History of the Frostbite Engine

Game developement

Objective

This article will discuss the development history and features of the “Frostbite” engine.

What is Frostbite?

The "Frostbite" engine is a game engine developed by the Swedish company "Digital Illusions CE" (DICE). It was first released in June 2008 and is currently at version 3.0. With it, games can be developed for platforms such as Windows, PlayStation (from 3), Xbox (from 360), Google Stadia, and Nintendo Switch. The programming is partly based on C++ and C#. Physics simulations within the engine are built upon the "Havok" Physics engine. "Frostbite" is under a proprietary license from "Electronic Arts" and can only be used by studios owned by the company.

An engine for Battlefield

The "Frostbite" engine was initially developed exclusively for the "Battlefield" series. According to Patrick Bach, the former Executive Producer at "DICE," there was no existing software or engine at the time that was suitable for the scale of the "Battlefield" games. The engine made its debut with "Battlefield: Bad Company" in 2008. For the first time, large-scale multiplayer interactions in dynamic and destructible environments were made possible in a game. Highlights of the first version included "Destruction" (where walls and other static objects could be destroyed by the player), HDR audio (adjusted volume for individual sound objects), and support for "DirectX 9 SM3" and "Direct3D 10."

Frostbite 1.5

Just one year later, "Frostbite" 1.5 was released. This version was used for the development of "Battlefield 1943" and "Battlefield: Bad Company 2". New features included improved "Destruction" and support for "DirectX" 9, 10, and 11. Additionally, "Horizon Based Ambient Occlusion" was introduced to the engine. This is a shading method that allows for the simulation of nearly realistic shading in a short rendering time.

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Screenshot of Dead Space
In Dead Space you take on the role of technician Isaac Clarke whose mission goes from maintaining a ship to fighting for survival

Frostbite 2.0

In 2010, "Frostbite" version 2.0 was announced alongside "Battlefield 3". This version marked the first time the engine supported "DirectX" 11. Additionally, "Destruction" was further developed. With the use of "Tile-based Deferred Shading," hundreds of dynamic lights could now be rendered in large scenes. This process involves calculating color, normals, and depth information of an object along with light sources to create the final image. Other new features included the use of "Morphological Antialiasing" (a method for edge smoothing) and "Analytical Ambient Occlusion."

One team strategy

The development of "Frostbite" 3.0 began in 2011 and lasted until March 2013, when "Battlefield 4" was released. The primary improvements were made to "Destruction," and "Physically Based Rendering" was integrated into the engine. Additionally, the graphics interface "AMD Mantle" and support for "DirectX" 12 were added. In November 2016, "EA" decided to use the engine for all of its productions. Prior to this, there were as many as 26 different engines within the studios owned by "EA." This decision is part of the company's "One-Team Strategy."

outlook

"Battlefield 2042" and "FIFA 22" for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X already use a new version of the "Frostbite" engine. However, the exact version designation is still unknown.

Battlefield 2042, visual representation
In the first-person shooter Battlefield 2042, the player takes part in multiplayer battles

Conclusion

The "Frostbite" engine is a powerful tool for creating realistic and dynamic environments. Features like "Destruction" make destructions and explosions in FPS games like "Battlefield" look incredibly realistic. Additionally, using a common engine across "EA" significantly reduces costs. However, to achieve optimal performance, "Frostbite" requires a large team of specialists. Furthermore, extensive maintenance is necessary. One downside is the proprietary licensing of the engine, which also contributes to the limited availability of sources on the "Frostbite" engine.

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