HeroEngine is a server technology and game building platform dedicated to building 3D games. Originally, it was introduced by Simultronic Corporation with the intention of designing and making MMO-style games. The company first used it to build their first game called Hero’s Journey. This game helped gain worldwide popularity through several awards that it won at multiple tradeshows. Since then other gaming companies have licensed the HeroEngine as a legitimate game building platform. A good example is BioWare Austin which is currently building Star Wars: The Old Republic with the HeroEngine. Also Stray Bullet Games, yet another popular studio is using it to for their unnamed project which is due to release sometime in the future.
According to announcements on June 12, 2010, Idea Fabrik bought the HeroCloud game development technologies and the entire HeroEngine. In addition to these, they also acquired the Simultronics staff which worked on developing and supporting users of the HeroEngine/HeroCloud. Nine years later, the HeroEngine hasn’t slowed down in its momentum, thanks to features like online creation. This feature allows developers to work simultaneously on building different aspects of the same game. For example, during HeroEngine game development could be working on creating a garage and the entities inside, while another finishes the pavement and streets that lead to the garage. The two developers are able to see progress on work in real-time.
HeroCloud is a counterpart of the original HeroEngine. For a rate of only $99.00 charged annually, developers can gain access to this cloud gaming developing technology. Under the HeroCloud license, the parent company of HeroEngine will receive 30% of the revenue generated with any game build with the HeroCloud. Hence, it is a kind of partnership platform for game developers who might be interested in. Except for the restriction to the HeroEngine source code, the HerCloud comes with everything that a licensed HeroEngine has.