Full Unreal Engine compatibility coming to Google's Daydream VR

Game and app developers already working inside of virtual reality will be able to port existing apps and games to Google's brand new Daydream platform, if they are building on Unreal Engine.

Epic Games appeared on the stage of Google I/O to unveil Unreal Engine 4's compatibility with Daydream, which was announced on Wednesday.

Since Daydream is a virtual reality platform that supports several different Android-powered mobile phones, it will allow more people to access VR in the next few years, said Nick Whiting, VR and AR Technical Director for Epic Games. The biggest benefit will be the required controller -- every Daydream user will need it to jump into VR -- so developers all can code for the same specifications.

"Once you’ve interacted with motion controllers it’s really hard to go back, like going back to [Oculus] DK1," Whiting told Mashable. "You see the magic of being in game, but then you look down and the illusion is broken when you don’t have hands."

The Epic Games team built its own tech demo to show off the controller's capabilities in Daydream. In the dungeon crawler game, players can wave a wand, attack monsters, point at menus and drink potions, all with two buttons, a clickable trackpad and the included sensors. 

"Almost everyone can wave their hands around and use a trackpad. It’s very simple so it’s very hard to do something wrong," Whiting said. "Many people grab Oculus Touch or Vive and they aren’t gamers, it’s amazing how many buttons are on them. It's good to have a simple, natural interface for people."

Daydream will sell virtual reality games and apps through the Google Play Store. There isn't a release date yet, but Unreal Engine 4 access will appear when developers get their hands on the platform, presumably before wider consumer release.

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