Epic Games, maker of the Unreal Engine used for 3D environment development, have acquired Capturing Reality, makers of RealityCapture photogrammetry software.
Capturing Reality’s software is able to reconstruct objects and scenes of any size from images or laser scans, yielding 3D scans with unparalleled accuracy and mesh quality at speeds many times faster than some competing photogrammetry software.
Last year, Capturing Reality switched to a pay-per-input licensing model, allowing users to pay not for a global license but by file or project. As part of the acquisition announcement, Capturing Reality has been able to reduce prices for all new and existing customers.
Epic plans to integrate Capturing Reality’s photogrammetry software into the Unreal Engine ecosystem, making it even easier for developers to upload images and create photorealistic 3D models in instants. This also includes companies that do not use Unreal Engine currently.
“The Capturing Reality team is made up of some of the most impressive experts in the field of photogrammetry,” said Marc Petit, General Manager of Unreal Engine. “The team has built a powerful solution with RealityCapture, and we’re fortunate to have them as part of the Epic Games family.”
In 2019, Epic Games acquired Quixel, which hosted a library of photogrammetry “megascans” that developers could access for use in a variety of applications. The megascans were collected primarily using RealityCapture.
“RealityCapture is the clear market leader in photogrammetry and has been integral to the creation of Quixel Megascans since its inception. We are beyond excited to welcome Capturing Reality to our team, and to accelerate our shared vision to enable anyone to scan the world,” said Teddy Bergsman, Senior Director, Quixel at Epic Games.
“Our mission at Capturing Reality is to give our customers the most powerful and easy-to-use photogrammetry solution on the market, so they have the freedom to focus on their business,” said Capturing Reality Co-founder Michal Jancosek, PhD.
“Epic is clearly aligned with this mission, and has a proven track record of taking existing technologies and making them more accessible to developers across industries. We look forward to partnering with their team to accelerate adoption of our technology and moving the photogrammetry industry forward together,” concluded Martin Bujnak, PhD., co-founder of Capturing Reality.
What does this mean for RealityCapture users who are not in the gaming industry? While Epic’s interest in the software is likely driven by their desire to improve their gaming and entertainment development, the acquisition could serve to broaden the users of RealityCapture to additional industries by streamlining the process and lowering the cost for users.
In addition, Epic has said that Capturing Reality will continue support and development for partners across industries including surveying, architecture, engineering, construction and cultural heritage going forward.
