The new intelligent system for additional parameters simplifies the creation of large numbers of characters with unique details, allowing for variations in the materials they are made of and their placement on the character. Accessories can now be made from multiple materials and have several parent bones, rather than being attached to a specific bone. Additionally, it is now possible to embed MotionPlus animation from iClone into accessories, giving crowd characters ready-made movements associated with them. Possible use cases are featured on the Smart Accessory page on the Reallusion website.

Another important update in iClone 8.5 is the prop interaction system. It simplifies the process of crowd characters interacting with the environment thanks to a new resource type—MD Props—capable of automatically managing the behavior of nearby crowd actors. There are five main types of MD props, including items that can be sat on, buttons that can be pressed, or objects to inspect, with animations triggered by these props that can be altered depending on the character's age or gender. Users can create their own MD Props or use resources from the new line of commercial additions from Reallusion for MD Props.

Character Creator 4.5 is a small update with bug fixes, addressing issues with GoZ transitions to ZBrush, as well as with props, accessories, and hairstyles.

Both iClone 8.5 and Character Creator 4.5 are available for Windows 7 and above. New perpetual licenses cost $299 for Character Creator and $599 for iClone. Both updates are free for existing users. The cost of individual MD Prop packages ranges from $149 to $179.