Intel's Havok gaming subsidiary is to offer the PC version of its Havok Complete physics and animation software as a free download to developers.

Havok Complete for the PC will be made freely available in May for non-commercial use.

The core platform combines the Havok Physics engine and Havok Animation, the company's character animation platform.

Havok claims that the platform is already the most popular product in the cross-platform games market, featuring technology used in over 200 games including BioShock and Halo 2.

The company has entered into an agreement with Intel under which approved game developers on the PC platform can execute a commercial distribution licence with Havok for free.

Havok's overall focus remains cross-platform and the firm will continue commercial licensing of Havok Complete for other platforms and in other industries such as movies and serious gaming.

The company stressed that the move does not apply to licence fees that may be payable to Havok for console versions of Havok Complete, nor to applications developed for other purposes such as game engines for redistribution, other middleware, movies, training, military or industrial simulation.