Havok has announced that its physics middleware can be accelerated using a GPU and doesn’t need a specialized graphics chip. “This new product from Havok will utilize the native power of Shader Model 3 class graphics cards to deliver physics effects that integrate seamlessly with Havok’s game-play physics technology found in Havok Complete.”

With respect to the PS3:

In tandem with this announcement, Havok also announced version 3.2 of Havok Complete – Havok’s combined physics and character animation SDK and tool chain for current and next-generation game platforms, including Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Havok Complete 3.2 enhancements include support for Playstation 3, HydraCore for increased performance on multi-threaded/multi-core game platforms, additive blending for character animation, and Art Tool enhancements that provide a unified workflow for dynamic characters and game objects. Havok Complete 3.2 is scheduled to release at the end of October 2005.

Finally, the company announced the finalization of its agreement with Sony Computer Entertainment to deliver a binary-only version of Havok Complete XS 3.2 to all Playstation 3 developers worldwide. Support for Havok Complete XS will come directly from SCE worldwide. Havok Complete XS provides all the functionality of Havok Complete, without the source code. Playstation 3 Developers can also purchase the full Havok Complete product directly from Havok, for an optional fee.

Gamasutra – Havok Announces Havok FX GPU-Enabled Physics