Game developer platform Unity has acquired Weta Digital, taking an important step towards a photo-level next-generation platform. Weta Digital is a film and television special effects company headquartered in New Zealand. It has been responsible for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Avatar, Rise of the Apes and Suicide Squad.
It is reported that this transaction is as high as 1.65 billion US dollars. Through this acquisition, Unity plans to allow all Unity engine game developers to use Weta digital development tools so that games using the Unity engine can achieve the visual effects of movie blockbusters as much as possible. Regarding this acquisition, Weta Digital founder Peter Jackson (director of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy) said:
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Weta Digital’s tools have created infinite possibilities for us, making the world and creatures that originally lived in our imagination come to life. Unity and Weta Digital can create a way for any artist from any industry to allow them to Use these extremely creative and powerful tools. Providing aspiring creatives with the opportunity to use Weta digital technology is tantamount to changing the game, and Unity is the company that realizes this vision.
Unity’s massive acquisition of this time is clearly to counter the Unreal Engine company Epic Games. Epic has stated that they want to enter the film and television special effects production industry through Unreal 5, creating a continuum between movies and games.