INTERVIEW
UNREAL ENGINE Having made serious inroads into the live events industry throughout 2020, Unreal Engine’s Ben Lumsden and Patrick Wambold have a bold vision for the company’s future in live entertainment. TPi’s Stew Hume reports…
Prior to COVID-19 and the hiatus on live touring, Unreal Engine was already a name that TPi were very familiar with, although usually only in the context of the real-time rendering options the system offered for content creators on live tours. However, since March last year, Epic Games’ technology has been mentioned in our pages for a number of other functions. From its use within the world of XR studios to fully virtual performances within Fortnite, Unreal Engine is making serious inroads into the live events sector. So, as we enter the second quarter of 2021, TPi thought it was only right to speak to some of those within the organisation that are actively involved in shaping what the future of live events may look like. “Tim Sweeney, our Founder and CEO, has stated on the record that he wants to build the Metaverse,” began Ben Lumsden, Business Development Lead for Media and Entertainment, who joined TPi virtually from London, with Patrick Wambold, Solutions Architect, also calling in from the US.
“This is not just Tim’s wish, but it is our overall goal as a company. To get to a place where the virtual and real experience can mesh together seamlessly.” With concerts and large gatherings becoming impossible for over 12 months, it is not so surprising that Unreal has really carved out a niche for creating online worlds to simulate the live experience. Early on in the pandemic, the company made headlines with Travis Scott’s in-game performance in Fortnite, then in summer last year, the company’s engine was used to recreate Tomorrowland. Yet, while the platform has been at the heart of creating spaces for fans to continue to enjoy live music, these temporary alternatives to live events are just the start of the company’s plan for the future. “For a long time, before COVID-19, we’d already been developing the tools and solutions for this sector,” explained Lumsden, who noted DMX integration with Unreal as a prime example. “We knew if we were to be 43