Apple’s latest beta release of Reality Composer Pro 3 (RCP3) has unveiled an intriguing development: the integration of code from a discontinued game engine known as “The Machinery.” This discovery was made by developer Nicholas Alvarez, who identified over 40 references to “the machinery” or “our machinery” within the RCP3 binaries.
“The Machinery” was a game development engine created by Our Machinery, a company formed by the team behind the Bitsquid engine. Launched in 2021, “The Machinery” aimed to provide a highly flexible and “hackable” platform, allowing developers to write custom plugins and build applications atop its framework. It also supported real-time collaborative editing through a model called “The Truth.” However, the project was abruptly terminated in mid-2022, with users instructed to delete all source code and binaries, leaving the reasons for its closure unclear.
Further connections between Apple and Our Machinery have surfaced. Tricia Gray, the former CEO of Our Machinery, is now part of Apple’s spatial computing developer tools team. Additionally, structural similarities between RCP3 and “The Machinery”—including asset handling and database management—suggest a significant influence from the defunct engine.
Apple’s Reality Composer Pro 3 is designed to facilitate the creation of 3D content for platforms like the Apple Vision Pro. By incorporating elements from “The Machinery,” RCP3 could offer enhanced flexibility and plugin support, potentially streamlining the development process for 3D content creators.
This integration highlights Apple’s strategic approach to leveraging existing technologies to bolster its own tools. For developers, it signals a commitment to providing robust and adaptable platforms for 3D content creation. As RCP3 continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these inherited features enhance its capabilities and influence the broader landscape of 3D development tools.
