Bink

Bink is a proprietary video compression format and file format developed by RAD Game Tools for efficient playback of full-motion video in computer games and other software. The codec is designed to deliver high-quality video with low CPU overhead, enabling smooth playback of cinematic sequences on a wide range of hardware and platforms.

Introduced in the late 1990s, Bink quickly became a popular solution for embedding pre-rendered cutscenes in PC and console games. It is commonly used to store film-like sequences that accompany gameplay, and files produced by the Bink encoder are typically used with the .bik extension.

Technical characteristics of Bink include lossy compression optimized for fast decoding, streaming playback, and broad cross-platform support. Decoding is performed by a library provided by RAD Game Tools, allowing developers to integrate Bink playback into their games with relative ease. Over time, newer iterations of the format have offered improved compression efficiency and features while maintaining compatibility with existing game engines and tools.

Licensing and usage: Bink is a commercial, proprietary technology. Developers obtain licenses from RAD Game Tools to distribute Bink-encoded video in their products, and the company continues to maintain and update the codec. Because of its efficiency and ease of integration, Bink has remained a common choice for game studios seeking reliable cinematic playback, often alongside RAD’s Smacker codec.

See also: RAD Game Tools, Smacker, video codecs in gaming.