Why Guerrilla Games stubbornly built its amazing game engine from scratch

Guerrilla Games couldn't have made iconic games like Horizon Zero Dawn and Killzone without its remarkable engine.

[Hardiman]

Two things, really great read and again this reiterates how things should be done! I love that HZD came out of a company wide idea contest. Also Guerrilla was allowed to go other routes.You can't get further apart than going from a FPS to an open world action RPG, yet they did and won both critics and fans over.

So it's pretty obvious with examples as HZD and GOW if devs are allowed creative freedom it can pay off handsomely if you put the games quality and the creative process first! I wish other companies that have the capital would allow their devs similar avenues of success.

[ps3vita4life]

I know right! You would think this wasn’t GG’s first third-person action- RPG based on how good HZD was! Having creative freedom and passion for the games you are creating really brings out the best in game studios.

[Hardiman]

Very, very true and the other big companies should look at that as the avenue in taking established IP's to the next level or allowing devs to chase those creative desires.

HZD's world is not only large, varied and gorgeous but it's teeming with humans, robotic creatures and wildlife. The level of detail in it is astonishing! That's not to mention the combat. I've never enjoyed bow combat more and the narrative was so well done. I loved finding out what happened in that world.

[darthv72]

I love it when a dev goes out of their comfort zone and does something different. It only adds to their repertoire and shows how versatile they really are.

[kayoss]

Unfortunately a lot of good smaller companies rely on bigger companies to help fund their project. Therefore some of their creative ideas are replaced with ideas that will make the bigger companies more money. Sometime due to this, these smaller companies do not get the chance to show case their potential and end up shutting down. There are only a handful of big companies that will allow smaller companies that they own the creative freedom with zero to very little interference.

[sKiiTs8]

Yeah I'd really love if Ubisoft and other big companies had this kind of freedom. how could anyone be keen for the new far cry / assassins creed when they're essentially the same thing every year??

[starchild]

Because they're not. Assassin's Creed has evolved as much as any series I've played. To me they've only gotten better over time. AC Origins and AC Odyssey are two of my favorite games of the generation.

Beyond that, not everybody is going to play every game in a series. So the changes could actually be quite dramatic between one game and another a few years later.

[DerekTweed]

Assassins creed Origins and Odyssey are very different from previous games.

There will be no Assassins Creed game in 2019 as far as I know.

It's like you're just spouting the common tropes on N4G without knowing a thing you are talking about.

[bluefox755]

@derek Assassins creed Origins and Odyssey are very different from previous games.

Not really, lol. The core mechanics are still pretty much the same as the beginning.

[Bleucrunch]

Who the hell would disagree with your statement? You are SPOT on @Hardiman with your post. There is no excuse for low effort and worse low effort games. The publisher are at fault for rushing the developers....Folks now know why SONY IS THE BEST with their developers....talk about support.

This is why SONY is the MOST EFFICIENT Publisher....PERIOD.

[Hardiman]

It drives me crazy! I've never seen people so dead set against allowing devs to be creative because for whatever reason their company of choice doesn't do it. Seeing people defend companies like EA, Activision, M$ etc for either bad practices, driving IP's into the ground or just not offering compelling content boggles my mind.

I can't think of another industry where creativity and quality are ignored or belittled. I'm an artist and I think it's great they have faith in these developers because they've earned it and let them try new things. It'd be different if they weren't successful but they are and they are in an elite class as far as quality is concerned.

There's nothing wrong with making money! We all want more money but there's something wrong with just sterile cash grabs and that's what gets me. I understand smaller devs who don't have the capital to think outside the box but in most cases they do I think more than these massive companies.

[kevnb]

If you have the money and resources its certainly the best way to go.

[ps3vita4life]

I’m so glad they did, the visuals in this game, especially the detail and variety in the gorgeous environments (snow, jungle, desert, etc.) and the machines looked unbelievable. It also felt incredibly smooth while playing. Kudos on a job well done GG

[badz149]

IMO the open world is the best looking out there. on consoles at least. RDR2 with all its incredible level of details isn't a match for HZD when it comes to graphics

[ps3vita4life]

I agree! RDR2 looks incredible but HZD is mouth-watering. When I roamed the world, I often got lost in it, just admiring the view and wondering.....wow, is this how far games have truly come? I can’t imagine the sequel on PS5!!

[starchild]

They both do certain things better than the other. Both of them look incredible.

[DerekTweed]

I'm not trying to start a war or anything but RDR2 on my One X looked better than HZD on my Pro.

[_FantasmA_]

I'm glad they decided to go in a new direction. A new Killzone would have been good but even the best 10/10 games get stale with too many games in series or if they come out too frequently. HZD is my favorite PS4 game and I trust that GG can start from scratch with a new game after this. As much as I love HZD, I would love to see them go in a new direction again because they've shown they can do it.

[Gamist2dot0]

"The search for a new engine was rigorous. It led them to Decima – Guerrilla named the previously nameless engine in honor of the partnership, picking a name that referred to the Japanese island of Dejima, once the focal point of Dutch trade relations with the Japanese."

WWWWhhattt... that's interesting.

[starchild]

Yeah, I never knew that. Pretty neat.

[ClayRules2012]

Man, Guerrilla Games Decima Engine has showed “in my opinion” the most stunning looking game world this gen so far. The look of the world, colors, foliage, snow, deserts, robo-dinosaurs, forests and lighting are just so stunning in motion. And Aloy’s character model can stand with some of the best this gen in Nathan Drake, Kratos, Detroit’s main characters/side characters and so on. It’s just a technical marvel & I can’t wait to see how much further Kojima and his team have pushed the engine for Death Stranding.

[Hardiman]

Yes and the HDR was implemented so well! It showed me what HDR can do for a game.

[ClayRules2012]

That’s awesome you got to experience HDR. I myself haven’t yet. But I hear it’s something else.

[Traecy]

Agreed.

[Hardiman]

ClayRules yeah when done properly it is a game changer! It impresses me more than 4k. The colors are so vivid but in dark areas it really shines because in SDR a dark area is mostly black or grey and you can't see too much detail but the same scene in HDR really pops. You can see different shades of darker colors and can actually see detail. It's like when your eyes adjust in a dark room.

RE7 did it pretty well but HZD, GOW, Uncharted 4, Detroit, Spider-Man and Shadow of the Colossus were exceptional!

[DerekTweed]

RDR2 is better, in my opinion

[ClayRules2012]

I respect that. RDR2 is a technical marvel in its own right as well.

[quenomamen]

Hear that COD Devs, hacks.

[Skuletor]

Bethesda too

[Silly Mammo]

I've wondered why Bethesda doesn't just used someone else's engine. Theirs if obviously flawed to a fault. Say what you want about FarCry games, but their games are gorgeous. Imagine an Elder Scrolls game with FarCry's engine.

[ILostMyMind]

@Silly Mammo
1 - They don't want to pay for it.
2 - They want you to fix their bugs.

[Jrios355]

I'd say Bethesda. CoD's engine may be dated, but at least the games are functional. Bethesda's games are all stupidly buggy.

[kneon]

FO4 was pretty solid, I was shocked that it had so few bugs. But I guess that was just an anomaly as they seem to be back to normal now with their latest game.

[neutralgamer1992]

GG are awesome and I fir one am glad they are with Sony because not many others would allow a FPS developed to work on HZD

[Donnie81]

Imagine the level of quality they will be able to achieve on their next project with a more powerful ps5. I’d say they should have something to show around a ps5 reveal. Hoping anyway Hzd is my favorite Sony exclusive this gen.

[kayoss]

This is just my opinion, but HZD far exceeded anything that I've seen from this Gen (maybe an exception of a few games) in terms of quality and visual for an open world game. Even after completing the game and platinum it, i couldnt let go of the game world. i was so immersed in it.

[ILostMyMind]

Native 4K at 60fps. The game is already perfect that way.

[DerekTweed]

But the game can't do both at the same time.

It doesn't even do 60fps in performance mode at 1080p.

[ILostMyMind]

@DerekTweed
How do you know It can't do both on PS5?

[StormLegend]

So freaking glad they did. HZD is my favorite PS4 game of this generation and may be my #1 favorite exclusive of all time from Playstation. It's on the same level as Zelda for me and that says a lot.

[patterson]

When developers work on projects they want to do, good things happen 🙂

[The Wood]

Yep. Give them enough freedom and trust and this is what you can get. The stars truly aligned for gg. Great example of how to create and execute a quality new ip

[elazz]

Kudos to Guerilla Games! Amazing engine bringing amazing games as it should.

Also nicely written article. It's nice to see a proper background piece without pulling to any side but just present the story as it actually happened. Looking forward to more!

[AK91]

The engine is fantastic one of the best things about the game.

[phoenixwing]

i could have sworn i read this article last year the only thing they did was add blurbs about kojima to update it.

[Rimeskeem]

I am very happy they did because it made a phenomenal game and Kojima is using it!

[starchild]

It's an outstanding engine and it allowed them to create one of the best looking games of the generation.

[ILostMyMind]

Is it true that Sony plans to license its engine to third-party studios? I think it's a good idea.

[AuraAbjure]

I enjoyed the read.