A decade of Unreal Source

Unreal Source turns ten! Plus: a roundup of the latest news.

Nick Pfisterer •
A decade of Unreal Source

Unreal Source is ten years old.

Yes. Really. A decade ago, I extended an invitation to the Unreal Engine community: to join a new chat group called Unreal Slackers. The early days were scrappy, intimate, and uncertain. For a while, I wasn't sure if it would take off or quietly vanish into the ether.

It did not vanish.

Born from a desire to find a more welcoming and efficient alternative to IRC and Skype, this humble Slack workspace quickly became a haven for developers seeking camaraderie and shared knowledge. What began as an experiment—a modest gathering of like-minded individuals—has since evolved into the largest independent community for Unreal developers worldwide.

Artists, coders, designers, audio engineers, and everyone in between—we have all gathered not around a product, but around a pursuit. A pursuit of knowledge, of craft, of something that connects us to each other and to those who enjoy our creations.

What we share here is more than code or technique. It is a spirit — a desire not just to create, but to understand. To demystify Unreal Engine. To decipher its vast and intricate workings, and harness its power with elegance. In this, we are not merely developers. We are stewards of something arcane. Something potent. Something shared.

As we cross into our second decade, my vision is simple: to honor what we’ve built and carry it forward with care. This means renewed support for the Discord server, new features that better serve the needs of our community, and quality-of-life improvements you've long requested.

The path ahead is rich with possibility. But for today, let us pause and mark the hour.

To everyone who has asked a question, answered one, shared a project, made us laugh, or simply been present — thank you. You have made this place what it is.

To our wonderful Discord moderation team — thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to make our community one of the best on the internet. You all have my deepest gratitude.

Here's to another ten years.


In other news...


Until next time

That’s all for now. As spring gives way to summer here in the northern hemisphere, we’re feeling renewed — and ready for what’s next. We’ll have a full writeup of everything announced during the State of Unreal keynote next week, so stay tuned. Until then.