Unity selects Azure as its cloud partner for real-time 3D experiences from within Unity’s game engine.

Those who use the Unity engine to build and operate real-time 3D experiences may be on cloud nine following the recent announcement of a partnership between Microsoft and Unity. Under that deal, Unity will employ Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing service for cloud-based development, making it easier for creators to access the tools and technologies needed for real-time 3D creation and operation.

The partnership should not come as a surprise in this age of digital twins, virtual production, and so forth, as Unity, like Epic with its Unreal Engine, is stretching its reach beyond real-time gaming and into other industry segments. Even so, games will play an important role in this agreement, making it easier to build and distribute Unity-based games on Windows and Xbox platforms.

According to Marc Whitten, senior VP and GM of Unity Create Solutions, Unity plans to create cloud-native capabilities so Unity’s tools can take advantage of advanced compute, storage, and more offered by the cloud. He said this will make Unity more accessible to a larger, wider user base than ever before, and will make it easier for content creators to collaborate seamlessly on projects.

The cloud is hardly new to Unity, as many of its tools and services already rely on the cloud, including Unity Game Services for building, managing, and extending games online. Nor is Unity a stranger to the world of AEC, automotive, manufacturing, and such industries. Rather, the alliance with Azure will bring even more Unity tools and services to the cloud.

As for Microsoft, its Azure is not unfamiliar with gaming and real-time applications. As the demand for real-time simulation rises across just about every industry, from e-commerce to medical applications, Unity and Microsoft plan to have the infrastructure in place to meet those demands.

“The magic of 3D interactive experiences born in games is quickly moving to non-gaming worlds. Unity is building a platform-agnostic, cloud-native solution that meets the wide-ranging needs of all developers from enterprise through citizen creators. By giving creators easy access to RT3D simulation tools and the ability to create digital twins of real-world places and objects, Unity is offering creators an easy path to production of RT3D assets, whether for games or non-gaming worlds,” stated Sarah Bond, CVP of Game Creator Experiences and Ecosystem at Microsoft. “To support this evolution, creators require a technical infrastructure that is as dynamic and innovative as they are.”