ArtCraft Entertainment is licensing its Artisan Engine and toolset out to MMORPG developers.

The Austin-based developer has created a new department to provide external developers with technology solutions for creating large-scale MMOs. ArtCraft Technologies (ACT) will provide third-parties with a technology stack largely built on the studio’s own pipeline, used in their flagship title Crowfall.

The suite of tools available from ACT will provide solutions for networking, persistence, physics, procedural world generation, dynamic world editing and seamless worlds up to 5,120 meters by 5,120 meters in size. Also contained is a full RPG layer, setting a foundation for developers to build on top of.

“Essentially, the Artisan Engine provides all the interlocking systems that make a virtual world tick,” said ArtCraft president and executive producer Gordon Walton.

“Online game budgets have skyrocketed, with development teams of 100+ and schedules that stretch up to seven years.”

“A significant portion of that time is spent reinventing the wheel. We can shortcut that effort, saving you $10+ million and shaving two to three years off your schedule.”

The new Technologies division has picked up MMO veteran Josef Hall to take charge. Hall comes fresh off a long tenure as VP of development and production at KingsIsle Entertainment.

CEO and creative director J. Todd Coleman added: “This is a huge win for our company. Josef is one of the most seasoned MMO executives on the planet. ArtCraft continues build a cadre of experience that is practically unmatched in the industry.”

We caught up with members of ArtCraft last year to discuss the firm's approach to the MMO genre.