year

20

24

UNREAL FEST SEATTLE 2024

UT99 OPENING REIMAGINED IN UE5

In homage to the legendary game and as a primer for the upcoming Unreal Tournament episode of Amazon Studios’ Secret Level anthology Blur Studio reimagined the iconic Unreal Tournament ‘99 opening cinematic. The sequence, crafted with the latest UE5, debuted on October 1, 2024, during the Unreal Fest Seattle Opening Session.

project type

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In-Engine Cinematic

client

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Epic Games

studio

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Blur Studio

roles

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Environment Art, Look Development, Lighting, Compositing

Unreal Tournament 1999 is remembered as a groundbreaking milestone in competitive gaming, blending lightning-fast action, innovative arena design, and high-stakes multiplayer battles. Its influence continues to echo through modern shooters, making it a timeless classic and an essential part of gaming history.

Dark, gritty urban alleyway with stairs leading up to a lit, gated area, graffiti on walls, and various objects along the sides.

LOOK

DEVELOPMENT  & ENVIRONMENT ART

role

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I had the absolute pleasure of contributing to this special project for Unreal Fest, reimagining the iconic intro of Unreal Tournament (1999). As a lifelong fan of retro PC gaming, being part of this was nothing short of a dream. My responsibilities included environment modeling, look development, final lighting, and compositing—bringing the beloved opening cinematic into Unreal Engine 5 with a fresh, modern polish while staying true to its roots.

Dimly lit scene with people standing amidst debris and damaged infrastructure, possibly after a disaster in an urban area.

SUBWAY STATION

environment art

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One of the environments I designed and build was the opening subway station and tunnel where the outcast humans and Skaarj hide. I aimed for a dense, visually complex, and lived-in environment that could deliver strong visual impact with a very quick read, even as the camera raced through the scene.

The image shows a dark scene inside a subway tunnel with several people standing and walking along the tracks. There are red and yellow lights illuminating the tunnel, creating a smoky, atmospheric effect.
Dark, chaotic scene with people working or fighting, scattered objects, and green and yellow lighting.
Dimly lit, futuristic industrial interior with scattered debris, pipes, and machinery, illuminated by green and blue lights.
A three-panel digital rendering of a dark, dystopian urban parking garage with underground tunnels, industrial pipes, and cityscape in the distance.

Unreal Tournament 1999 - Original “Subway”

OVERPASS

environment art

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For the Overpass environment, most of my responsibility was in set dressing and adding the final touches, shaping every detail to make the space feel chaotic and dynamic. I also designed the initial lighting mood, crafting an atmosphere that would guide the eye and enhance the flow of the sequence.

People walking through a dark alley with neon lights and bright red smoke, resembling a futuristic cityscape at night.
Scene from the movie 'Blade Runner 2049' featuring a group of people on a futuristic city street fighting off a fiery explosion.
A scene with riot police in black gear and helmets, holding red shields, with red smoke or lights around them in an urban setting at night.

THE CITY

A futuristic cityscape at night with neon lights and tall buildings, some with digital billboards, in a cyberpunk style.

environment art

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Futuristic city environment was another area I had the pleasure of owning entirely from designing and building the environment to crafting the look, final lighting, and compositing. The kickass dam and highways were created by Damien Peinoit, adding key landmarks that shaped the sequence and helped connecting city with the arena. Buildings were made using a combination of “Kitbash 3D” assets and “Big Medium Small” Tokyo pack.

Futuristic indoor space with digital green sign reading 'LIANDR' and advanced technology structures, dim lighting, sleek modern design.
Nighttime cityscape with tall, lit-up skyscrapers and a futuristic building with green neon lights against a purple sky.

Unreal Tournament 1999 - Original “City”

Futuristic cityscape at night with flying cars, illuminated neon signs, and tall skyscrapers.

LIANDRI ARENA

environment art

.

This iconic arena environment, a true beast of a build, was created by the incredibly talented Damien Peinoit. Lighting was a collaborative effort between Mathias Jourdes, Jean Baptiste Cambier, and myself, shaping the mood and energy of the space. I also contributed to set dressing with lights, decals, and smaller-scale objects, helping to ground the sense of scale around the dam and stadium.

Futuristic city scene with a large aircraft carrier-like structure displaying the name 'LIANDRI' in green lights, surrounded by holographic human figures and skyscrapers in the background, under a dark sky.
A dark, futuristic interior of a large building or spaceship with green lighting. People are gathered near the center, walking or standing, with stages or platforms on either side and multiple levels, creating a sci-fi or cyberpunk atmosphere.

LONG TAKE

pipeline & technology

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This was another project produced entirely in Unreal Engine 5, utilizing Lumen for real-time lighting. The main challenge was creating a seamless environment capable of supporting a long take, where memory optimization and asset streaming were critical to making it work. Leveraging Nanite and virtual textures allowed us to maintain reasonable performance while keeping the environment visually rich and detailed.

Dark, abandoned staircase at night with blue lighting, graffiti on the walls, and debris on the floor, leading to a gated exit.

MOOD

AND OVERALL FEELING

look development: & lighting

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The look was designed to stay true to the original intro not so much visually, since the source material was limited, but in mood and overall feeling. Lighting played a key role in accentuating the environments, helping the viewer quickly read the space even as the camera never stops moving, while also adding visual interest and depth throughout the sequence.

Dark underground tunnel with train tracks in the center, graffiti-covered walls, equipment, helmets, and red signal lights at the end of the tracks.

UNREAL FEST SEATTLE 2024

UT99 OPENING REIMAGINED IN UE5

Cover art for Unreal Tournament, showing a golden trophy with three armored figures and flags on top, against a dark blue background with clouds.

Working on this project was an incredible opportunity to pay homage to a game that shaped the childhood memories of so many. As a lifelong fan of retro PC gaming, it was a real treat to contribute. This project was brought to life through the collaboration of the incredibly talented artists at Blur, whose creativity and dedication made it all possible.

credits

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Director: Franck Balson

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CG supervisor: Mathias Jourdes

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Producer: Célia Digard

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If you’re looking to push your project visually, let’s talk. I’d love to help craft worlds and stories that hit with impact.

You can check out more breakdowns and shots from the episode on my ArtStation