For a start-up project we are launching, we are comparing several game engines that will enable us to sell our packaged service.
My questions:
If we take UE4 source-code and modify it to integrate our features and functionnalities, will we be able to sell this new piece of software through a commercial license?
If so, what are the royalties we will owe to Epic Games?
Do we need a specific terms agreement for this kind of commercial-use?
The complete idea consists in selling some licenses of modified-UE4 to companies in order to let them produce smartphone applications. Basically, we are the tech-providers in this business model and thus we need our clients to edit their own content through a modified version of UE4.
Thank you in advance, and sorry about the shortness of my explanation: we have to keep everything secret as much as possible
You are not allowed to redistribute UE4 engine code, so you can do things like a plugin or you would have to find some way of making it so that you can make modifications to the engine for the customer after the customer has downloaded the editor from Epic.
Considering that I make my customers accept Epic Games EULA before paying anything, through account creation for example, do they absolutely need to download the original engine?
And considering that this part is done (even if they have to dl the engine), am I allowed to make a commercial use of my new version?
(a plugin is also a option we’re studying, but I believe you can’t do much on interface editing if you use a plugin. We would like to “orient” our version towards a specific use)
You can only distribute to people with a Unreal Engine License. They don’t have to download the original engine, they just have to make an account with Epic.
But if you’re selling to the public, the source code can only be distributed through a fork of Epic’s github or through Epic’s Marketplace.
Either way a plugin would make most sense. You can do a lot with a plugin.
Otherwise you can contact Epic about a custom license agreement with them or to clarify things.
No, you are not allowed to redistribute any part of the engine, it doesn’t matter if they have already made an account and agreed to the EULA. You can either provide them with something like a plugin or you have to find a way to integrate your changes into the editor for them after they have downloaded from Epic.
Games with mod support have worked with Epic to where the modified version of the editor for the game is available for download from Epic through their launcher.
Ok, that’s understood!
Thank you for your answers, I will check on the possibilities that plugins offer (or go with a post-installation injection).
(note that I perfectly understand the reason why I’m not allowed to distribute a different version of the engine. I wanted to be sure though, and see if there was any other solutions, which you’ve told me about )
“You may Distribute Engine Code (including as modified by you under the License) in Source Code or object code format, or any Content, to an Engine Licensee who has rights under its license to the same Version of the Engine Code or Content that you are Distributing.”
I have not suggested such things.
I’m merely pointing out that you are allowed to distribute engine source code, following the proper guidelines laid out in the EULA.
Heck it’s right in Epic’s FAQs:
"What kinds of products can I release with Unreal Engine 4?
The only parts of the Unreal Engine you can’t release to the general public are the source code and tools or modifications to them; these components may only be distributed to other licensees with access to the same version of the Unreal Engine."
You might need some clarification on that, what they probably mean by that is that the tools or modifications to the code can be distributed to other licensees but they may not also be referring to the existing engine code as well.
[USER=“434”]BrUnO XaVIeR[/USER] : of course, rebranding is totally out of the line. More than legal aspects that clearly forbid it, I agree with what you said on another post where some guy was asking about it: it’s moraly unacceptable to rebrand other’s work and earn money with it or whatsoever.
Here, I’m talking about promoting UE4 to my customers and selling only the modifications we add to it. My main concern is about the exact procedure we should follow in order to be totally legit and still be convenient for the customer (if they have to download the editor, then download our code, install all the building chain, and the re-build the editor… well, that’s too much).
)