Everything You Wanted to Know About Substrate(But Are Too Afraid to Ask)| Unreal Fest Stockholm 2025

Watch this session recorded at Unreal Fest Stockholm to discover how Unreal Engine’s Substrate material system transforms the way artists create and control surface shading. This session dives into the new physically based model, showcases the method through which Substrate produces more flexible materials with greater visual fidelity, and provides practical tips for transitioning from legacy materials with confidence. We explore how Substrate replaces the traditional shading model with a more physically accurate node-based system, looking at the way the new workflow separates material logic from surface description, enabling advanced layering, blending, and interaction between materials that was not possible with legacy models. We also dive into the benefits for art teams; practical tips for converting legacy materials to Substrate; common pitfalls and best practices; and how adopting Substrate will future-proof your pipeline.