PC buffs may have already been hoping for it, and it is indeed coming -- Mirror's Edge will utilize NVIDIA's PhysX hardware acceleration when it hits the open platform this January. Assuming you have a GeForce 8 or better GPU or will be getting one, you can confidently flip off your console-only friends and their "weak Unreal engine" (I'm kidding a terrible lot, here). The tech has been used in over 140 current-gen titles on all platforms to date, but, as it seems, Mirror's Edge hasn't been one of them.
NVIDIA described the technology's utilization as follows:
With the NVIDIA PhysX physics engine, the world of Mirror's Edge comes to life with real [e]ffects of wind, weapons impact, and in-game movements. Every-day objects within the game become part of the overall experience. Cloth, flags, and banners can now impact weapons and players; ground fog interacts with the player's footsteps; explosions fill the air with smoke and debris; and weapon impacts are enhanced with interactive particles.
DICE's senior producer Owen O'Brien stated why it's so necessary:
“Faith’s world in Mirror’s Edge is visceral, immediate, and very dangerous; it is imperative that the gameplay reflect this level of urgency. Nvidia PhysX technology affords us the ability to bring a totally new level of immersion to the game, and by doing so, gamers can truly become part of the world.”
NVIDIA sent out a video of the technology in action with the title, which you can see below. It's YouTube, so it doesn't give you the best idea, but still a pretty good one. Course, you can always go to the source of the video and click 'watch in high quality' for a slightly better experience. Anyway, here it is:
