Havok: Destructibility Key to Next-Generation Games

Havok, the popular middleware company whose logo you’ve likely seen in a multitude of popular games, believes that there will be many unique, exciting changes in technology as we take a generational shift. Andrew Bowell, the company’s worldwide head of product management, sees this holiday season as an opportunity to establish new norms – one of them being a higher level of environmental destructibility.

"The way that ragdolls became the last generation thing and everything had to be ragdolls, we reckon next generation, everything's going to have to be destructible," Bowell told Games Industry International. "It will be no longer acceptable to walk into a room where you can't punch a hole in the wall or break a table and see it splinter."

The physics middleware provider would obviously love to see developers adopt the newest version of Havok Physics, but the PlayStation 4 and yet-to-be-named Xbox product will benefit more than just the company Bowell works for.

"It's more key than ever that developers don't waste time writing actual tech," Bowell said. "Guys that I talk to and publishers, they just want to get their games to market as quickly as they can. I think it's a great opportunity for all middleware, to be honest."

Battlefield is one franchise that’s wholly adopted the concept of destructible environments in the current generation, and it’s likely that we’ll see even more interesting rubble when Battlefield 4 launches later this year. More examples of this style of physics integration should also become apparent when Microsoft showcases Durango at the end of May.