FBI Acquire Licence To Use Unreal Engine 3

Epic's Unreal engine to be used for FBI and Military training simulations in US.

By Stephen Leigh /

If Epic Games ever needed a seal of approval for the power of their Unreal Engine 3, a licence with the FBI should probably do it. The somewhat sinister sounding "Unreal Government Network" partnership with Virtual Heroes will see Epic Games provide their technology to US Government agencies such as the FBI and most notably the IARPA (Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity). The goal is to create realistic simulations which "train participants and measure their proficiency" and "result in better decision-making". Elsewhere, the $10m deal will see the FBI getting a "multiplayer crime scene training simulation" while the US Army will receive a "anesthesiology training application" designed for "medical education and training". In an official statement, President of Epic Games Dr.Michael Capps has outlined the necessity of the partnership in further detail. He said €œWe recognize the growing market needs of our government customers and are excited to have Virtual Heroes provide a full spectrum of focused services and support using our game engine technology€. Virtual Heroes founder Jerry Heneghan has also talked up the deal, already having a wealth of experience with such realistic simulation titles as America's Army and Zero Hour. "Virtual Heroes is committed to providing world-class support to our licensees to ensure that all UE3 solutions achieve the best possible results across multiple platforms" said Heneghan. You won't see any of these simulations appearing on your Xbox or PS3, but expect them to probably make Call of Duty look like Barbie's Horse Adventure.