In the context of the latest software updates as of April 2026, the most significant "new" features for morph target animation (often called blend shapes or shape keys) are found in . Unreal Engine 5.7 Workflow Improvements
If you are looking to implement a cutting-edge morph target pipeline today, the standard industry workflow follows these phases:
Modern engines no longer store full duplicate meshes. Instead, they store only the (the difference in position, normals, and tangents for vertices that actually move). Furthermore, modern import pipelines automatically strip out vertices with zero displacement, drastically reducing the storage and memory footprint of complex rigs. 3. The Shift to Machine Learning and Neural Blend Shapes morph target animation new
: Soft body physics, breathing idle animations, or "cartoon squash and stretch" are nearly impossible to do cleanly with rigs alone. Morph targets are perfect for these stylized or corrective shapes.
Are you looking to implement these workflows in a specific engine like ? In the context of the latest software updates
The newest pipelines link the activation of specific morph targets directly to material shaders.
Create your geometry with an even distribution of topology (edge loops). Morph targets are perfect for these stylized or
Morph target animation—also known as blend shapes or shape keys—is undergoing a massive technical revolution. Traditionally used for facial expressions and character speech, this vertex-based animation technique is no longer restricted to rigid, pre-baked linear transitions. Driven by modern game engines, machine learning, and advanced GPU pipelines, morph targets are becoming highly dynamic, memory-efficient, and central to realistic real-time graphics.