Unreal Engine Licensing in Video Projects

Can you legally use Epic Games Unreal Engine and Marketplace Assets in your project?

Yes you can.

Understandably, its a question we are asked a lot and it is a subject we have looked into in fine detail. Unreal Engine is free to use and Epic Games have been keen for it to be used in film and television for many years now. There is a licensing agreement in place between Epic Games and their customers that protects their intellectual property (in terms of the software and its coding and prevents sublicensing and sales of games that may exploit Unreal Engine for large monetary gains) however the licensing explicity has a line permitting use of rendered video files, such as those used in our macro virtual productions. A credit must be given to Epic Games if Unreal Engine is used in a production.

From Epic Games:

3b. Linear Media (e.g., Rendered Video Files)
You may freely Distribute Licensed Content incorporated into rendered linear media products.

This means, for example, you may freely Distribute rendered video files (e.g., broadcast or streamed video files, cartoons, or movies) or images created using Licensed Content.

(You can read more about the Epic Games licensing agreement in full here)

Use of Unreal Engine Marketplace (library assets)

All items bought from the Epic Marketplace (such as CGI models of vegetation, buildings or vehicles) are licensed to use in our macro virtual productions. CGI assets purchased from Epic’s Marketplace are licensed to Olaus Roe Ltd to use inperpetuity, as long as they are background elements and not the primary focus of the content.

From Epic Games:

All products sold on the Marketplace are licensed to the customer (who may be either an individual or company) for the lifetime right to use the content in developing an unlimited number of products and in shipping those products. The customer is also licensed to make the content available to employees and contractors for the sole purpose of contributing to products controlled by the customer.

Each such product built using content purchased from the Marketplace must be a standalone creative work (such a game, simulation, or video) in which the Marketplace product is merely a component and not the primary focus.

You can read more about the use of Marketplace products in an Epic Games statement here