# RenderWare

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Video game engine

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RenderWare Developer Criterion Games Release 1993 Written in C Operating system MS-DOS Windows Dreamcast PlayStation 2 Mac OS X GameCube Xbox PlayStation Portable Xbox 360 PlayStation 3 Wii iOS Android PlayStation 4 Xbox One License Proprietary Website renderware.com (archived)

**RenderWare** is a [video game engine](/source/Game_engine) developed by British game developer [Criterion Games](/source/Criterion_Games).

## Overview

Released in 1993,[1] RenderWare was a [3D](/source/3D_computer_graphics) [API](/source/API) and graphics rendering [engine](/source/Game_engine) used in [video games](/source/Video_game), [Active Worlds](/source/Active_Worlds), and some [VRML](/source/VRML) browsers. RenderWare was developed by [Criterion Games](/source/Criterion_Games), then a subsidiary of [Canon](/source/Canon_Inc.). It originated in the era of software rendering on [CPUs](/source/Central_processing_unit) prior to the appearance of [GPUs](/source/Graphics_processing_unit), competing with other libraries such as [Argonaut Games](/source/Argonaut_Games)'s BRender and RenderMorphics' [Reality Lab](/source/Reality_Lab) (the latter was acquired by Microsoft and became Direct3DRM). Renderware 4 was revealed at [GDC](/source/Game_Developers_Conference) 2004.[2]

RenderWare was licensed over 200 times. The scope went towards an integrated [middleware](/source/Middleware) with [low-level](/source/High-_and_low-level) APIs for rendering, physics, audio, and AI, all of which are extensible through plug-ins which also serve the official high-level API. The aim was to reduce the learning curve by also including service and support for licensees. With **RenderWare Studio**, an [integrated development environment](/source/Integrated_development_environment) including a debugger was included.[3] RenderWare themselves claimed a 70% marketshare across studios that choose an external engine in 2003.[4]

In May 2002, Criterion Games wanted to acquire MathEngine PLC, a UK-based studio based in London.[5] The studio eventually integrated the Karma physics engine from MathEngine into RenderWare (also utilized in [Unreal Engine 2](/source/Unreal_Engine_2)) for real-time physics interactions, collisions, and ragdoll physics in their games.[6][7][8]

RenderWare's principal commercial importance was in providing an off-the-shelf solution to the difficulties of PS2 graphics programming. As such, the engine was often described as "Sony's DirectX" during this era, in reference to its surrounding framework and toolchain middleware.[*[clarification needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*] RenderWare 1 had its own scripting language for loading 3D meshes. RWX support was removed in RenderWare 3. This next iteration focused on a binary model file format. As with the previous version increment, Criterion removed support for RenderWare 3's formats in RenderWare 4.

RenderWare is [cross-platform](/source/Cross-platform_software): it allows for the creation of games that work with [Windows](/source/Microsoft_Windows), [Apple](/source/Apple_Inc.) [Mac OS X](/source/Mac_OS_X), and many video game consoles of the time, such as the [GameCube](/source/GameCube), [Wii](/source/Wii), [Xbox](/source/Xbox_(console)), [Xbox 360](/source/Xbox_360), [PlayStation 2](/source/PlayStation_2), [PlayStation 3](/source/PlayStation_3), and [PlayStation Portable](/source/PlayStation_Portable). RenderWare is no longer available for purchase, although [Electronic Arts](/source/Electronic_Arts) still honors old contracts, meaning that external developers who licensed the technology before the Criterion acquisition may still use the software. What was RenderWare 4 has dissolved into the rest of EA internal tech. During a 2007 [Gamasutra](/source/Game_Developer_(website)) interview, [Bing Gordon](/source/Bing_Gordon), EA [CCO](/source/Chief_creative_officer), stated that RenderWare did not graphically perform well enough for next-gen hardware, and that it no longer stood up to its competition, namely [Epic Games](/source/Epic_Games)' [Unreal Engine](/source/Unreal_Engine). He also said at the time that the RenderWare team was "mostly a dev house".[9]

## See also

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (January 2025)

- [Category:RenderWare games](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:RenderWare_games)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["NG Alphas: Criterion Studios"](https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-022/page/n131/mode/2up) ([PDF](/source/PDF)). *[Next Generation](/source/Next_Generation_(magazine))*. No. 22. [Imagine Media](/source/Future_US). October 1996. pp. 130–4. Retrieved February 4, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Fahey, Rob (23 March 2004). ["GDC: Criterion reveals next-generation Renderware products"](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/gdc-criterion-reveals-next-generation-renderware-products). *[GamesIndustry.biz](/source/Gamer_Network)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220326212639/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/gdc-criterion-reveals-next-generation-renderware-products) from the original on 2022-03-26. Retrieved 2022-03-26.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Guilbert, Oskar (2004). ["RenderWare: Speed up the 3D Application Production Pipeline"](https://diglib.eg.org/handle/10.2312/egt20041033). *Eurographics 2004 - Tutorials*. [Eurographics](/source/Eurographics). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2312/EGT.20041033](https://doi.org/10.2312%2FEGT.20041033). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1017-4656](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1017-4656).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Callaham, John (23 October 2002). ["RenderWare Interview"](https://web.archive.org/web/20031208124348/http://www.homelanfed.com/index.php?id=9856). *HomeLan Fed*. Archived from the original on 8 December 2003.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Criterion to acquire MathEngine"](https://www.eurogamer.net/article-46067). *[Eurogamer](/source/Eurogamer)*. May 30, 2002.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Criterion Software Announces RenderWare Physics"](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/criterion-software-announces-renderware-physics).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Outsourcing Reality Integrating a Commercial Physics Engine"](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/programming/outsourcing-reality-integrating-a-commercial-physics-engine).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Criterion Completes Acquisition Of MathEngine Technology"](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/criterion-completes-acquisition-of-mathengine-technology).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Sheffield, Brandon (23 May 2007). ["Bing There, Done That: EA's CCO Talks... Everything"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210824141733/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/129855/bing_there_done_that_eas_cco_.php). *[Gamasutra](/source/Game_Developer_(website))*. Archived from [the original](https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/129855/bing_there_done_that_eas_cco_.php) on 2021-08-24. Retrieved 2022-03-26.

## Further reading

- ["RenderWare Grosses $2 Billion"](https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/01/10/renderware-grosses-2-billion). *[IGN](/source/IGN)*. 10 January 2003.

## External links

- [RenderWare](https://web.archive.org/web/20070210053822/http://www.renderware.com/) at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) (archived February 10, 2007)

- [RenderWare3 Docs](https://github.com/electronicarts/RenderWare3Docs) at [GitHub](/source/GitHub)

- [RenderWare V2.1 API Reference](http://www.tnlc.com/rw/api/rwdoc.htm)

- [Historical and technical insight of RenderWare at SIGMA'Co](https://sigmaco.org/p/renderware/)

v t e Criterion Games A subsidiary of Electronic Arts Burnout series Burnout 2: Point of Impact 3: Takedown Revenge Legends Paradise Crash! Need for Speed series Hot Pursuit Most Wanted Rivals (collaboration with Ghost Games) Heat (took over from Ghost Games) Unbound Other games Sub Culture Redline Racer TrickStyle Deep Fighter AirBlade Black Other software RenderWare

v t e Electronic Arts Acquisitions Criticism Games 1983–1999 2000–2009 2010–2019 2020–present Proposed leveraged buyout Employees Founder Trip Hawkins Current Andrew Wilson (CEO) Laura Miele (COO) Former Steve Barcia Louis Castle Shelley Day Bing Gordon Jeff Green Ralph Guggenheim Amy Hennig Andy Hollis Robin Hunicke Greg Kasavin Don Mattrick Peter Moore Jade Raymond John Riccitiello Mark Skaggs Patrick Söderlund Will Wright Joe Ybarra Larry Probst Vince Zampella Studios EA Entertainment BioWare Criterion Games DICE EA Gothenburg EA Mobile Firemonkeys Studios Glu Mobile Maxis Motive Studio PopCap Games Respawn Entertainment EA Sports EA Orlando EA Vancouver Codemasters Former Bullfrog Productions Danger Close Games Distinctive Software DROsoft EA Black Box EA Bright Light EA Chicago EA Montreal EA Northwest EA Pacific EA Phenomic EA Salt Lake EA Seattle GameFly Hypnotix Industrial Toys Kesmai Kingsoft GmbH Mythic Entertainment NuFX Origin Systems Pandemic Studios PlayFirst Playfish PlayNation ThreeSF Slightly Mad Studios Visceral Games Westwood Studios Franchises EA Entertainment Alice Army of Two Battlefield Bejeweled Bookworm Burnout Chocolatier Command & Conquer Crysis Dead Space Deer Hunter Diner Dash Dizzy Dragon Age Dream Chronicles Dungeon Keeper Feeding Frenzy Hasbro Family Game Night Mass Effect Medal of Honor Mercenaries Micro Machines Mirror's Edge Need for Speed Operation Flashpoint Overlord Peggle Plants vs. Zombies Populous Road Rash Shank SimCity Sims Skate Star Wars: Battlefront Spore Strike Syndicate Titanfall Ultima Unravel Wing Commander Zuma EA Sports AFL Brian Lara Cricket Colin McRae Rally and Dirt College Football Cricket F1 FC FIFA Manager Fight Night Grid Knockout Kings LMA Manager Madden NFL MVP Baseball NASCAR NBA Live NBA Street NCAA Basketball NFL Street NHL PGA Tour Project CARS Real Racing TOCA Triple Play SSX Super Mega Baseball UFC WRC Technology Tools Cut & Paste Deluxe Music Construction Set Deluxe Paint Deluxe Paint Animation Music Construction Set Services EA App EA Play Origin Pogo.com Game engines Ego Frostbite Ignite RenderWare Category

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [RenderWare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RenderWare) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RenderWare?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.