PC Gaming Week: How Windows 10 won over PC gamers, and how Microsoft plans to keep them there

By Joe Osborne

If you were to ask any PC gamer before July 29, 2015 what the best operating system (OS) was for PC gaming, they would immediately tell you, “Windows 7, stupid.” However, the answer to that question has changed rapidly over the past nine months.

According to Valve’s April Steam Hardware and Software survey, Windows 10 has grown to be the OS of choice for 38.18% of its users (as of this writing). That’s the majority by a stark 5% lead over Steam users’ next most popular choice – go figure – Windows 7.

The launch of Windows 10 last July heralded the next phase of its hugely popular PC gaming APIs – or application programming interfaces for game makers – in DirectX 12. Microsoft didn’t release that major upgrade for its older OSes.

Clearly, that move has paid off in dividends.

Sure, DX12 being exclusive to Windows 10 (and Xbox One, mind) has no doubt been a major motivator for PC gamers to take Microsoft up on the free upgrade. But, what about when that free upgrade period ends this July? What does …read more

Source:: techradar.com – Gaming