MIEM Begins Open Testing of Claw Engine 2.0
The team at MIEM’s Game Engineering and Interactive Systems studio has begun open testing of the second version of its game engine, Claw Engine. The HSE News Service takes a closer look at the product, which is being developed by MIEM’s student project teams.
Claw Engine is a video game development tool based on generative neural network technologies, designed for rapid prototyping of game concepts and implementing complex gameplay mechanics. The large-scale project has been in development for nearly two years by student teams from the Game Engineering and Interactive Systems studio at MIEM. The first version of the engine was launched in autumn 2024, focusing on a basic architecture and a simplified visual interface. It allowed users to work with 3D graphics and to code their own gameplay scenarios.
Ilya Semichasnov
‘Claw Engine’s goal is to replace discontinued foreign game engines, automate routine tasks, optimise the game development process, and make it easier to build not just games, but other interactive applications as well. Both novice programmers and experienced developers can use the engine: beginners will benefit from its intuitive interface and low-code approach, while professionals can make use of the C# programming language to refine projects in greater depth,’ explained Ilya Semichasnov, head of the Game Engineering and Interactive Systems studio.
In June 2025, open testing of the second version of the game engine began, attracting over 600 developers. The latest release demonstrates how an experimental idea has evolved into a technologically mature product.
‘Claw Engine 2.0 is not just an update. It is now a fully modular platform—a transition to a genuine engineering product with an architecture built for growth, scalability, and real-world application,’ said Vladimir Nikitin, project lead for Claw Engine and deputy head of the Game Engineering and Interactive Systems studio.
The new release features a completely redesigned visual scene editor, support for user-defined scripts in C#, a performance optimisation system, and a unique level-of-detail algorithm. This algorithm takes into account not just the distance to the camera but also spatial relationships between objects. This approach significantly reduces system load, enabling projects to run even on low-powered devices—a major technological advance, especially for the education and indie development sectors.
‘We are building an engine where you do not just piece scenes together—you can implement your own tech solutions in graphics, behaviour, and physics. It is a way for students and early-career developers to develop real engineering thinking through hands-on experience,’ added Ilya Semichasnov.
The open testing of Claw Engine 2.0 is a significant step not only in the product’s development but also in its move beyond the university. Developers from across Russia have gained access to the build and are helping to fine-tune its performance under various conditions.
The team’s immediate plans include the integration of next-generation graphics and physics modules, the expansion of AI capabilities, and the development of a plugin system. The engine is being developed iteratively, with active feedback from the developer community. In December 2024, Claw Engine was showcased at RED EXPO—the flagship event of Russia’s gaming industry. Visitors had the opportunity to test a pre-alpha version of the engine and explore its key features, including working with 3D scenes, a basic editor, and support for user-created scripts. In May 2025, the project was also presented at Positive Hack Days, one of the largest tech forums in the country. The team demonstrated how Claw Engine can be used in both engineering and educational settings—from modelling object behaviour to creating interactive environments. Participation in these events marked a significant step forward in the engine’s development and helped raise its profile in professional circles.
Claw Engine has already served as a foundation for hackathons, academic courses, graduation projects, and R&D experiments. It is now firmly embedded in MIEM’s educational and project-based ecosystem.
The development of Claw Engine brings together several independent student projects operating within MIEM’s innovative project-based model. Today, the teams have established technical workflows, a robust testing system, and are actively building internal documentation and user support structures.
‘Claw Engine is one of MIEM’s flagship projects where the modern project-based model is being put into practice. Today’s tech initiatives require well-organised collaboration between multiple project teams, each tackling a different part of a unified, large-scale product. That is exactly how major IT companies work. In this sense, the Game Engineering and Interactive Systems studio functions as a central hub—the main operator overseeing the entire production process,’ said Ilya Semichasnov.
In 2025, MIEM will launch an online Master’s programme titled ‘Digital Engineering for Computer Games’ aimed at those who want to go beyond game development and begin designing the underlying technologies that power games. The academic director of the programme will be Ilya Semichasnov, head of the studio.
The course will cover the architecture of game systems, AI development, mathematical modelling, VR, and other disciplines at the intersection of engineering and game design. Students will engage in project-based work, collaborate with industry partners, and have the chance to join teams working on real-world tools.
Applications for the Digital Engineering for Computer Games Master’s programme are open until September 15, 2025.
Learn more at the MIEM HSE website (in Russian).
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