14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has confirmed that DirectX 12, the next generation of its graphics API (application programming interface), is supported by Windows 10, the newly-confirmed operating system, as well as by Unreal Engine 4, the new tech from Epic Games.
The first news about DirectX 12 appeared earlier this year, with Microsoft revealing that the technology was going to squeeze even more power from the Xbox One console, as well as from the PC platform, on which it will also appear.
Windows 10 brings support for DirectX 12
While other details haven’t been shared, the company has now mentioned that the Windows 10 operating system is the method through which DirectX 12 is coming to the Xbox One.
The new OS was revealed earlier this week and confirmed to launch across all of Microsoft's platforms, from the PC to Xbox One, Surface tablets, or Lumia smartphones.
Now, on the official blog, the company has unveiled that the final version of Windows 10 will ship with DirectX 12, and until then, developers enrolled in the Windows Insider program and the DirectX 12 Early Access one will get everything they need to take advantage of the technology.
"We especially encourage gamers to help us make this release great for you by becoming Windows Insiders. Game developers who are part of our DirectX 12 Early Access program have even more incentive to join the Windows Insider program," the company notes.
"These game developers will receive everything they need to kickstart their DX12 development, including: updated runtime, API headers, drivers, documentation, and samples, all of which will work with the Windows 10 Technical Preview."
Unreal Engine 4 version 4.4 also has a new DirectX 12 edition
Microsoft has also confirmed that developers with an Unreal Engine 4 subscription can already get a special version of the technology that takes advantage of DirectX 12, as the company has teamed up with Epic Games to release it.
"Members of our Early Access program who subscribe to Unreal Engine 4 can receive source access to the DX12 port of UE4. We’ve worked with Epic to create a DX12 branch on the UE4 GitHub repository. This branch supports UE 4.4, the latest publically released version of the Unreal 4 Engine! Come join our open development project and help make DX12 great!"
Last but not least, Microsoft also notes that DirectX 12 will be supported by plenty of hardware manufacturers, starting with Nvidia, which was confirmed a few weeks ago, and even Intel, thanks to the new integrated graphics portion in the Haswell CPUs.