IKinema

British game technology company IKinema announced today that it has signed a deal with Nintendo which will allow game studios to use its RunTime animation middleware in game development.

RunTime is already commonplace in PC, PS4 and Xbox One development, so this is a welcome addition. By using this middleware developers should in theory be able to deliver more realistic character animations that perform with higher fidelity. The net result is in-game characters move and react naturally and instinctively when interacting with dynamically changing environments and objects.

Alexandre Pechev, IKinema Founder and CEO had to say this about the deal:

We're thrilled to have signed this license agreement with Nintendo. RunTime's powerfully fast and advanced technology has long thrived serving other popular platforms, catapulting game titles to new heights. It makes sense to grant Nintendo Switch game developers access to the same outstanding tech, so they too can create games with life and realism, enabling their players to enjoy advanced interaction and memorable gaming.

Anything that enables developers to create games with innovative gameplay mechanics sounds like a welcome addition to the Switch development arsenal. Let us know what you think about this mighty middleware with a comment below.