DirectX12 and its advanced rendering features have been one of the big advantages of Windows 10 for a number of gamers who are interested in playing the games that are built upon the Microsoft API. However, almost four years after the release of the flagship operating system, DirectX12 can now be enjoyed by some gamers on Windows 7 as well, thanks to the latest World of Warcraft patch.
It wasn't easy though. Microsoft had to be pushed into it. According to the announcement, Microsoft said that feedback from Blizzard had encouraged it to make it possible — likely due to the large number of gamers still running Windows 7.
"We have ported the user mode D3D12 runtime to Windows 7," it said in a statement. "This unblocks developers who want to take full advantage of the latest improvements in D3D12 while still supporting customers on older operating systems."
Although it goes out of its way to make it clear that the "best DirectX12 performance will always be on Windows 10," due to some OS optimizations, Microsoft did suggest that this patch will improve performance for those running it with DirectX12 compatible graphics cards. That means anything Nvidia 900-series or newer, and AMD 200-series or newer.
The patch in question is 8.1.5, which not only introduces DX12 mode for Windows 7, but new Kul Tiran Humans and Zandalari Trolls, new quests in the War Campaign and Naga World, a new raid called the Crucible of Storms, Pet Battles, and a whole lot more.
Microsoft has promised more games will soon support DX12 under Windows 7, despite the old operating system losing its regular security updates sometime in 2020.