AMD, Intel Team to Improve Game Physics

Hardware maker AMD and physics technology provider Havok, a subsidiary of AMD competitor Intel, have begun working together to optimize the performance of Havok technology on AMD machines.

The comes months after Intel and AMD competitor Nvidia bought physics powerhouse AGEIA, and marks the latest game-oriented move from AMD, which recently introduced AMD Game!, a console-esque PC hardware brand.

"The success of Havok as a cross platform software company is predicated on our willingness to listen to the needs of our customers," explained Havok director David O'Meara, who noted that the companies hope to investigate CPU "game play simulation" and the "capabilities of massively parallel products."

Havok's multi-platform technology is used in over 300 games, going by today's press release. Prominent examples include 2K Boston and 2K Australia's BioShock, Midway Chicago's Stranglehold, and Ensemble Studio's Age of Empires III.

"By working with the clear market leader in physics software, AMD can optimize our platforms to consistently deliver the best possible visual experience to the gamer," added AMD graphics product VP Rick Bergman.