Is The Conduit coming to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3? Perhaps not, but its developer, High Voltage Software, has announced a long-term agreement for a lifetime license of the Infernal Engine from Terminal Reality, thus allowing them to develop games for the two high-definition platforms.
“With more than seventy five titles shipped, High Voltage Software has a proven track record of developing quality products on all of the current platforms,” said Terminal Reality Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Joe Kreiner. “Through the use of the Infernal Engine technologies, they are now able to extend that remarkable track record into the next-generation platforms.”
High Voltage Software has been in business for sixteen years, and in that time, has made a name for itself with titles such as the acclaimed Hunter the Reckoning series, as well as lighter award-winning fare such as Go, Diego Go! Safari Rescue.
They have also gathered quite a bit of attention as of late with The Conduit, which uses their proprietary Quantum 3 engine, which will augment their use of the Infernal Engine nicely. The Quantum 3 will also power cooperative monster-hunting shooter The Grinder, as well as the combat game Gladiator A.D.
“We already have the most advanced Wii technology available,” said Kerry J. Ganofsky, founder of High Voltage Software. “By incorporating some of the best PS3/360 technology, we are able to really push the envelope with our next wave of titles.”
He also told Gamasutra that the company was attracted to the Infernal Engine due to its “robust” physics package and cross-platform functionality. He adds that the focus on the PS3 as a “first-class, if not primary” platform was also impressive.
“We are tremendously excited to take our talented teams to other current generation consoles [besides Wii] utilizing the Infernal Engine,” Ganofsky said.
Gamasutra points out that a lifetime license for an engine is unusual; Kreiner says the license covers all supported platforms, and that High Voltage will use it “whenever it makes sense to do so.”
“This not only allows them the security of having access to the technology,” he adds, “but also allows them to invest their engineering resources long term without fear of having to switch to another engine technology.”
Kreiner does make note of the exception to their usual licensing rule: “Our typical licensee is a per-title, per-platform fee structure, with what I like to call ‘developer friendly’ terms. We want to cater to our customer’s needs, so we’re open to non-standard licenses like this one with High Voltage Software.”
High Voltage Software now joins studios such as Streamline and Namco Bandai in licensing the Infernal Engine, among others. “In total, we have a dozen companies using Infernal Engine currently,” Kreiner states.
He also notes that those who are licensing the Infernal Engine will receive the Ghostbusters codebase. “We’re currently in the process of rolling out the Ghostbusters code and assets to our licensees,” he says.
“We’re hoping to do this with all future Terminal Reality releases -– including Rapstar, our upcoming title with 4MM. Rapstar is as different from Ghostbusters as you can get.”
