Havok
Physics middleware
Havok physics engine brought realistic rigid body dynamics to games, becoming the industry standard for physical simulation in the 2000s and beyond.
Overview
Havok democratised physics simulation in games. Rather than each studio implementing collision detection and rigid body dynamics from scratch, Havok provided robust middleware handling complex interactions. Objects fell realistically, ragdoll characters crumpled believably, and destruction became possible. By the late 2000s, Havok powered most major physics-enabled games.
Fast facts
- Founded: 1998 in Dublin, Ireland.
- Product: physics simulation middleware.
- Acquisition: Intel (2007), then Microsoft (2015).
- Features: rigid body, cloth, destruction, ragdoll.
- Notable games: Half-Life 2, Skyrim, Assassin’s Creed.
What Havok provides
Physics simulation features:
- Rigid body dynamics: realistic object interaction.
- Collision detection: accurate contact resolution.
- Ragdoll physics: character body simulation.
- Cloth simulation: fabric behaviour.
- Destruction: breakable objects.
Industry impact
Why Havok dominated:
- Time savings: developers avoided reinventing physics.
- Performance: optimised for game requirements.
- Consistency: predictable behaviour across platforms.
- Integration: supported major engines.