The future of game development – Unreal Engine 6 is set to impress
On April 30, 2025, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney appeared on the Lex Fridman Podcast. In the nearly four-hour conversation, which covered topics like Fortnite, the Metaverse and the legal battle with Apple, he also revealed early details about the next stage of Unreal Engine’s development. A five-minute segment (starting at 3:21:09) offers a glimpse into the future of game development and raises hopes for a major technological leap.
Multithreading at last
Perhaps the most significant advancement in Unreal Engine 6 is its full embrace of multithreading. Unreal Engine 5 currently relies on a single CPU core for game simulations, which underutilizes the capabilities of modern 16-core processors. Sweeney noted that multithreading has traditionally been too complex for developers to implement effectively. With Unreal Engine 6, however, this limitation is set to change. The impact could be substantial – more stable frame rates, fewer performance issues and better scalability, especially for demanding titles like Remnant II or Lords of the Fallen, which have previously struggled with engine-related constraints.
Introducing „Verse“: Epic’s programming language for the future
Unreal Engine 6 will also introduce Verse, Epic’s new custom-developed programming language. Already in use within the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), Verse is designed to support both professional developers and hobbyists. The aim is to create a standardized, backward-compatible platform that evolves continuously with new features, forming the long-term foundation of UE6. With this, Epic plans to merge two previously separate development paths – the creator tools and the traditional Unreal Engine – into a unified system that promotes consistency and efficiency across all projects.
No preview yet – first games might arrive with PS6
Those hoping for an early look at Unreal Engine 6 will have to be patient. A public preview isn’t expected until 2027, with the first games potentially arriving in late 2028 or early 2029 – timed to align with the anticipated launch of the PlayStation 6. Given Sony’s 1.5% stake in Epic Games, a deep technical integration with the PS6 seems plausible, possibly including exclusive features or first-party titles that fully leverage the new engine from day one.
Initial reactions: Community remains cautious
The announcement sparked intense debate on Reddit, generating over 500 comments within 24 hours – most of them negative or sarcastic in tone. Many users criticized the timing, arguing that Unreal Engine 5 still struggles with major issues like shader stuttering, long loading times, high VRAM usage and poor performance even on high-end PCs. Skepticism about Unreal Engine 6 is widespread, with some fearing it could end up being merely a "UE5.5" rebrand – full of buzzwords but lacking meaningful improvements. Still, others see promise, especially if true multithreading support becomes a reality. A few voices also defended Epic’s push for innovation, pointing out that many performance problems stem from inexperienced developers rather than the engine itself.
Source(s)
YouTube via Lex Fridmann
Image source: Epic
