Autodesk to buy Kynogon

Autodesk, maker of graphics applications Maya and 3ds Max, has announced it is to buy AI specialist Kynogon.

The French privately held firm is maker of the Kynapse artificial intelligence middleware which has been used in over 65 triple-A titles including Alone in the Dark 5, Crackdown, Fable 2 and The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar. Kynapse’s pitch for the tool is that it gives in-game characters spatial awareness.

"The future of video games is about sophisticated game play, with more believable characters and environments," Marc Petit, senior vice president, Autodesk Media & Entertainment said in the official announcement.

"Our goal is to simplify videogame development by providing cutting-edge tools to create, animate and integrate 3D assets into game engines. The acquisition of Kynogon is a key component in reaching this goal."

Petit added: "Video game technology is the beachhead for real-time simulation applications and advanced computing. In addition to game development, Kynogon’s products are being used for defense and security simulations, such as mission planning and military operations on urban terrain."

Autodesk said it expects the acquisition to be completed within the next three months – terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The firm acquired New Zealand-based Skymatter and its high-end 3D sculpting tool Mudbox last year.