Epic Games has released Unreal Engine 5.6, an update aimed at improving performance across a wide range of hardware while also making development workflows more efficient. This version includes several changes that are designed to help developers maintain a stable 60 frames per second in complex, high-detail projects on modern consoles, powerful PCs, and supported mobile devices.
This release enhances hardware-accelerated ray tracing for global illumination by moving more lighting calculations from the CPU to the GPU. As a result, games maintain smoother performance without compromising visual fidelity. The update enables richer lighting and reflections while keeping frame rates stable. Improvements to the Lumen lighting system further contribute to more realistic scenes with reduced performance overhead.
The engine also introduces better systems for loading and streaming content during gameplay. The new Fast Geometry Streaming plugin, currently in experimental mode, allows static geometry to load dynamically without causing stuttering. This is especially useful in open-world games where large environments are loaded in real time.
Another improvement is the addition of asynchronous physics state creation. This helps prevent frame drops when moving through large levels by preparing physics calculations in the background. Along with this, new device profiles have been added for the latest consoles and desktop systems. These profiles automatically adjust settings based on the hardware, helping games meet performance goals without needing as much manual tuning.
Unreal Engine 5.6 is already being used in the development of major titles, including The Witcher 4. A recent demonstration showed the game running at 60 frames per second with ray tracing enabled on the PlayStation 5. This shows that studios are beginning to achieve both high frame rates and high visual quality on current hardware.
The update also includes several changes to the editor that help speed up development. Animation tools such as motion trails and the curve editor have been redesigned to make keyframe adjustments easier. MetaHuman Creator is now built into the engine, allowing artists to create realistic digital characters directly without switching to a separate tool.
Developers working on large projects will also see benefits in worldbuilding and cinematic tools. Procedural generation features, virtual production tools, and cinematic pipelines have been improved for faster and more efficient use. The editor’s interface has been updated as well, with a new layout for the Content Browser and a simplified toolbar that reduces the steps needed to reach common tools.
Other features, such as incremental cooking and Zen Streaming, help teams test changes more quickly on target hardware. These tools reduce waiting times during development and support a more responsive workflow.
Unreal Engine 5.6 is now available through the Epic Games Launcher. Existing projects can be upgraded to take advantage of the new features.
