Microsoft Buys Havok From Intel

Microsoft continues to expand its gaming profile with its latest acquisition of Havok, one of the most prominent game technology companies in the industry. Before Microsoft, Havok was owned by Intel, which bought the company in 2007 for $110 million. Havok's price was unknown, but Microsoft has plans to use its latest purchase for more than just games; it highlighted other uses in its announcement, such as Visual Studio and Microsoft Azure.

However, Havok is still deeply rooted in games. Its latest product, Havok FX, is currently used in Rainbow Six: Siege from Ubisoft. By adding the company to the fold, Microsoft believes that it can add another layer of quality to its own games. Havok's technology is used in some of today's most popular games including Destiny, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, and Dragon Age: Inquisition, to name a few.
Even in an age when console exclusivity is a rarity, the Xbox One still has a few aces up its sleeve, most notably Forza Motorsport and the Halo series. These two franchises alone attract a great number of fans. Combine that with Microsoft's work with DirectX 12 and Havok's long list of clients in the gaming industry, and the purchase looks to be a promising venture for the two companies.