Microsoft Azure is about to become the official cloud partner of the best Unity game engine.
Launched in 2005, Unity is a popular cross-platform game engine among indie game developers and currently supports 19 different platforms, including iOS, Android, and all major current-gen consoles.
It has been used for titles like Genshin Impact, Pokémon Go, Cuphead, Beatsaber, and Call of Duty: Mobile.
What does it mean?
Unity says the move will make it easier for users to create and distribute their games on Windows and Xbox.
In addition, the companies said the partnership will help developers create 3D environments for game and non-game scenarios.
In a blog post (opens in a new tab) announcing the news, Microsoft Game Creator Experiences and Ecosystem Vice President Sarah Bond predicted that real-time simulation will become "central to every industry, from e-commerce to to energy, from manufacturing to medical and beyond.
"Unity is building a platform-agnostic, cloud-native solution that meets the diverse needs of all developers, from enterprises to creative citizens," said Bond. “By giving creators easy access to RT3D simulation tools and the ability to create digital twins of real-world objects and locations, Unity gives creators an easy path to producing RT3D assets, whether for games or non-game worlds. playful”.
The Unity game engine is already used in many non-game use cases, for example, Boeing used Unity software to test augmented reality-based inspections and tests. (opens in a new tab)
The partnership comes as Microsoft sees cloud-based gaming becoming a bigger part of its business model.
In its latest earnings report, the tech giant said that Xbox Cloud Gaming is now used by more than 10 million people.
Neither Microsoft nor Unity mentioned when the first collaborative project using the integration should land.