CS373 - Open Source Software Scenario 5

Scenario 5: Mobile Game Engine

Potential Benefits of Open Source:

• Developer adoption: By open sourcing, the studio could attract independent developers who want a free, optimized mobile engine.
• Ecosystem growth: As more developers use the engine, the studio gains credibility and influence, potentially monetizing with support, asset stores, or cloud builds.
• Recruitment: Open-source exposure could help attract talented game developers.

Potential Risks/Challenges:

• Loss of competitive edge: Competitors could use the engine to build games that outperform the studio’s own products.
• Monetization uncertainty: Unlike Unity/Unreal, the studio lacks an established ecosystem to generate revenue from licensing or marketplaces.
• Quality control: Open contributions could dilute the vision and performance goals of the original engine.