Fewnity recently announced the release of Xenity Engine , a new open-source game engine designed for those looking to develop titles for platforms such as PSP, PS Vita, PS3, and Windows PC.

This engine is inspired by the architecture of Unity 3D, offering a simple and powerful system based on GameObjects and Components, which allows you to create and manage game elements in a modular and intuitive way.

The goal is to offer a tool accessible to both beginners and more experienced developers, encouraging the development of games on historic consoles with a modern and flexible interface.

Developed in C++17 after three years of development, Xenity Engine offers a wide range of tools for 2D and 3D game development. Its key features include:

Advanced Rendering: Supports 2D and 3D graphics with lighting, leveraging libraries such as SDL3, OpenGL, VitaGL (for PS Vita), RSX (for PS3) and GU (for PSP).
Physics Engine: Integrates a modified version of Bullet 2.82 for realistic physics simulations.
Audio: Manages audio playback at 44100Hz (48000Hz for PS3).
Scripting: Allows writing scripts in C++17, with support for Visual Studio Code.
Integrated Editor: Offers a Unity-like interface, with debugging capabilities, live compilation, and a basic, customizable UI system (default color: pink).
Networking and Pathfinding: Includes support for networking and 2D pathfinding, ideal for complex games.

The engine is accompanied by three demonstration projects – Dungeon Platformer , Nano Machines , and Cooking Game – that illustrate its potential in genres such as platformers, driving simulations, and time management games.

Requirements and configuration

To use Xenity Engine , developers must set up a development environment that includes:

Required software: Visual Studio 2022 (default path: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\VC\Auxiliary\Build) and Docker Desktop for building on PlayStation consoles.
Dependencies: The engine uses libraries like stb, dr_libs, GLM, Assimp, FreeType and ImGui (docking branch).
Build Procedure: You need to set it Xenity_Engine_Executableas a startup project in Visual Studio and generate the required DLL files.

The full documentation, available at fewnity.github.io/Xenity-Engine , guides users through installing and using the engine.

Technical limitations

Despite its qualities, Xenity Engine has some limitations:

Monothreading: The engine runs on a single thread (PPU only on PS3), although a future multithreaded version is planned.
Meta File Management: Removing or duplicating Meta files can cause errors, making regular backups essential.
Compatibility: The editor is currently only supported on Windows.
Performance: Compiling for consoles may be slow on older hardware.