Microsoft restricts DirectX 11.1 to Windows 8

Windows 8

Microsoft's latest operating system behemoth copped noticeable criticism across various issues leading up to its release, with notable industry luminaries chiming in their opposition to the software's reclusive certification process and boxy exterior. Add another possible flashpoint: Neowin reports a Microsoft tech revealing DirectX 11.1's exclusivity to Windows 8 with "no plan" to retrofit Windows 7 with the latest version.

"DirectX 11.1 is part of Windows 8, just like DirectX 11 was part of Windows 7," Microsoft Principal Program Manager Lead Daniel Moth wrote. "DirectX 11 was made available for Vista, but at this point, there is no plan for DirectX 11.1 to be made available on Windows 7."

A quick scope of DirectX 11.1's features shows a strong emphasis on efficiency improvements over new features. The most notable addition involves the inclusion of native stereoscopic 3D support which enables DirectX 11.1 games immediate 3D capabilities (with appropriately squarish glasses) by default.

Not many games slapped a padlock on their content purely because of DirectX— Just Cause 2 and Battlefield 3 's lack of Windows XP support are the two most notable examples—so Windows 7 gamers should be in the clear for the foreseeable future. Though, Microsoft is staying silent—when questioned by Neowin on DirectX 11.1's Windows 8 exclusivity, the company sent back a simple "nothing to share."

Omri Petitte

Omri Petitte is a former PC Gamer associate editor and long-time freelance writer covering news and reviews. If you spot his name, it probably means you're reading about some kind of first-person shooter. Why yes, he would like to talk to you about Battlefield. Do you have a few days?

Latest in Software
Otter AI Meeting Agent
As if your work meetings weren't already fun enough, now Otter has a new all-hearing AI agent that remembers everything anyone has said and can join in the discussion
Microsoft's iconic Bliss wallpaper
From pixels to pinot: The Windows XP 'Bliss' wallpaper hill was real and this is what it looks like now
Napster client circa 1999
Former music-pirating platform Napster to be reborn rather ironically as a metaverse for musicians to connect with their fans after $207 million deal
New Discord desktop client themes.
Discord drops big update with 'completely new' in-game overlay and new dark themes for the desktop client
Image for
'No real human would go four links deep into a maze of AI-generated nonsense': Cloudflare's AI Labyrinth uses decoy pages to trap web-crawling bots and feed them slop 'as a defensive weapon'
A screenshot from game Mudborne of a little humanoid frog in a marsh
Five new Steam games you probably missed (March 24, 2025)
Latest in News
Two brightly colored stormtroopers dressed like Run-DMC stand in front of PAX Australia's WELCOME HOME banner.
Tickets for PAX Australia 2025 are on sale now
An Enshrouded player in a recreation of Erebor from The Lord of the Rings
Kings under the Mountain! 33 Enshrouded players spent 10,000 hours to recreate this iconic location from The Lord of the Rings
A mech awakens.
Mecha Break developer is considering unlocking all mechs following open beta feedback
Lara Croft Unified Art
Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics lays off 17 employees 'to better align our current business needs and the studio's future success'
A long bendy arm stealing money from people in a subway car
'You're a very long arm. You steal things. It's a comedy game,' explains developer of comedy game where you steal things with a very long arm
The heroes are attacked by monsters
Pillars of Eternity is getting turn-based combat to mark its 10th anniversary, and that means PC Gamer editors will soon be arguing about combat mechanics again