If you're a serious gamer, you've undoubtedly heard of DirectX. With a rich history spanning over 20 years, Microsoft's home-grown graphics controller and drivers are still used in many games today - particularly those targeted at consoles and Windows PCs - to enable visual splendour, capable 3D graphics and more. But while it may remain a popular technology, the last version of DirectX officially launched by Microsoft, 11.1, was last updated in 2009. Five years later, with devices becoming more powerful and capable, the technology's age has begun to shine through, leading many developers to ask Microsoft to supply the tools to take DirectX further and extract the most out of any hardware the games end up on.
According to Microsoft's DirectX Developer's site, the company is finally set to deliver on that promise. In a sponsored session at this year's GDC, entitled "DirectX: Evolving Microsoft's Graphics Platform", Microsoft's development manager for graphics at Microsoft - Anuj Gosalia - is set to reveal the company's plans for DirectX12. The official GDC website offers the following description of that talk:
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.
Nothing is yet known about what Microsoft plan to reveal - besides the increased power alluded to in the above description - but the talk appears as one of a number of DirectX-related talks planned to be hosted by Microsoft this year, which also apparently includes a talk on the future of Direct3D; and eight talks related to the current DirectX 11.
Stay tuned for more news as we hear it.
