News of one of the most highly-anticipated MMO’s to date, ArenaNet’s Guild Wars 2, has surfaced. In an announcement by Umbra Software, the developers of the latest in rendering optimization middleware, Guild Wars 2 will be utilizing their technology to maximize the visual appeal of their game in the best way possible.
Umbra 3 is a rendering and performance optimizing middleware. By maximizing the efficiency in vital parts of the game such as audio and rendering, it can improve frame rates and produce stunning graphics for games. It also creates portals within the game’s environments, reducing the strain on artists.
Both parties have expressed their excitement for the collaborative effort going into Guld Wars 2.
“Umbra 3 provides an excellent solution for our expansive, open world environments. We are very happy with the choice we made with Umbra and the support we’ve been given by the Umbra team,” explained ArenaNet’s Senior Software Engineer, Parick Laukaitis.
“ArenaNet are one of Umbra’s earliest clients and closest partners, so we are excited to see the game nearing completion. Guild Wars 2 is epic in scope, so it’s been a fun challenge to meet the technological needs of Patrick and his team; they’ve really pushed us to take our middleware to the next level,” said Otso Mäkinen, Chief Technology Officer of Umbra.
Guild Wars 2, which is currently in its beta, has already received several most anticipated game of the year awards and is scheduled for release on August 28, 2012. However, that isn’t enough to calm the gamers’ anxiety surrounding this MMO.
ArenaNet isn’t the only company taking advantage of the Umbra Software. Developer such as Bungie, BioWare, Giant, Guerrilla, IO Interactive, Sony Online Entertainment, Square Enix Inc., Tripwire, NetEase, and Remedy Entertainment are some of the companies that are using Umbra 3 in their games.
