14 DAY TRIAL // The Software Development Kit that developer Crytek has been offering on its official website has managed to get more than 100,000 downloads in the five days since it was uploaded, although it's not clear how many developers will actually use it to create actual video games.
Crytek allows anyone interested to download the CryEngine 3 SDK for free, but all those who actually use it to make a commercial game will need to share revenue with the developers.
Crytek will get 20 percent of all the revenue that a game made with its technology will bring in.
The revenue sharing model does not apply to releases that are non-commercial in nature, which might mean that in the coming months and years we might see a number of games that promote social and political causes while not seeking commercial success created with CryEngine 3.
The game engine has been introduced to the world during early 2009 when Crytek offered information on the possibilities it opened for developers.
The first video game created using it was Crysis 2, the first-person shooter from Crytek that takes the player to battle aliens in New York.
The game impressed with its graphics quality and its attention to detail.
Most of the game developers who are not interested in using their resources to create a full game engine nowadays usually choose to use the Unreal technology from Epic Games as the basic engine for their projects.
Making the SDK for CryEngine 3 is a good move on Crytek's part and it could mean that in the future more projects will be created with it.
id Software is also introducing a new game engine, id Tech 5, using the RAGE first-person shooter.
Epic Games is also talking about Unreal Engine 4, which might be introduced as early as 2012, and released a good-looking tech demo called The Samaritan.