Released in November 2024, the video game “Les Fourmis” (The Ants) was one of last year’s pleasant surprises. With its attractive aesthetics based on Unreal Engine 5 and its exceptionally well-crafted gameplay for a real-time strategy game, the title developed by Tower Five has highlighted the talent of this Rochelais studio that other publishers may have begun to appreciate, especially after Microids’ financial difficulties since January 2025. Today, we explore the making of the game through a 16-minute video that traces the genesis of this unexpected title upon release. The video reveals the technical and artistic challenges faced by Tower Five in bringing this microscopic universe to life, offering an immersion into the Fontainebleau forest.
To accurately recreate the Fontainebleau forest, developers utilized photogrammetry techniques to scan natural elements such as roots, tree trunks, and rocks. These data were then integrated into Unreal Engine 5, enabling the creation of photorealistic environment models. This making-of feature highlights the meticulous and passionate work of the Microids and Tower Five teams, who successfully combined fidelity to the original concept with technological innovations for a truly successful outcome. To view the complete making-of video, click here: