on.
Please, for the love of god, release the Wii version of Rogue Squadron. Do whatever deal with the devil (EA) you have to do to get it into my hands.
@Kilroy
Yes already got that one and blazing chrome:)
@Trikeboy Once Eggebretch said on Nintendo Voice Chat from IGN that if necessary, it would be easy to put the original team back together to improve the Rogue Squadron Trilogy for Switch. But, with this occurring, I don't really think that will happen.
I just played Gunlord, and I think we don't need another Turrican anymore. There's also Hurrican, which might make a good switch port too.
I believe that there is a completed but unreleased Star Wars game for the Wii called Rogue Leader that has been held up by various financial and legal problems. I know that the Factor 5 guys would love to release it on Switch, but that would probably mean that Disney and EA would have to give permission, among others. Maybe Nintendo and Epic could get involved and finally let this game see the light of day on Switch.
Love the Factor 5 guys but won’t be touching anything they produce for Epic.
shame
I wish that Wii Rogue Squadron compilation game that was never released (but allegedly finished) would find a release on Switch. The GameCube Rogue Squadron games still hold up incredibly well and graphically rival even modern games. The version that was made (and cancelled) for Wii would fit perfectly on the Switch. Give me Star Wars!!!!
Well this could be a pretty big deal.
Lovely how NL slaps the Rogue Squadron pic in there for clicks, playing on our hopes for a revival when it has nothing to do with this.
I'll take another Turrican...
...unless it's an Epic exclusive. To the trash compactor with that.
I have always wanted to see a proper return of the Rogue Squadron series.
@Yorumi Here is what I was thinking of: https://youtu.be/s-X8C_8nJQ4
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