Microsoft Buys 3D Physics Developer Havok

Havok, based in Ireland and founded in 1998, provides tools that allow developers to add realistic in-game physics models to their titles.

Havok’s reach goes beyond gaming as its special effects have been used in movies like X-Men First Class, World War Z, Harry Potter, James Bond, and The Matrix.

Havok has formerly joined hands with Activision, Microsoft, EA, Nintendo, Sony, Ubisoft, and a lot of others to generate over 600 games comprising Halo, Destiny, Call of Duty, Dark Souls, Assassin’s Creed and The Elder Scrolls. Microsoft announced the purchase of the company from Intel on Friday with plans to integrate the technology into its existing suite of development tools such as DirectX 12. Havok has also had a few success on the small screen.

Microsoft has acquired gaming middleware outfit Havok from chipmaker Intel, as the company works to position the Xbox One and Windows 10 as the ultimate gaming platforms. The company signed a 2011 agreement with Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) to license its software to the combat vehicle design firm and has a secondary site at HavokSimulation.com where it describes its collaboration with firms like Lockheed-Martin, Corys, Nova Technologies, and Kongsberg. It has agreed to continue to honourall licenses to third party competitors.

No details of the deal have been released, but Microsoft said it intends to continue licensing the tool to developers. It could also refer to highly lucrative defense contracts, which Microsoft might like to convert to Azure customers. Part of this innovation will include building the most complete cloud service, which we have just started to show through games like “Crackdown 3”.