Microsoft just bought middleware developer Havok from Intel. Havok is a software company most notable for their 3D graphics. The company has worked with game developers on over 600 games, including Halo, Assassin’s Creed, Call of Duty, Destiny, Dark Souls and The Elder Scrolls.
Microsoft noted the acquisition in their recent blog.
“Microsoft’s acquisition of Havok continues our tradition of empowering developers by providing them with the tools to unleash their creativity to the world. We will continue to innovate for the benefit of development partners. Part of this innovation will include building the most complete cloud service, which we’ve just started to show through games like “Crackdown 3.”
Microsoft also plans on using Havok along side Direct X12 and Azure (Microsoft’s cloud computing service). Crackdown 3 will use that cloud power to render physics for its destructible environments.
A Microsoft Representative got back to IGN on the purchase.
“We will continue to license Havok’s technology to the broad AAA games industry,” the representative said. “This also means that we will continue to license Havok’s technology to run across various game consoles including Sony and Nintendo.”
Havok has provided 3D physics to a myriad of games on different platforms. Microsoft is ensuring that this tradition will continue. This is very similar to Microsoft’s acquisition of Mojang, and how Minecraft continues to be published on multiple platforms outside of just Xbox.
The financial details were not made available. However, this buy shows Microsoft is serious about gaming, given Havok’s ubiquity in the gaming space.
Do you think buying Havok will give Xbox an edge? Let us know in the comments section.
