Snowdrop (game engine)

Snowdrop is a proprietary game engine created by Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft for use on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Stadia, and Amazon Luna. It was revealed at E3 2013 with Tom Clancy's The Division, the first game using the engine.[1][2] Snowdrop is one of the primary game engines used by Ubisoft along with Disrupt, the Dunia Engine, and Ubisoft Anvil.[3]

Snowdrop
Developer(s)
Written inC++
Operating systemWindows
Platform
LicenseProprietary
Websitewww.ubisoft.com/snowdrop

History

The engine is coded mainly in C++.[4] Rodrigo Cortes, former brand art director at Massive Entertainment, said that development on the Snowdrop engine started in 2009.[5] Initially it was an engine built for PC and next-gen development to "do things better not bigger".[6] The core of the game engine is powered by a "node-based system" and the engine is a dynamic, interconnected and flexible system where developers can create their assets quickly and interact with them in ways that have never been done before.[7][8] Massive created a lighting and destruction system inspired by film production techniques.[9][10] Features of Snowdrop include advanced physically based rendering (PBR) and a dynamic Global Illumination system.[11][12]

According to the developers, the engine was designed with three pillars: Empowerment, which allows animators, artists and designers to get their work done quicker, Real Time, which allows developers to implement and iterate quickly and Fun, a concept that applies not only to the final product, but to using the engine during development.[13][14] An improved version of the engine was used for Tom Clancy's The Division 2.[15][16]

In February 2016, Massive confirmed that the engine can be used for other Ubisoft games.[17][18] These games include South Park: The Fractured but Whole,[19] Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle,[20] and Starlink: Battle for Atlas.[21] In June 2021, Ubisoft confirmed that the engine will be upgraded for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.[22][23] According to senior technical artist Kunal Luthra, thousands of assets can be propagated inside of each frame to create more highly detailed environments. The engine would also support real-time ray tracing as well as improved AI behavior for NPCs.[24][25] Snowdrop will also be used for Star Wars Outlaws,[26][27] and the remake of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell.[28][29]

Features

Features of Snowdrop include:[30]

  • Node-Based Scripting System
  • Realistic Day and Night Change
  • Global Volumetric Lighting
  • Procedural Destruction
  • 'Advanced' Particle System and Visual Effects
  • Dynamic Material Shader
  • Live Stat Tracking

Games using Snowdrop
Year Title
2016 Tom Clancy's The Division
2017 Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
South Park: The Fractured but Whole
2018 Starlink: Battle for Atlas
2019 Tom Clancy's The Division 2
2022 Rabbids: Party of Legends
Rocksmith+
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
2023 Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
The Settlers: New Allies
XDefiant
2024 Star Wars Outlaws
TBA Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Remake
Tom Clancy's The Division Heartland

References
  1. "'The Division' Trailer Highlights Snowdrop Engine". Game Rant. 7 December 2013.
  2. "The Division's VGX trailer shows off Snowdrop engine". Polygon. 8 December 2013.
  3. "Why Ubisoft Ditched Unreal in Favor of Its Own Proprietary Tech". IGN. 16 September 2017.
  4. "Ubisoft's Open-World Star Wars: Snowdrop Engine Details and Past Games". Game Rant. 8 May 2022.
  5. "The Division's Snowdrop Engine has been in development for 5 years". Video Gamer. 1 April 2014.
  6. "The Division: Snowdrop engine designed "to do things better, not bigger," Ubisoft details tech in new blog". VG247. 24 March 2014.
  7. "Here's The Division's amazing game engine in action". Polygon. 19 March 2014.
  8. "The Division's Snowdrop Engine "Capable of Creating Large Range of Varied Universes"". GamingBolt. 24 March 2014.
  9. "Ubisoft shows off Snowdrop engine with help from Tom Clancy's 'The Division'". Engadget. 9 December 2013.
  10. "The Division video shows procedural destruction and lighting in the Snowdrop Engine". PCGamesN. 8 December 2013.
  11. "The Division Features PBR, Dynamic GI With Real-Time Bounce Lighting From Completely Dynamic Light Sources". Wccftech. 11 January 2016.
  12. "The Division Graphics Tech Detailed: PBR, Dynamic GI With Real-Time Bounce Lighting". GamingBolt. 13 January 2016.
  13. "The Division's Snowdrop engine makes game development fun". Polygon. 9 December 2013.
  14. "The Division's Snowdrop Engine Allows for Dynamic Destruction, Designed for Next-Gen". GamingBolt. 9 December 2013.
  15. "The Division 2 announced, will be powered by Snowdrop Engine and will be present at E3 2018". DSOGaming. 8 March 2018.
  16. "The Division 2 is currently in the works at Massive Entertainment, more to come at E3 2018". VG247. 8 March 2018.
  17. "The Division's Snowdrop Engine May Be Used In Other Ubisoft Titles In The Future". Wccftech. 20 February 2016.
  18. "The Division's Snowdrop engine could be used in other Ubisoft games like Assassin's Creed". PCGamesN. 20 February 2016.
  19. "Art Design Deep Dive: Getting official South Park art into The Fractured But Whole". Game Developer. 14 December 2017.
  20. "Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle Officially Confirmed; Powered By Snowdrop Engine". Wccftech. 12 June 2017.
  21. "Starlink: Battle for Atlas Gets New Screenshots, Artwork and Details". DualShockers. 12 June 2017.
  22. "New Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora trailer details upgrades to Snowdrop engine". Digital Trends. 24 June 2021.
  23. "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora tech showcase details improvements made to Snowdrop engine". VG247. 25 June 2021.
  24. "Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora Looks Beautifully Alien In New Snowdrop Engine Tech Showcase". GameSpot. 24 June 2021.
  25. "Ubisoft showcases improvements made to The Division's engine for its next-gen Avatar game". Video Games Chronicle. 25 June 2021.
  26. "Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws Open-World Game Debuts At Xbox Showcase". GameSpot. 12 June 2023.
  27. "First 'Star Wars Outlaws' gameplay trailer offers 10 minutes of scoundrel wish fulfillment". Engadget. 13 June 2023.
  28. "A Splinter Cell remake is in development at Ubisoft Toronto". Polygon. 15 December 2021.
  29. "Ubisoft announces Splinter Cell remake". Eurogamer. 15 December 2021.
  30. "Snowdrop Game Engine: What You Need To Know About Ubisoft's Secret Weapon". gamedesigning.org. 4 July 2023.
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