Love it or hate it, but Microsoft’s DirectX API is what makes most of your PC games run. It’s also the reason most PC gamers are still sticking with windows, despite pushes from companies like Valve to get them to embrace the penguin. that battle rages on, as Microsoft plans to unveil its latest iteration of DirectX at this year’s GDC.
The info comes courtesy of Microsoft’s own GDC session page, where a talk is scheduled on “the future” of DirectX.
For nearly 20 years, DirectX has been the platform used by game developers to create the fastest, most visually impressive games on the planet. However, you asked us to do more. You asked us to bring you even closer to the metal and to do so on an unparalleled assortment of hardware. You also asked us for better tools so that you can squeeze every last drop of performance out of your PC, tablet, phone and console. Come learn our plans to deliver.
Accompanying that is a new DirectX 12 Twitter page, with just a single tweet.
Rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated… #DirectX12 is coming to #GDC http://t.co/cLyhBwnNav
— DirectX 12 (@DirectX12) March 5, 2014
The page linked goes to a green invitation page, showing logos from hardware manufacturers AMD, Intel, Nvidia and Qualcomm – the last of which points to DirectX 12 featuring heavily in new windows mobile phones and tablets.
Interestingly, it’s suggested that this new DirectX API may offer much lower level hardware access, giving developers more muscle to work with, allowing them to extract better performance, in much the same way that they’re afforded on consoles. That’s not unlike AMD’s Mantle, which promised much the same thing, but in reality is geared more towards the lower end and CPU bottlenecks and just hasn’t provided the performance benefit expected.
If DirectX 12 does indeed allow developers to get closer to the hardware, it could put quite a dent in Valve’s Steambox and Linux gaming aspirations.
Last Updated: March 6, 2014
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
March 6, 2014 at 07:50
That would be brilliant if devs could get more low level access to hardware. But what’s the bet DX12 is windows 8 only?
Any takers?
Kensei Seraph
March 6, 2014 at 07:51
Is it alright to bet on something when everyone will take the same side?
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
March 6, 2014 at 07:56
But then it isn’t betting. Then it’s just agreeing 🙁
Kensei Seraph
March 6, 2014 at 07:56
Well at least we’d all get our money back.
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
March 6, 2014 at 07:57
Less a 10% handlers fee which goes to me…..
Kensei Seraph
March 6, 2014 at 07:58
Taking lessons from M$?
loftie
March 6, 2014 at 11:38
you forgot to add ‘SA’ to end of ‘MS’
Admiral Chief in Vegas
March 6, 2014 at 08:02
*raises hand*
Kensei Seraph
March 6, 2014 at 08:03
Important question I forgot to ask, what odds are you offering?
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
March 6, 2014 at 08:07
20:1
Admiral Chief in Vegas
March 6, 2014 at 08:07
XD
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
March 6, 2014 at 08:26
It is absolutely windows 8 only. absolutely.
Admiral Chief in Vegas
March 6, 2014 at 08:03
Yay, new DirectX!
Yay, new installs!
Yay, new ways to possibly eff up your c0mput0rz
Jokes aside, hope this is a good thing!
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
March 6, 2014 at 08:07
Yay for needing windows 8 to even use! … wait…
Admiral Chief in Vegas
March 6, 2014 at 08:09
DirectX, new functionality, at the press of a button!
Finally Rince and Trev will no longer be SP!!!!
http://d24w6bsrhbeh9d.cloudfront.net/photo/a2NbARY_460sa.gif
Kensei Seraph
March 6, 2014 at 08:11
Not even Microsoft is able to make Trev and Rince experience MP.
Admiral Chief in Vegas
March 6, 2014 at 08:12
Surely its possible? I mean come on!!! I feel for them, they are our less fortunate brothers!!!
VampyreSquirrel
March 6, 2014 at 08:30
The only way that’s possible is by making Loadout and GTAV dating programs…
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 6, 2014 at 08:17
That implies I don’t want to be SP.
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
March 6, 2014 at 08:41
Ninja dating?
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 6, 2014 at 08:17
Meh. Will only be interesting once DX12 graphics cards are out & we see what it really does.
iAmWeasel
March 6, 2014 at 08:22
Hahah.. master race has another forced upgrade lined up it seems.
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
March 6, 2014 at 08:40
Forced upgrade? Hardly. It will be a good few years before DX12 is the only DX that devs use. Devs are still predominantly using DX10 instead of DX11 currently and that trend won’t change too quickly. So I dare say that the same trend will with DX12.
iAmWeasel
March 6, 2014 at 08:43
Fair enough, but this is exactly why PC is being de-prioritized by developers.. too many layers of complication having to support all these different frameworks and GPUs etc.
HvR
March 6, 2014 at 08:56
There is almost no difference between the layers and API’s used by devs in regards to GPU on PC and consoles. Xbox One uses DirectX, PS4 uses a Direct X compatible API and a custom one.
iAmWeasel
March 6, 2014 at 09:25
Wrong.. obviously there is a big difference between a platform such as Xbox One which throughout its lifespan of 8 years runs the same development framework vs PC where during the course 8 years could potentially be running 3 or more different versions of DirectX depending on whatever the user has set up. Are you aware of any early release Xbox 360 games which stopped working because supported was dropped when the 360 upgraded to a newer version of DirectX?
HvR
March 6, 2014 at 09:37
360 and PS3 generation sure, both platforms ran customized API’s which continually updates and changed and even further abstracted by dev tools to maximize performance of the unique hardware platforms.
If you look at the actual API’s of current gen consoles and PC you will see there is very little differences; almost no differences in regards to GPU functions with the consoles having extra functions/interfaces for directly utilizing memory areas.
You also ignore the fact the DirectX is backwards compatible, so if design a games now running DirectX10 or 11 there would be no issue running it on 12.
iAmWeasel
March 6, 2014 at 09:48
Whether the API’s are similar to current PC is irrelevant, because even with continual updates to consoles, they don’t fundamentally change to the point where certain older games stop working. I have plenty of DX9 games which stopped natively working when I switched to newer software and hardware on my PC. PC games always have a shorter lifespan because of this issue.
Kromas
March 6, 2014 at 10:36
My 14 year old copy of Diablo 2 tends to disagree with you.As does my 16
year old copy of Half Life,my 7 year old Mass Effect and my 7 Year old
Saints Row 2. Hell I can go further back and install and run worms 3d
without a hitch. And those are just off the top of my head that I have played recently.
Charl van der Merwe
March 6, 2014 at 08:39
Sooo, will the latest high end gfx cards support directx 12 with Driver updates ? If so Yay! if not I’m gonna be a sad panda, just shelled out for a R9 290!
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
March 6, 2014 at 08:41
Don’t worry man. As was the case with DX11 it will be years before DX11 is no longer supported and DX12 is the only one being used.
Charl van der Merwe
March 6, 2014 at 09:06
Hahaha I hope so, the only factor that barely justified the purchase of this beast which to my girlfriend was an “obscene waste of money” was that this card would last me 3-4 years 😛
TiMsTeR1033
March 6, 2014 at 08:47
Without a doubt exciting times we living in! The effects Dx 11 brought to the table was amazing! I look forward to seeing what they do with 12, and making use of less powerful CPUS and GPUS perhaps. Catch is I put money on it being Windows 8 Minimum Requirements and standard with Windows 9 whenever that comes out.
oVg PAYNE
March 6, 2014 at 08:56
I will wait for Direct X-13 Xenon Returns.
Admiral Chief in Vegas
March 6, 2014 at 08:57
lolz
DrKiller
March 6, 2014 at 09:01
I see Valve’s name was mentioned… Half Life 3 confirmed?
Admiral Chief in Vegas
March 6, 2014 at 09:05
I concur
HvR
March 6, 2014 at 09:07
Who can remember the days when you could choose which API implementation you could run with.
3DFx vs OpenGL vs Direct3D.
Funny how the most inferior one was the one to become the industry standard.
Admiral Chief in Vegas
March 6, 2014 at 09:21
That is indeed ironic
ElimiNathan
March 6, 2014 at 09:08
Mantle bitch
Willem Swanepoel
March 6, 2014 at 13:04
If DX12 is Windows 8 only then Mantle with Linux is the way to go.
Willem Swanepoel
March 6, 2014 at 13:02
If this is windows 8 only then Microsoft will lose it’s grip over PC gaming. I really hope they are not that narrow minded fools.
Consoles are running now on DX11 😉 so PS4 and XBOX One is officially current gen hehehhe
hmm will the consoles support Mantle ?