When a studio announces they’re building a game in Unreal Engine 5, most people expect cutting-edge photorealism with ray-traced lighting and nanite geometry. GPTRACK50 had different plans. Their debut title Stupid Never Dies runs on Epic’s powerhouse engine but deliberately embraces a pop-punk comic book aesthetic instead of chasing graphical realism. According to producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi, the decision was simple: “leave photorealistic graphics to the big guns” and go for something new.
The game was revealed during The Game Awards 2025 with a trailer that immediately grabbed attention for its vibrant, stylized visuals that look nothing like typical Unreal Engine 5 showcases. Developed by former Devil May Cry, Dragon’s Dogma, and Resident Evil veterans, Stupid Never Dies follows Davy, a bottom-rung zombie trying to rescue the human girl he loves from a monster-filled dungeon. It’s scheduled to launch in 2026 for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam.
Why Choose Unreal Engine Without the Realism
The decision might seem counterintuitive at first. Unreal Engine 5 has become synonymous with photorealistic graphics showcased in tech demos and AAA blockbusters. Games like Hellblade 2 and The Matrix Awakens demonstrated what the engine can do when pushed toward visual realism. So why would a studio deliberately avoid that path?
Kobayashi explained in past interviews with AUTOMATON that his team wanted to leverage Unreal Engine’s advantages while taking things in a stylized direction. The engine’s robust toolset, established pipeline, and wealth of documentation made it the practical choice even if they weren’t pursuing photorealism. Starting with Unreal Engine 5 allowed GPTRACK50 to create their first playable mockups within several months of development despite being a new studio.
The reality is that Unreal Engine excels at far more than just realistic graphics. Its Blueprint visual scripting system, comprehensive animation tools, and built-in features for everything from physics to AI pathfinding make it attractive regardless of art direction. Choosing Unreal also solved a practical problem: finding developers who already know the engine. As one Reddit commenter noted, Godot might be an alternative, but it’s far less widely adopted, meaning significant time and resources would be needed to train new hires.
Gameplay First, Graphics Second
What sets GPTRACK50’s approach apart is their gameplay-first development philosophy. Compared to studios that start with visual concepts and graphics, the team initially didn’t even have artists on board. They created systems and the game cycle first, with visuals coming only after the gameplay foundation was solid. According to Kobayashi, this proved to be the right decision.
Figuring out the system beforehand helped developers focus on making the game fun before worrying about making it look good. Even with placeholder graphics and a bare-bones state, the team prioritized entertaining gameplay over visual polish. As one GPTRACK50 member noted, putting in graphics makes a game more pleasant, but it doesn’t necessarily make it more entertaining.
This approach delayed the game’s announcement significantly. Kobayashi mentioned that because of struggles securing human resources and lack of progress on graphics in the initial development stage, it took almost three years before they were ready to show anything publicly. The wait appears to have been worth it, as the final visual style stands out immediately in a crowded market dominated by similar-looking realistic games.
What Makes the Visual Style Work
Stupid Never Dies adopts what the developers describe as a pop-punk, comic book aesthetic with vibrant colors and exaggerated character designs. The trailer showcases over-the-top animations, reactive environments, and a tone that walks the line between parody and sincerity. It feels deliberately absurd while still maintaining mechanical substance underneath the madness.
The stylized approach also serves the game’s premise. In a world where monsters are part of everyday life and the protagonist is a zombie who can transform into a werewolf and summon other undead creatures, photorealism would actually work against the tone. The comic book visuals complement the chaotic, bombastic action and allow for visual creativity that strict realism would constrain.
The Unreal Engine Performance Debate
The Reddit discussion around Stupid Never Dies sparked interesting debate about Unreal Engine’s reputation for performance issues. One commenter questioned why developers would choose such an “over-the-top engine” when it can cause even games with simple visuals like Abiotic Factor to run poorly. Games that look like they could have been made a decade ago sometimes require modern hardware like an RTX 3070 for recommended specs.
However, defenders pointed out that performance problems stem from how developers use the engine rather than the engine itself. Unreal Engine provides incredible flexibility and access to source code for customization, assuming developers have the skills to tackle optimization challenges. Epic Games has been investing heavily in improving usability and reducing the optimization burden, with recent updates showing notable improvements according to developer feedback.
The complexity of a game extends far beyond its visual presentation. A game can have minimalist art style with just basic colors and no detail but still face performance issues based on underlying mechanics. Multiplayer functionality, physics calculations, AI behavior, and numerous other systems all impact performance regardless of whether graphics are photorealistic or stylized. Stupid Never Dies will need to handle transformation mechanics, enemy summoning, and what the developers call “Funky Zombie Action” alongside fast-paced combat, all of which require careful optimization.
What to Expect from the Gameplay
GPTRACK50 describes Stupid Never Dies as a “BLAZING FAST GROWTH” action RPG, though Kobayashi clarified that it won’t be as action-heavy as some might expect. The game aims to feature the best of both worlds, balancing action elements with character growth and numerous RPG mechanics. While there will be a fair dose of combat, it won’t be punishingly technical like soulslike games.
The Steam page promises fast-paced combat packed with innovation, including mechanics for stealing enemy abilities and customizing your undead body with bizarre upgrades. Players control Davy as he braves a dungeon to bring back Julia, the frozen human he loved. The premise positions it as something of a love story set against the backdrop of a monster-ruled otherworldly dungeon.
Kobayashi stated that Stupid Never Dies will be a standard action game in many respects, keeping enough familiar elements that genre fans will recognize while incorporating original gameplay twists. The development team’s pedigree from Devil May Cry and Dragon’s Dogma suggests they understand how to build satisfying action combat systems, even if the final product takes a different direction than their previous work.
Breaking the Photorealism Mold
The broader conversation around Stupid Never Dies touches on an important trend in gaming. As technology advances and engines like Unreal 5 make photorealistic graphics more accessible, a growing number of developers are deliberately choosing stylization instead. Games don’t need to look realistic to be visually impressive or artistically memorable.
Recent years have seen stylized games achieve both critical acclaim and commercial success. Hi-Fi Rush used vibrant cartoon graphics synchronized to music. Persona 5 embraced bold colors and artistic UI design. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom prioritized art direction over raw technical power. These games prove that visual identity matters more than polygon counts or texture resolution.
Kobayashi calling his approach “non-Kobayashi like” acknowledges this shift. A producer known for his work on technically impressive Capcom titles is now prioritizing gameplay systems and stylistic cohesion over pushing graphical boundaries. That creative freedom might not have been possible at a major publisher focused on competing in the AAA graphics arms race.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Stupid Never Dies release?
Stupid Never Dies is scheduled to launch in 2026 for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam. The developers haven’t announced a specific release date yet beyond the 2026 window. Given that the game was only revealed at The Game Awards 2025 in December, it will likely arrive sometime in the second half of 2026.
Who is developing Stupid Never Dies?
GPTRACK50 is developing Stupid Never Dies as their debut title. The NetEase-owned studio is led by former Capcom producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi, best known for his work on Devil May Cry and Dragon’s Dogma. The team includes veterans from Resident Evil and other major Capcom franchises, giving them deep experience with action game development.
Why use Unreal Engine 5 for a stylized game?
Unreal Engine 5 offers robust tools, established pipelines, and comprehensive documentation regardless of art style. The engine excels at animation, physics, AI systems, and visual scripting through Blueprints. Choosing Unreal also makes hiring easier since many developers already know the engine. GPTRACK50 wanted to leverage these advantages while pursuing stylized visuals rather than photorealism.
What type of gameplay does Stupid Never Dies feature?
The game is described as a BLAZING FAST GROWTH action RPG that balances combat with character progression and RPG mechanics. Players control Davy, a zombie who can transform into a werewolf and summon other undead creatures. Combat features stealing enemy abilities and customizing your body with bizarre upgrades. It aims to be accessible rather than punishingly difficult like soulslike games.
Does Unreal Engine always have performance problems?
No. Performance issues in Unreal Engine games typically result from how developers implement systems rather than inherent engine limitations. Epic Games has been investing heavily in optimization and usability improvements. Many outstanding games run smoothly on Unreal Engine when developers properly optimize their code and assets. Access to source code allows skilled teams to customize the engine for their specific needs.
Why did development take three years before announcement?
GPTRACK50 struggled with securing human resources and initially lacked progress on graphics since they started without artists on the team. The gameplay-first approach meant creating systems and establishing the core game loop before adding visual polish. While this delayed the announcement, it allowed the team to ensure the game was fun before worrying about how it looked.
What platforms will Stupid Never Dies be available on?
Stupid Never Dies will launch on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam in 2026. The developers haven’t announced plans for other platforms like Xbox Series X/S or Nintendo Switch 2. Given the Unreal Engine 5 foundation, ports to other current-generation consoles would be technically feasible if the studio decides to expand platform support after launch.
Conclusion
Stupid Never Dies represents a refreshing approach to game development in an era where many studios feel pressured to chase photorealistic graphics. By choosing Unreal Engine 5 for its practical advantages while deliberately pursuing stylized visuals, GPTRACK50 demonstrates that technology and artistry don’t need to move in the same direction. The gameplay-first development philosophy that prioritized fun over visual polish resulted in a game with a distinctive identity that stands out immediately in trailers and screenshots. Whether this approach translates to commercial success remains to be seen when the game launches in 2026, but it already serves as a valuable reminder that the best graphics aren’t necessarily the most realistic ones. With veterans from Devil May Cry, Dragon’s Dogma, and Resident Evil behind the project, Stupid Never Dies has the pedigree to deliver satisfying action combat wrapped in a vibrant comic book package that proves Unreal Engine 5 can do far more than just make things look real.