Windows 11’s first announcement last month was followed by the news that all Windows 10 users will get to upgrade to the new OS for free. Now, it has come to light that the users of the previous-gen OS will also get a key gaming feature that was supposed to be exclusive to Windows 11.
According to a DirectX Developer blog post by Microsoft Program Manager Hassan Uraizee, DirectStorage will be compatible with Windows 10 version 1909 and up.
Additionally, the post also revealed that the developer preview of the DirectStorage API is now available for developers that are a part of Microsoft’s NDA developer preview program.
DirectStorage is a part of Xbox’s Velocity Architecture and features in the Xbox Series X|S consoles. It allows games to quickly load assets to the graphics card without bogging down the CPU, which means more details at lightning speeds and without long load times.
Once this feature rolls out, all games built against the DirectStorage SDK will work not only on Windows 11 but also on Windows 10.
What’s noteworthy here is that games running with DirectStorage on Windows 10 will also benefit from the new programming model and GPU decompression tech on the OS.
Additionally, as DirectStorage will be available for both previous-gen and new-gen softwares’, it will ensure that more developers will keep DirectStorage in mind while developing games; this means a more varied and advanced game library for gamers.
If you’re wondering about the features of DirectStorage, here’s how Uraizee breaks them down:
- The new DirectStorage API programming model that provides a DX12-style batched submission/completion calling pattern, relieving apps from the need to individually manage thousands of IO requests/completion notifications per second.
- GPU decompression providing super-fast asset decompression for load time and streaming scenarios (coming in a later preview).
- Storage stack optimizations: On Windows 11, this consists of an upgraded OS storage stack that unlocks the full potential of DirectStorage, and on Windows 10, games will still benefit from the more efficient use of the legacy OS storage stack.
Another highlight of the DirectStorage SDK is that game developers need to implement it into their engines only once.
After that, all the benefits automatically apply and scale as needed for gamers to experience. Uraizee also highlighted in their blog post that those on older storage hardware like HDDs need not worry, as DirectStorage’s compatibility will extend to a variety of different hardware configs.
As of now, DirectStorage is looking like a killer feature to have on your PC or console. And what with Xbox Game Pass available on both, it seems Microsoft is pulling no punches in creating the best gaming experience of this generation.
About Microsoft
Founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975, Microsoft is an American MNC that creates, licenses, supports and sells computers, software, electronics, video games, and corresponding services.
Some of the most popular titles in the world, like Age of Empires, Forza, Gears of War, Halo, Minecraft, Microsoft Solitaire, Microsoft Flight Simulator, and State of Decay, have been developed and published by Microsoft.
Microsoft is also known for establishing the famous console brand Xbox, along with the video game subscription Xbox Game Pass.
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