Microsoft has recently acquired Havok and its 3D physics middleware from Intel, according to a blog post from the company this weekend.
Microsoft stated that they will continue to work with developers on gaming, and assured users that they will continue to license Havok’s development tools to partners. Havok will be a new addition to Microsoft’s current tool set, which includes DirectX 12, Visual Studio, and Microsoft Azure. The Havok physics engine has been used in more than 600 games from leading publishers, including Activision, EA, Ubisoft, Nintendo, Sony, and of course Microsoft. The engine was used in games such as Halo, Assassin’s Creed, Call of Duty, Destiny, Dark Souls, and The Elder Scrolls series.
“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,”” said Microsoft in the post. “Havok shares Microsoft’s vision for empowering people to create worlds and experiences that have never been seen before, and we look forward to sharing more of this vision in the near future.”
Havok was originally an independent company, and was purchased in 2007 by Intel.