Zen Studios Licenses Morpheme For XBLA, PSN

Zen Studios, the developer behind Zen Pinball and The Punisher: No Mercy, has licensed NaturalMotion's Morpheme animation engine for use in unannounced Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network games. While an announcement issued today indicates Zen is working on a specific (but unnamed) downloadable game incorporating Morpheme, it also includes statements suggesting the deal allows for Morpheme's use in multiple titles. Headquartered in Budapest, Zen has considerable experience with downloadable console games, having released two titles exclusively for Xbox Live Arcade and two for PlayStation Network, along with several handheld games. NaturalMotion's Morpheme is an animation engine focusing on character simulation rather than canned animations. It has been used in numerous games, including Black Rock Studio's Pure. "With so many great games to choose from, poor animation is not something that can be brushed under the carpet. That's unforgiveable, no matter how careful you need to be with the budget," said Zen managing director Zsolt Kigyossy in a statement. Morpheme "gave our studio the capability to provide an excellent product without the worry of cutting corners or settling for an inferior solution," he added.