Decima (game engine)

{{Infobox video game engine

| title = Decima

| name = Decima

| logo = Decima_Artwork.jpg

| screenshot = Horizon Zero Dawn gameplay.jpg

| caption = Decima in action on Horizon Zero Dawn: graphic quality exhibited by the game engine was among the most praised elements of Horizon.

| developer = Guerrilla Games

| released = {{start date and age|2013|11|}}

| platform = {{unbulleted list|PlayStation 4|PlayStation 5|Microsoft Windows|macOS|iOS|iPadOS|Xbox Series X/S}}

| license = Proprietary

}}

Decima is a proprietary game engine made by Guerrilla Games and released in November 2013, that includes tools and features like artificial intelligence and game physics. It is compatible with 4K resolution and high-dynamic-range imaging, used for games on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS and Xbox Series X/S.

History

The first game the engine was used for was Killzone: Shadow Fall.{{Cite news|last=Leadbetter|first=Richard|date=November 24, 2013|title=The technology of Killzone Shadow Fall|work=Eurogamer|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-the-making-of-killzone-shadow-fall|url-status=live|access-date=December 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200311051234/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-the-making-of-killzone-shadow-fall|archive-date=March 11, 2020}} In June 2015, Guerrilla Games announced that Horizon Zero Dawn was using the engine for development.{{Cite news|last=VanDervoot|first=Oliver|date=June 19, 2015|title=Horizon: Zero Dawn Is 1080p/30fps And Uses Modified KIllzone: Shadowfall Engine|work=GamingBolt|url=http://gamingbolt.com/horizon-zero-dawn-is-1080p30fps-and-uses-modified-killzone-shadowfall-engine|url-status=dead|access-date=December 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813162418/https://gamingbolt.com/horizon-zero-dawn-is-1080p30fps-and-uses-modified-killzone-shadowfall-engine|archive-date=August 13, 2018}} In August 2015, Until Dawn was announced to be using the engine along with Havok physics.{{Cite news|url=http://gearnuke.com/ps4-exclusive-dawn-shows-power-killzone-shadow-fall-engine-direct-feed-screenshots/|title=PS4 Exclusive Until Dawn Shows The Power Of Killzone: Shadow Fall Engine In These Direct-Feed Screenshots|last=Imtiaz|first=Khurram|date=August 24, 2015|work=GearNuke|access-date=December 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813162751/https://gearnuke.com/ps4-exclusive-dawn-shows-power-killzone-shadow-fall-engine-direct-feed-screenshots/|archive-date=August 13, 2018|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last=Nunneley|first=Stephany|date=August 12, 2014|title=Until Dawn has been "refocused, rewritten, rebuilt" for PS4 and DualShock 4|url=https://www.vg247.com/2014/08/12/until-dawn-has-been-refocused-rewritten-rebuilt-for-ps4-and-dualshock-4/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501151335/https://www.vg247.com/2014/08/12/until-dawn-has-been-refocused-rewritten-rebuilt-for-ps4-and-dualshock-4/|archive-date=May 1, 2019|access-date=December 3, 2016|website=VG247}} In December 2015, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood used the engine along with PlayStation VR.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/12/11/until-dawn-rush-of-blood-supermassive-interview-january-2016.aspx|title=Supermassive Talks The Thrills Of Until Dawn: Rush Of Blood|last=Shea|first=Brian|date=December 11, 2015|magazine=Game Informer|access-date=December 4, 2016|via=GameStop|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813163409/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/12/11/until-dawn-rush-of-blood-supermassive-interview-january-2016.aspx|archive-date=August 13, 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/12/11/until-dawn-rush-of-blood-supermassive-interview-january-2016.aspx|title=Supermassive Talks The Thrills Of Until Dawn: Rush Of Blood|last=Shea|first=Brian|date=11 December 2015|work=GameInformer|access-date=4 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813163409/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/12/11/until-dawn-rush-of-blood-supermassive-interview-january-2016.aspx|archive-date=August 13, 2018|url-status=live}} In June 2016, Hideo Kojima announced preparation for Kojima Productions' independent game Death Stranding, inspecting two engine candidates, of which the latter had been used to create the first teaser that was unveiled at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2016 conference.{{cite web|last=McWhertor|first=Michael|date=June 15, 2016|title=Death Stranding's teaser probably won't be playable, Hideo Kojima says|url=https://www.polygon.com/e3/2016/6/15/11948540/death-stranding-teaser-playable-hideo-kojima|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205144621/https://www.polygon.com/e3/2016/6/15/11948540/death-stranding-teaser-playable-hideo-kojima|archive-date=December 5, 2019|access-date=December 3, 2016|website=Polygon|publisher=Vox Media}}{{cite magazine|last=Reiner|first=Andrew|date=June 15, 2016|title=An Interview With Hideo Kojima|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/06/15/an-interview-with-hideo-kojima.aspx|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407162459/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/06/15/an-interview-with-hideo-kojima.aspx|archive-date=April 7, 2020|access-date=December 3, 2016|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=GameSpot}} After receiving the Industry Icon award at The Game Awards 2016, Kojima premiered a trailer for the game with the engine's logo.{{Cite news|last=Frank|first=Allegra|date=December 2, 2016|title=Is Decima the name of Death Stranding's engine?|work=Polygon|publisher=Vox Media|url=http://www.polygon.com/2016/12/2/13819540/what-is-decima-death-stranding-engine|url-status=dead|access-date=December 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161205100707/http://www.polygon.com/2016/12/2/13819540/what-is-decima-death-stranding-engine|archive-date=December 5, 2016}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/12/1/13814578/death-stranding-trailer-mads-mikkelsen-hideo-kojima|title=Watch a creepy new Death Stranding trailer featuring Mads Mikkelsen and Guillermo del Toro|last=Gartenberg|first=Chaim|date=December 1, 2016|work=The Verge|access-date=December 3, 2016|via=Vox Media|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813164437/https://www.theverge.com/2016/12/1/13814578/death-stranding-trailer-mads-mikkelsen-hideo-kojima|archive-date=August 13, 2018|url-status=dead}} At PlayStation Experience, Kojima had announced that he had partnered with Guerrilla Games, using the engine for development on Death Stranding.{{Cite news|url=http://www.dualshockers.com/2016/12/03/death-stranding-hideo-kojima-playstation-experience-trailer/|title=Death Stranding's "Decima" Engine Revealed by Hideo Kojima; it's Guerrilla Games' Engine|date=December 3, 2016|work=DualShockers|access-date=December 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813164633/https://www.dualshockers.com/death-stranding-hideo-kojima-playstation-experience-trailer/|archive-date=August 13, 2018|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|last=Rad|first=Chloi|date=December 3, 2016|title=PSX 201: Death Stranding WIll Run on Guerrilla Games' Decima Engine|work=IGN|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/12/03/death-stranding-will-run-on-the-decima-engine-developed-by-guerrilla-games|url-status=live|access-date=December 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012130019/https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/12/03/death-stranding-will-run-on-the-decima-engine-developed-by-guerrilla-games|archive-date=October 12, 2019}}

According to executive producer Angie Smets, Decima was originally known simply as "the engine" by Guerrilla employees, as there were initially no plans to publicly offer this technology to game developers outside of the company. However, the newly forged partnership with Kojima Productions meant that Guerrilla suddenly had to give the engine a name for marketing purposes in late 2016; they chose to symbolize the Dutch-Japanese partnership by naming it after Dejima, a former Japanese island that was home to a major Dutch Empire trading post during the Edo period.{{cite web|last=Damen|first=Anton|date=March 1, 2017|title=Guerilla Games is niet bang de lat hoog te leggen|url=https://www.ad.nl/digitaal/guerrilla-games-is-niet-bang-de-lat-hoog-te-leggen~a16a8969/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407162447/https://www.ad.nl/tech/guerrilla-games-is-niet-bang-de-lat-hoog-te-leggen~a16a8969/|archive-date=April 7, 2020|access-date=October 17, 2018|website=Algemeen Dagblad|language=nl}}{{Cite news|url=https://tweakers.net/nieuws/118577/kojima-start-studio-bij-guerrilla-games-in-amsterdam.html|title=Kojima start studio at Guerrilla Games in Amsterdam|last=van Miltenburg|first=Olaf|date=December 5, 2016|work=Tweakers|access-date=December 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813165743/https://tweakers.net/nieuws/118577/kojima-start-studio-bij-guerrilla-games-in-amsterdam.html|archive-date=August 13, 2018|url-status=dead}}{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhgwoJ5CYOI|title=Death Stranding - PlayStation Experience 2016: Panel Discussion {{!}} PS4|date=December 3, 2016|last=PlayStation|type=Video game|publisher=Sony Interactive Entertainment|author-link=PlayStation|via=YouTube}}

Guerrilla's most recent title, Horizon Forbidden West, used an updated version of the engine.{{cite web|last=Battaglia|first=Alex|date=June 29, 2020|title=Horizon Forbidden West: how the Decima engine evolves for PS5|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2020-horizon-forbidden-west-the-decima-engine-evolved|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703095713/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2020-horizon-forbidden-west-the-decima-engine-evolved|archive-date=July 3, 2020|access-date=June 30, 2020|work=Eurogamer}} The game was released for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on February 18, 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/22641722/horizon-forbidden-west-release-date-delay-ps5-ps4|title=Horizon Forbidden West launching in February 2022|last=Sarkar|first=Samit|website=Polygon|date=August 25, 2021|access-date=August 25, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/horizon-forbidden-west-sony-playstation-4-215249430.html|title='Horizon Forbidden West' is also coming to PS4|last=Bonifacic|first=Igor|work=Engadget|date=September 16, 2020|access-date=September 16, 2020}}{{cite web|last=Sarkar|first=Samit|date=June 11, 2020|title=Horizon Forbidden West announced for PS5|url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/6/11/21284436/horizon-forbidden-west-ps5-playstation-5-trailer|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627102509/https://www.polygon.com/2020/6/11/21284436/horizon-forbidden-west-ps5-playstation-5-trailer|archive-date=June 27, 2020|access-date=June 11, 2020|website=Polygon|publisher=Vox Media}}{{cite web|last=Tolbert|first=Samuel|date=June 12, 2020|title=Some high-quality Horizon Forbidden West screenshots show underwater environments and more on PS5|url=https://www.androidcentral.com/horizon-forbidden-west-high-quality-screenshots|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614204609/https://www.androidcentral.com/horizon-forbidden-west-high-quality-screenshots|archive-date=June 14, 2020|access-date=June 14, 2020|work=Android Central}}{{cite web|last=Dornbush|first=Jonathon|date=June 11, 2020|title=Horizon 2: Forbidden West Announced for PS5|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/ps5-horizon-zero-dawn-2-sequel|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614102013/https://www.ign.com/articles/ps5-horizon-zero-dawn-2-sequel|archive-date=June 14, 2020|access-date=June 11, 2020|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis}}{{cite web|last=Gartenberg|first=Chaim|date=June 17, 2020|title=Horizon Forbidden West aiming for a 2021 launch on PS5|url=https://www.theverge.com/21294561/horizon-forbidden-west-ps5-release-date-2021-guerrilla-games-details-playstation|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628133039/https://www.theverge.com/21294561/horizon-forbidden-west-ps5-release-date-2021-guerrilla-games-details-playstation|archive-date=June 28, 2020|access-date=June 17, 2020|work=The Verge}}

Features

During PlayStation Experience in December 2016, it was revealed that the engine had artificial intelligence, game physics and logic tools, featuring resources for creating entire worlds.{{Cite news|last=Rad|first=Chloi|date=December 3, 2016|title=PSX 2016: Death Stranding Will Run on Guerrilla Games' Decima Engine|work=IGN|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/12/03/death-stranding-will-run-on-the-decima-engine-developed-by-guerrilla-games|url-status=live|access-date=December 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012130019/https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/12/03/death-stranding-will-run-on-the-decima-engine-developed-by-guerrilla-games|archive-date=October 12, 2019}} It is capable of 4K resolution and high-dynamic-range imaging.{{Cite news|last=Pereira|first=Chris|date=December 3, 2016|title=Kojima Partnering With Killzone, Horizon Dev Guerrilla for Death Stranding|work=GameSpot|publisher=CBS Interactive|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/kojima-partnering-with-killzone-horizon-dev-guerri/1100-6445954/|url-status=live|access-date=December 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204214057/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/kojima-partnering-with-killzone-horizon-dev-guerri/1100-6445954/|archive-date=December 4, 2019}}