Microsoft’s new Agility SDK solves DirectX 12’s biggest weakness

Microsoft’s DirectX 12 feature rollout has been a disaster, as many critical DirectX 12 features have been tied to specific versions of Windows 10, requiring PC gamers to update their OS’ to enjoy the latest DirectX features from Microsoft. 

This system has prevented game developers from fully embracing the full DirectX 12 feature set, as it takes time for Windows updates to roll out to all gaming systems. Now, Microsoft’s planning to sever the link between DirectX 12 and Windows 10 updates, allowing game developers to finally utilise the latest DirectX 12 features without fear of OS incompatibility amongst their PC playerbase. 

This effort to open up DirectX 12’s feature set resulted in the creation of the DirectX 12 Agility SDK, which allows game developers to make use of the latest DirectX 12 features with compatibility with Windows 10’s November 2019 update or newer versions of Windows 10. With Microsoft’s Agility SDK, Shader Model 6.6, and the full DirectX 12 Ultimate feature set can be used by older versions of Windows 10.
 
The DirectX 12 Agility SDK will allow game developers t utilise the latest features of DirectX 12 without fearing PC incompatibility on systems with older versions of Windows 10. This effort will help both PC and Xbox Series X/S developers, as it has created feature parity between both platforms, simplifying cross-platform game development. 

With Microsoft’s DirectX 12 Agility SDK, developers will be able to utilise the latest features of DirectX 12 earlier, which will assist with the rollout of Microsoft’s DirectX 12 Ultimate features and the adoption of Shader Model 6.6. This move will also prevent PC gamers from being forced to update their OS to play the newest games, making this move a positive one for developers and gamers alike.