The new update to DirectX – a collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms – is set to bring high-end gaming to mobile devices.
At the heart of DirectX 12 is Direct3D 12, the API that renders visuals for games and other utilities across all Microsoft ecosystems.
The Direct3D 12 API will work across all Microsoft devices and will not be limited to one platform. It can be leveraged for devices that are based on the Windows RT platform, Windows 8.1 or Windows Phone.
Consoles games on the Xbox will also see better performance after making the switch to Direct3D. A demo showcased at Microsoft’s presentation at GDC had Forza 5 running at a steady 60fps on Direct3D 12.
Another key area of focus is mobile – the fastest growing segment in gaming. Qualcomm’s Eric Demers was on hand to mention that the increased utilisation of CPU will result in better power efficiency while gaming on a mobile or tablet device.
Microsoft announced that all Nvidia hardware that is DirectX 11 enabled will work with DirectX 12. The software giant is targeting a holiday 2015 release for games that utilise DirectX 12.
A full list of hardware offerings and OSes that will come with the new version of DirectX will be announced in the near future.