Microsoft is exploring the possibility of bringing DirectX 12 games to run on Windows 7 operating systems.
Microsoft is exploring the possibility of bringing DirectX 12 games to run on Windows 7 operating systems.
Greetings everyone,
Microsoft has recently published a blog post detailing an exciting development: DirectX 12 games are now being adapted for older operating systems, including Windows 7! Previously, only Windows 10 was officially supported for this API.
However, will this truly have an impact? It’s unlikely. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced the successful integration of DirectX 12 into Windows 7, allowing games like World of Warcraft to perform significantly better on a broader range of systems thanks to DirectX 12’s multi-threading capabilities. Now, Microsoft is simplifying the process for developers to run DirectX 12 titles on Windows 7, providing a “Development Guidance Document” and other helpful resources. Their objective is to expand the reach of DirectX 12 benefits for both gamers and developers alike.
It's important to acknowledge that Microsoft anticipates DirectX 12 games will operate optimally on Windows 10, citing the OS’s inherent “essential system upgrades” that optimize low-level API utilization. Nevertheless, broadening DirectX 12 compatibility across a wider array of operating systems represents a beneficial step for Microsoft.
You can view the blog post here:
Porting DirectX 12 games to Windows 7 | DirectX Developer Blog
We are providing binaries and documentation to assist game developers in running their DirectX 12 games on Windows 7.
devblogs.microsoft.com
This was initially released in March. It necessitates bespoke DX12 libraries located within the game’s folder, differentiating it from a system-wide DX12 implementation. Considering the limited number of games affected since, it’s clear this was driven by developers targeting gaming arcades in China, where most machines still operate on Windows 7 – a situation expected to persist even after the operating system reaches its end-of-life in approximately five months.
Certainly, we must utilize the binary files for Windows 7 compatibility. I’ll test this sample to determine if it functions as expected. The text is somewhat unclear.
D3D12’s operation on Windows 7 differs substantially from its function on Windows 10.
Integrating D3D12 for Windows 10 simply involves referencing the D3D12.lib file, which is straightforward. However, D3D12 isn't available on Windows 7 in a manner that permits this direct link. Consequently, applications desiring to leverage D3D12 on Windows 7 must distribute the D3D12.dll file alongside associated files.
Subsequently, at execution time, it’s essential to specify which D3D12.dll version your application should employ – either the one contained within your program or the one provided by the operating system.