The API runtime implementation and the GPU decompression technology is delivered via the DirectStorage SDK, and ships with your game.

Additionally, because Windows 11 was built with DirectStorage in mind, games running on Windows 11 benefit further from new storage stack optimizations. This means that any game built on DirectStorage will benefit from the new programming model and GPU decompression technology on Windows 10, version 1909 and up.

Storage stack optimizations: On Windows 11, this consists of an upgraded OS storage stack that unlocks the full potential of DirectStorage, and on Windows 10, games will still benefit from the more efficient use of the legacy OS storage stack.

GPU decompression providing super-fast asset decompression for load time and streaming scenarios (coming in a later preview).

The new DirectStorage API programming model that provides a DX12-style batched submission/completion calling pattern, relieving apps from the need to individually manage thousands of IO requests/completion notifications per second.

ĭirectStorage features can be broken down into: As such, games built against the DirectStorage SDK will be compatible with Windows 10, version 1909 and up the same as the DirectX 12 Agility SDK. Microsoft is committed to ensuring that when game developers adopt a new API, they can reach as many gamers as possible. If you don’t have an NDA, stay tuned as we’ll be gradually rolling out to an increasing number of developers. For those of you that already have an NDA with us and are interested in this early preview, you can reach out to us at with your company information and the project you’d like to integrate DirectStorage into. If you are a developer that watched our GSL talk and signed up to be part of our NDA developer preview program, you’ll be happy to know that we have started rolling out our first preview kit to you. Since then, the DirectX team has been hard at work bringing this state-of-the-art tech from Xbox’s Velocity Architecture over to Windows, empowering game developers on both platforms to create new immersive gaming experiences with vastly reduced load times.

Late last year, we announced that we would be bringing DirectStorage to Windows PCs, and in June, we told the world how DirectStorage would improve the gaming experience on Windows 11.

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