This newly released DirectX 12 API could revolutionize PC games

Microsoft's breakthrough DirectStorage API tech, which promises to accelerate NVMe storage speeds, is now available to all PC game developers.

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PC devs can now supercharge loading screens and rendering in their games with DirectStorage integration. The new API accelerates asset pipeline delivery by completely bypassing the CPU and blasting data directly to the GPU for on-screen rendering. The result will fully unlock the power of NVMe SSDs and deliver true PCIe Gen 4x4 (and beyond) levels of throughput. For an in-depth explanation on how DirectStorage works, click here.

DirectStorage is also compatible with Windows 10 games, however Microsoft notes that Windows 11 is the "recommended path for gaming" because it has certain optimizations built into the OS.

Microsoft also released a new version of PIX, the Xbox debugging tool for console/Windows game development, that's compatible with DirectStorage.

Starting today, Windows games can ship with DirectStorage. This public SDK release begins a new era of fast load times and detailed worlds in PC games by allowing developers to more fully utilize the speed of the latest storage devices.

With DirectStorage, games can quickly load assets to the graphics card without bogging down the CPU. This means you'll get to experience incredibly detailed game worlds rendered at lightning speeds, without long load times. "DirectStorage Optimized" Windows 11 PCs are configured with the hardware and drivers needed to enable this amazing experience.