In July 2021, Amazon and theLinux Foundation announced that parts of the engine would be used to create a new open source game engine calledOpen 3D Engine, which would replace it. A new Open 3D Foundation, run by the Linux Foundation, will manage the new engine, which will be licensed under the open sourceApache 2.0 license.[7][8] The new engine is reportedly partially based on Lumberyard but with many parts rewritten, and is considered a new engine.[9][10][8]
The Lumberyard engine features integration withAmazon Web Services to allow developers to build or host their games on Amazon's servers, as well as support for livestreaming viaTwitch.[11] Additionally, the engine includes Twitch ChatPlay, allowing viewers of the Twitch stream to influence the game through the associated chat, a method of play inspired by theTwitch Plays Pokémon phenomenon.[12]
The source code is available to end users with limitations: Users may not publicly release the Lumberyard engine source code or use it to release their own game engine.[13]
Lumberyard launched on February 9, 2016 alongside GameLift, a fee-based managed service for deploying and hosting multiplayer games, intended to allow developers the easy development of games that attract "large and vibrant communities of fans."[14]As of March 2018[update], the software is currently in beta status and can be used to build games forMicrosoft Windows,PlayStation 4, andXbox One,[15][14] with limited support foriOS andAndroid and support for macOS being planned for future releases.[13][16]Virtual reality integration was added in Beta 1.3, allowing developers to build games supporting devices likeOculus Rift andHTC Vive.[17][18]
The audio solutionAudiokinetic Wwise, which is used in many popular games, was added in Beta 1.0, released in February 2016.[19]
On March 14, 2016, Lumberyard received its first update, which included support for mobile devices such asA8-powered iOS devices andNvidia Shield, anFBX importer, and integration with Allegorithmic's texturing software Substance.[16][20]
On July 6, 2021, Amazon announced it was partnering with theLinux Foundation to form the Open 3D Foundation and would be releasing a new version of Lumberyard, rebranded asOpen 3D Engine (O3DE), under theApache-2.0 open source license.[8]
Despite being based on the architecture of Crytek's CryEngine, the engine has been developed to use many of its own custom-developed systems, some of which are in a preview mode. A few of these systems include the Component Entity System, FurShader, Modular Gems (which allows developers to either create their own assets or add existing assets to their games), and the Script Canvas.[23][24]
A heavily modified version of Lumberyard called StarEngine is used for the development ofStar Citizen and its single player spin-offSquadron 42.[25][26] The game was originally developed onCryEngine 3 before switching to Lumberyard in December 2016.[27][28][29] According to creative directorChris Roberts, the decision to switch to Lumberyard was based on its online services such as deep back-end cloud integration onAmazon Web Services and its social component with live-streaming platformTwitch.[30][31][32]
