Snowdrop (also known as Ubisoft Snowdrop) is a proprietary game engine created by Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft for use on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Stadia, and Luna. It was revealed at E3 2013 with Tom Clancy's The Division, the first game using the engine.[1][2] Snowdrop is one of the primary game engines used by Ubisoft along with Disrupt, Dunia, and Ubisoft Anvil.[3]
Developer(s) | |
---|---|
Written in | C++ |
Platform | |
License | Proprietary |
Website | www |
History
editThe engine is coded mainly in C++.[4] Rodrigo Cortes, former brand art director at Massive Entertainment, said that development on the Snowdrop engine started in 2009.[5] Initially it was an engine built for PC and next-gen development to "do things better not bigger".[6] The core of the game engine is powered by a "node-based system" and the engine is a dynamic, interconnected and flexible system where developers can create their assets quickly and interact with them in ways that have never been done before.[7][8] Massive created a lighting and destruction system inspired by film production techniques.[9][10] Features of Snowdrop include advanced physically based rendering (PBR) and a dynamic global illumination system.[11]
According to the developers, the engine was designed with three pillars: Empowerment, which allows animators, artists and designers to get their work done quicker, Real Time, which allows developers to implement and iterate quickly and Fun, a concept that applies not only to the final product, but to using the engine during development.[12][13] An improved version of the engine was used for Tom Clancy's The Division 2.[14][15]
In February 2016, Massive confirmed that the engine can be used for other Ubisoft games.[16][17] According to Martin Hultberg, head of IP at Ubisoft Massive, Snowdrop became available to all Ubisoft studios and not just those working on the Tom Clancy's IP.[18][19] These games include South Park: The Fractured but Whole,[20] Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle,[21] and Starlink: Battle for Atlas.[22] In June 2021, Ubisoft confirmed that the engine will be upgraded for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.[23][24] According to senior technical artist Kunal Luthra, thousands of assets can be propagated inside of each frame to create more highly detailed environments. The engine would also support real-time ray tracing as well as improved AI behavior for NPCs.[25][26] Snowdrop will also be used for Star Wars Outlaws,[27][28] and the remake of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell.[29][30] Ubisoft announced they will continue to upscale and develop the engine.[31]
Features
editFeatures of Snowdrop include:[32]
- Node-based scripting system
- Realistic day and night change
- Global volumetric lighting
- Procedural destruction
- 'Advanced' particle system and visual effects
- Dynamic material shader
- Live stat tracking
Games using Snowdrop
editYear | Title | Platform(s) | Developer(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Tom Clancy's The Division | PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One | Massive Entertainment | [5] |
2017 | Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle | Nintendo Switch | Ubisoft Milan | [21] |
South Park: The Fractured but Whole | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One | Ubisoft San Francisco | [20] | |
2018 | Starlink: Battle for Atlas | Ubisoft Toronto | [22] | |
2019 | Tom Clancy's The Division 2 | PlayStation 4, Stadia, Windows, Xbox One | Massive Entertainment | [15] |
2022 | Rabbids: Party of Legends | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Stadia, Windows, Xbox One | Ubisoft Chengdu | [33] |
Rocksmith+ | Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows | Ubisoft San Francisco | [34] | |
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope | Nintendo Switch | Ubisoft Milan | [35] | |
2023 | The Settlers: New Allies | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S | Ubisoft Düsseldorf | [36] |
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora | PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S | Massive Entertainment | [23] | |
2024 | XDefiant | Ubisoft San Francisco | [37] | |
Star Wars Outlaws | Massive Entertainment | [27] | ||
— | Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell | — | Ubisoft Toronto | [29] |
Cancelled
editReferences
edit- ^ "'The Division' Trailer Highlights Snowdrop Engine". Game Rant. 7 December 2013.
- ^ "The Division's VGX trailer shows off Snowdrop engine". Polygon. 8 December 2013.
- ^ "Why Ubisoft Ditched Unreal in Favor of Its Own Proprietary Tech". IGN. 16 September 2017.
- ^ "Ubisoft's Open-World Star Wars: Snowdrop Engine Details and Past Games". Game Rant. 8 May 2022.
- ^ a b "The Division's Snowdrop Engine has been in development for 5 years". VideoGamer. 1 April 2014.
- ^ "The Division: Snowdrop engine designed "to do things better, not bigger," Ubisoft details tech in new blog". VG247. 24 March 2014.
- ^ "Here's The Division's amazing game engine in action". Polygon. 19 March 2014.
- ^ "The Division's Snowdrop Engine "Capable of Creating Large Range of Varied Universes"". GamingBolt. 24 March 2014.
- ^ "Ubisoft shows off Snowdrop engine with help from Tom Clancy's 'The Division'". Engadget. 9 December 2013.
- ^ "The Division video shows procedural destruction and lighting in the Snowdrop Engine". PCGamesN. 8 December 2013.
- ^ "The Division Graphics Tech Detailed: PBR, Dynamic GI With Real-Time Bounce Lighting". GamingBolt. 13 January 2016.
- ^ "The Division's Snowdrop engine makes game development fun". Polygon. 9 December 2013.
- ^ "The Division's Snowdrop Engine Allows for Dynamic Destruction, Designed for Next-Gen". GamingBolt. 9 December 2013.
- ^ "The Division 2 announced, will be powered by Snowdrop Engine and will be present at E3 2018". DSOGaming. 8 March 2018.
- ^ a b "The Division 2 is currently in the works at Massive Entertainment, more to come at E3 2018". VG247. 8 March 2018.
- ^ "The Division's Snowdrop engine could be used in other Ubisoft games like Assassin's Creed". PCGamesN. 20 February 2016.
- ^ "Massive Entertainment's Snowdrop Engine May Be Used In Other Ubisoft Games". DSOGaming. 20 February 2016.
- ^ "Ubisoft's next-gen Snowdrop engine powers The Division, and now more". TweakTown. 21 February 2016.
- ^ "The Division's Snowdrop engine and Dark Zone design could be used in other Ubi games". VG247. 22 February 2016.
- ^ a b "Art Design Deep Dive: Getting official South Park art into The Fractured But Whole". Game Developer. 14 December 2017.
- ^ a b "Mario + Rabbids is Switch's unlikeliest tech showcase". Eurogamer. 11 September 2017.
- ^ a b "Starlink: Battle for Atlas Gets New Screenshots, Artwork and Details". DualShockers. 12 June 2017.
- ^ a b "New Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora trailer details upgrades to Snowdrop engine". Digital Trends. 24 June 2021.
- ^ "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora tech showcase details improvements made to Snowdrop engine". VG247. 25 June 2021.
- ^ "Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora Looks Beautifully Alien In New Snowdrop Engine Tech Showcase". GameSpot. 24 June 2021.
- ^ "Ubisoft showcases improvements made to The Division's engine for its next-gen Avatar game". Video Games Chronicle. 25 June 2021.
- ^ a b "Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws Open-World Game Debuts At Xbox Showcase". GameSpot. 12 June 2023.
- ^ "First 'Star Wars Outlaws' gameplay trailer offers 10 minutes of scoundrel wish fulfillment". Engadget. 13 June 2023.
- ^ a b "A Splinter Cell remake is in development at Ubisoft Toronto". Polygon. 15 December 2021.
- ^ "Ubisoft announces Splinter Cell remake". Eurogamer. 15 December 2021.
- ^ "Ubisoft scaling Anvil, Snowdrop engines to flex next-gen consoles". TweakTown. 31 March 2021.
- ^ "Snowdrop Game Engine: What You Need To Know About Ubisoft's Secret Weapon". gamedesigning.org. 4 July 2023.
- ^ "《疯狂兔子:奇遇派对》新宣传片 游戏玩法及特色介绍". Sohu (in Chinese). August 6, 2020. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ "Snowdrop — Rocksmith+". Ubisoft. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Behan, Daire (June 12, 2021). "Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Revealed for 2022 Release". Game Rant. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Skrebels, Joe (August 21, 2018). "Ubisoft Announces New Settlers Game". IGN. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Goroff, Michael (July 19, 2021). "Tom Clancy's XDefiant is new free-to-play, class-based shooter from Ubisoft". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ McWhertor, Michael (May 15, 2024). "Ubisoft cancels The Division Heartland, the latest AAA free-to-play game casualty". Polygon. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- ^ Valentine, Rebekah (May 15, 2024). "Ubisoft Cancels The Division Heartland". IGN. Retrieved May 15, 2024.