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AMD is shutting down Mantle 1.0

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AMDs Mantle is dead.jpg

Oh Mantle, you had one job and you did it oh so well. AMD’s Mantle API has been around for well over a year now, born out of Microsoft’s slow progress on DirectX 12. AMD wasn’t happy with DirectX 11 any longer, and so Mantle was created to further optimism draw calls and bring new forms of functionality to graphics cards. Without mainstream support from the likes of Nvidia or Intel, it was doomed to a single purpose. And its time has finally run out.

AMD is ceasing work on Mantle 1.0, and encouraging developers interested in it to start looking at DirectX 12 instead. Raja Koduri, VP of Visual and Perceptual computing at AMD, explained this shift of focus in a recent blog post, which detailed how Mantle would now be used for specific custom projects alone.

Mantle must take on new capabilities and evolve beyond mastery of the draw call. It will continue to serve AMD as a graphics innovation platform available to select partners with custom needs.

The Mantle SDK also remains available to partners who register in this co-development and evaluation program. However, if you are a developer interested in Mantle “1.0” functionality, we suggest that you focus your attention on DirectX® 12 or GLnext.

AMD won’t outright abandon the API though. They’re still going to provide support for games that use Mantle in particular, with Battlefield: Hardline probably being one of the last to use it. Mantle 1.0 will still be there, but it’s not going to grow into a rival to DirectX 12. Its purpose was to provide a reason for Microsoft to get their ass into gear, and it’s achieved just that.

There’s not long to wait until Microsoft’s new API either. DirectX 12 is expected to launch later this year with Windows 10, ushering in a new era of graphical processing. AMD will be speaking about the future of Mantle at GDC later this week, but don’t expect it to shine as bright in the gaming sphere anymore.

Last Updated: March 3, 2015

18 Comments

  1. Corrie

    March 3, 2015 at 12:34

    Now I’m kinda smirking at those who told me go with AMD because of Mantle

    Reply

    • Pariah

      March 3, 2015 at 12:41

      Ditto. 😀

      Reply

    • Kromas Votes LAG WCMovie Event

      March 3, 2015 at 12:45

      Yeah …. you may want to go read the full article over at MS.

      Sure mantle won’t be a game dev exclusive API anymore but oh boy you should see what it’s DX12 integration looks like.

      It presumably will blow your mind.

      I suppose it is all because of AMD and its very risky bid to own the console platforms.

      I suppose the XBone was good for something. 🙂

      Reply

      • Corrie

        March 3, 2015 at 13:04

        True, I’ll take a look at the article.

        But what I’m really curious about is Vulkan,seems hopefully they’ll give DX12 a run, but I’m still in favor of DX12 since it’s the only way I can play any and all of my library.. the adaption rate of linux is definitely growing but still has the issue of games

        AMD is obviously seeing their money in consoles which I don’t understand since high end gpu’s surely sell better than what they get for each component they provide to those little boxes of corporate greed

        Nvidia has had a major advantage and love the way they focused on their gameworks instead of trying to rival mantle.

        Reply

    • RustedFaith

      March 3, 2015 at 13:21

      U realize that if it wasnt for mantle MS would have never optimized DirectX. Regardless of what the people tell you to go for the gaming community owe AMD allot for giving MS and DirectX a kick under the ass to give low level hardware access.

      Reply

      • Corrie

        March 3, 2015 at 13:59

        Yeah I do understand that, I mean I was close to going AMD but ultimately decided I was fine on the green team, the biggest issue with both mantle and DX12 is the developer, it lies down to them whether to utilize these tools or focus on console then put together a bad PC port

        Reply

        • RustedFaith

          March 3, 2015 at 14:19

          Usually this will hold true but not this time around. The optimization done in DirectX is on a api level and you will find current directx 11 cards run faster on directx12. HEck it even runs faster than mantle.

          Windows 10 Technical preview already runs directx12 and with the amd alpha directx12 drivers it runs faster. The test is done with Star Swarm Benchmark, they recently updated it to support DirectX 12 and so far its faster than mantle on a directx 11 card

          Reply

  2. Hammersteyn

    March 3, 2015 at 12:35

    • Matewis Jubilai

      March 3, 2015 at 12:44

      Oh man that was a horrid film

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        March 3, 2015 at 12:55

        Yup, even with all the good actors

        Reply

  3. Blood Emperor Trevor

    March 3, 2015 at 12:39

    Not surprised this happened after MS finally announced DX12.

    Reply

  4. Pariah

    March 3, 2015 at 12:46

    What does an irrational fear of bee stings have to do with this, btw?

    Reply

  5. Kikmi

    March 3, 2015 at 12:48

    Oh the amount of lulz I’m having over this is actually quite petty but still.
    LOL

    Reply

    • FoxOneZA

      March 3, 2015 at 12:58

      Have an AMD card but never really seen the use of Mantle.

      Reply

  6. FoxOneZA

    March 3, 2015 at 12:59

    Mantle shall EVOLVE this Thursday. EEEEVVVVVVOOOLLLLVEEE!

    Reply

  7. DrKiller

    March 3, 2015 at 14:25

    Interested to see what the PS4 is going to use then… I was under the impression that Mantle was their only hope for the future

    Reply

    • Spathi

      March 3, 2015 at 14:35

      Why? It’s a console and they already have low level access? Or that is how I understand it.

      Reply

      • DrKiller

        March 3, 2015 at 14:43

        I’m not too sure hey, the DX12 on Xbone sounds really promising… But lets see what happens.

        Reply

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