Nintendo licenses Havok, Gameware tech for Wii U

The technology behind games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Batman: Arkham City, and Dragon Age II will be available to Wii U developers. Nintendo announced today that it has entered into licensing agreements with middleware companies Havok and Autodesk.

As part of the agreement with Havok, Wii U developers across the globe will have access to the Havok Physics and Havok Engine technologies to create games. These technologies have been licensed for numerous titles on a range of platforms, including Assassin's Creed, Killzone 3, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Nintendo's licensing agreement with Autodesk for its Gameware technology will similarly let developers across the world create games using the company's three Gameware products: Autodesk Scaleform (user interface development), Autodesk Kynapse (artificial intelligence), and Autodesk HumanIK (character animation).

Past titles to use Gameware technology include Dragon Age II, Mafia II, Lost Planet 2, Crysis 2, and Batman: Arkham City.

As for the Wii U, Nintendo's next-generation console is due for a worldwide release this holiday season, though it may not launch under that name. Many questions regarding the system remain unanswered, but Nintendo said it will bring final Wii U hardware to the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo, which runs June 5-7.