Tekken 5 to use NaturalMotion's endorphin

The next game in the massive Tekken franchise, Tekken 5, is set to use a technology system developed by British firm NaturalMotion for its real-time 3D character animations.

Called endorphin, the system uses AI and dynamics (sometimes called physics) simulation to create realistic character animations on the fly, thus cutting the cost of developing animation for a title and creating seamless transitions between character movements.

"endorphin allows us to create realistic fight actions and reactions very quickly," enthused Namco's Shinichio Yoda, "helping us to build great content for Tekken 5."

Tekken 5 isn't the first high-profile project to use the endorphin system - cinemagoers over the summer will have witnessed it in action in Warner Bros' epic blockbuster Troy.