Microsoft adds gamer features to UWP
Microsoft announced two changes today that will improve the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) experience for gamers on Windows 10.
The company rolled out a number of features in the past to make Windows 10 the platform for gamers.
One of those features was to make DirectX 12 a Windows 10 exclusive which may remind you of a similar stunt Microsoft did when Windows Vista was released.
To establish Windows 10 as the gaming platform, and to improve the appeal of the company's Windows Store and Universal Windows Platform it even sacrificed the exclusivity of games by bringing games to its gaming console Xbox One and Windows 10.
While major game releases are far and few between, more and more games are starting to be released as regular PC versions and special UWP versions, especially with the introduction of Project Centennial which improves the porting process significantly.
Current games released for the platform suffer from missing features such as no modding support, no overlays, SLI or CrossFire support, or always on Vsync which locks the frame rate.
While some gamers may not mind these limitations, they are deal breakers for others.
Windows 10: New game features
Microsoft plans to release an update today that improves Universal Windows Platform gaming in two significant ways:
- Games and applications on the Universal Windows Platform are no longer forced to play games with a locked frame rate.
- The Universal Windows Platform supports AMD Freesync and Nvidia's G-Sync technology.
The update will be released today as part of the company's monthly Patch Day. Developers need to implement these new features in their games or applications however before they can be experienced by users.
Once applications take advantage of these new features, you will be able to play your UWP games with unlocked frame rates. We expect Gears of War: UE and Forza Motorsport 6: Apex to lead the way by adding this support in the very near future.
These updates to UWP join the already great support for unlocked frame rate and AMD and NVIDIA’s technologies in Windows 10 for classic Windows (Win32) apps.
Microsoft's own games, Forza Motorsport 6: Apex and Gears of War: Ultimate Edition will be among the first to receive updates that unlock frame rates and add support for Freesync and G-Sync for a smoother game play and no tearing effects.
At least some PC developers have criticized the Windows Store ecosystem for being a closed system.
Gamers on the other hand seem to love Windows 10. Recent Steam surveys show that gamers are using devices with Windows 10 to a far higher percentage. Most gamers on Windows 10 however seem to be running Win32 games and not Windows Store games right now.
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