Microsoft Windows 10 OS with DirectX 12 API Launching in July 2015 – Reveals AMD in Earnings Call

Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 10 operating system has the eyes of pretty much the entire PC world on it. From tech geeks who are awaiting the shiniest update to the OS lineup to hardware enthusiasts who are anxiously awaiting the bundled low level API, Windows 10 couldn’t come soon enough. AMD, in their conference call let slip that the probably launch window for Windows 10 (pardon the pun) is the month of July.

AMD reveals that Windows 10 with DirectX 12 API is landing in late July 2015

The launch of Windows 10 would be a pretty big moment for the Industry. For enthusiasts like me, it will be because of the included DX12 API and the support of feature_level sets such as 12_0. Low level access to GPUs is something that should have been here long ago, but hey, later is better than never. At AMD’s recent earnings call, the CEO of the silicon giant let slip that they are expecting the OS to launch by late July. Here is an extract from the transcript:

“What we also are factoring in is, with the Windows 10 launch at the end of July, we are watching the impact of that on the back-to-school season, and expect that it might have a bit of a delay to the normal back-to-school season inventory buildup,” -Lisa Su, CEO AMD

Ofcourse, just because the API has launched doesn’t mean there will be game support from the get go. While there will be multiple titles that support the new DirectX12 (if Microsoft is to be believed) and Unreal Engine 4 is already in early access to fully understand and exploit the new API, the industry wouldn’t truly pick up till later this year. The presence of launch day games mean we should be able to thoroughly judge the API and view (hopefully) unbiased results instead of relying on company benches.

By holiday season however, we should have a very wide variety of DX12 games.  DX12 is probably one of the most important features of Windows 10 (if not the most important), primarily because a successful launch of the same will also ensure much needed migration from Windows 7 to Windows 10, something that Microsoft now desperately needs. If Microsoft is able to successfully shift its user base from Windows 7 to Windows 10, that would be something of a win for the company, considering so far the enthusiasts have mostly rejected Windows 8 and 8.1 (as indicated by surveys).