A recent forum post this week teased an announcement from Epic concerning Unreal. The post was likely viewed as a leak, as it was taken down rather quickly, but the good folks at Joystiq have a scoop from a fairly reliable source. Rather than a new game in the franchise, it would seem that Epic is actually preparing to launch a special Unreal Engine 3 toolset for consumers.
Joystiq's source says the toolset will come packed with example objects (weapons, maps, etc.) and will demonstrate to users how to build their own custom assets. Furthermore, because it's being designed with consumers in mind, not professional designers, the software is likely to be reasonably priced.
If the report proves to be true, we think it's a fantastic idea. Epic has a legion of fans who would love to be able to tinker with levels in their favorite games like Unreal Tournament and Gears of War. And modding is often a great way to get started in this industry - create a really interesting map, and maybe you will be spotted and given a real opportunity at Epic or some other studio. If nothing else, it will perhaps inspire fans with rudimentary design skills to learn more about game development and actively pursue it as a career.
