PowerSlave Sega Saturn Engine Source Code Officially Released on GitHub with Creator's Approval

In a move celebrated by both game preservationists and retro development communities, the source code for the engine powering the 1996 Sega Saturn first-person shooter PowerSlave has been officially released on GitHub.

This significant event comes with the explicit approval of its original programmer, Ezra Dreisbach, highlighting an important moment for software preservation and the Sega Saturn homebrew scene. Originally developed at Lobotomy Software, based in Washington, Dreisbach engineered the SlaveDriver engine in the mid-1990s.

This technology not only served as the backbone for PowerSlave (also known internationally as Exhumed), but was later crucial in bringing acclaimed PC classics Quake and Duke Nukem 3D to the Sega Saturn—a technical milestone, given the unique architecture and limitations of the console. With the open-source release now hosted on GitHub, both game historians and independent developers have a rare opportunity to study and build upon a piece of gaming history.

The source code is distributed under the GNU General Public License 3.0 (GPL 3.0), ensuring that any derivatives or modifications remain freely accessible and that changes are thoroughly documented.

This transparency safeguards the original creator while fostering a collaborative environment for future projects.

In Dreisbach's approval, he emphasized the importance of adhering to the GPL’s terms, which require any modifications to be shared under the same freedoms as the original engine, and for any changes to be clearly documented to avoid misattributions. According to the official release notes, the repository includes only the engine's source code; all in-game assets, such as graphical and audio data from the original PowerSlave title, remain protected by their respective legal restrictions and are not part of this release.

As a result, those looking to explore or experiment with the code for personal study or homebrew development will need to provide their own compatible game data. This release is expected to encourage a new wave of enthusiasm among Sega Saturn enthusiasts and the broader retro gaming community.

By making the SlaveDriver engine public, it opens doors for new modifications, ports, and potentially even a resurgence of first-person shooter projects on the platform—a notoriously difficult system for homebrew development due to its complex hardware. Game developers, preservationists, and fans interested in the PowerSlave engine can now access the source code directly on GitHub, marking a significant step forward for open-source game archival and retro gaming innovation.

Sega Sega Saturn Saturn GitHub PowerSlave SlaveDriver engine Lobotomy Software Ezra Dreisbach GNU General Public License 3.0