Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) confirmed late last week in a blog post that Windows 10 will be shipping with the upcoming DirectX 12 API — and a technical preview is already available to developers via the early build of Windows 10 recently released.
“The final version of Windows 10 will ship with DirectX 12, and we think it’s going to be awesome,” Microsoft’s Brian Langley wrote in a blog post. “Game developers who are part of our DirectX 12 Early Access program have even more incentive to join the Windows Insider program. These game developers will receive everything they need to kickstart their DX12 development.”
For now, Microsoft will have to work overtime to convince developers about the technical virtues of the new API and why it deserves their full support. In some ways Microsoft finds itself competing with AMD (NYSE: AMD) and its Mantle API as both promise close to the metal access for developers. Though Mantle isn’t close to mainstream, it does count more support from developers than DirectX 12; Unreal Engine 4 is the only game engine to support DirectX 12 while AMD can count a handful of AAA titles and developers that support its Mantle (though the comparison isn’t entirely fair as DirectX 12 isn’t officially out yet).
Microsoft says that it’s currently working with developers to build relationships and support for DirectX 12.
Windows 10 is expected to be released in 2015.
