Unreal

Windows, Mac1998

  1. JP—
  2. NA1998
  3. EU1998
  4. RU—

Unreal kept the same name everywhere; the later bundle with the Return to Na Pali mission pack is Unreal Gold. The game is no longer sold in digital stores, but according to Wikipedia it officially became freeware with Epic Games' approval in 2024.

Unreal is a first-person shooter developed by Epic MegaGames and Digital Extremes and published by GT Interactive for Windows on 22 May 1998 in North America. It debuted the Unreal Engine; Tim Sweeney was among the programmers, and James Schmalz and Cliff Bleszinski designed the game. The music was composed by Alexander Brandon, Michiel van den Bos, Andrew Sega and Dan Gardopée.

A Mac OS version followed on 1 September 1998, and Legend Entertainment made the mission pack Return to Na Pali in 1999. Planned Nintendo 64DD and Dreamcast versions were never released.

Official support ended in July 2000 with patch 226f. The community OldUnreal patch began in 2008 and keeps the game running on modern systems. In 2024 Unreal officially became freeware with Epic Games' approval.1

Names and releases

RegionTitle on the boxPlatformDatePublisherSrc
NA Unreal Windows May 22, 1998 GT Interactive 1
NA Unreal Mac Sep 1, 1998 — 1
NA Unreal Mission Pack I: Return to Na PaliExpansion by Legend Entertainment with 17 missions. Windows June 1999 — 1
EU UnrealUK date. Windows Jun 12, 1998 GT Interactive 1

Also known as: Unreal Gold WW1

Box art by region

  • Unreal box art, North America release
    NA Unreal

Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: Wikipedia.

Version differences

  • GraphicsMac OS

    The Mac version supports RAVE, 3dfx Voodoo and software rendering, with OpenGL added later.1

  • Bug fixMac OS

    The last Mac update, 224b, breaks network play with PCs and cannot load content made for the PC patches 225 and 226f.1

  • ContentUnreal Gold

    Unreal Gold bundles Unreal with the Return to Na Pali mission pack and the updated Unreal Tournament engine.1

All differences (4)

How to run it today

Unreal is no longer sold in digital stores; Wikipedia states it officially became freeware with Epic Games' approval in 2024. The community OldUnreal 227 patch keeps the game running on modern systems and includes a full Linux port.

1

Best version

Unreal Gold combines the original game with the Return to Na Pali mission pack and the updated Unreal Tournament engine.1

Reception

Unreal sold over 500,000 copies worldwide by early August 1998 and 1.5 million by November 2002. GameRankings averaged 89%; Next Generation gave it 5/5 and IGN 9/10, and PC Gamer US ranked it the 13th-best computer game ever in 1998.1

Sources

  1. 1en.wikipedia.org

Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13

Spotted a mistake? Write to atlas@old-games.net.