DirectStorage, when combined, should result in faster game loading and level transition times, more detailed textures, and fewer in-game popups.

The DirectStorage API from Microsoft has finally been made available to game developers. This means that one of the Xbox Series X's most exciting features is coming to the PC.

Because of optimized NVMe SSD accesses, The API promises faster loading times. A game could previously only perform one in/out access at a time. This was not an issue when hard drives were used, but now that most gaming PCs have SSDs capable of transferring gigabytes per second with hundreds of thousands of in-out operations per second (IOPS), it's clear that a better method was required. Thus DirectSotarge was developed to solve this.

By allowing multiple I/O operations to run concurrently, DirectStorage enables an NVMe SSD to reach its full performance potential. It enables assets to be transferred directly to the GPU, resulting in increased efficiency.

Because most game assets are compressed, the CPU must be accessed before the asset can be loaded. In the future, DirectStorage will add support for GPU file compression and decompression tasks, which are well suited to a GPU's enormous processing power and memory bandwidth.

DirectStorage, when combined, should result in faster game loading and level transition times, more detailed textures, and fewer in-game popups.

Microsoft adds that DirectStorage can potentially accelerate load time over "any kind of storage device," such as an HDD. However, the most significant improvements will occur when the relevant game is installed on NVME SSDs beginning with PCIe Gen 3.0.

Microsoft has yet to reveal the names of any games that will use the technology, which is somewhat surprising. However, games developed by Microsoft studios or Xbox exclusives will undoubtedly come first. Third-party developers will have to devote development resources, and given that no supporting games have been announced, it may be some time before we see it in action on the PC.

Nvidia previously announced its RTX IO technology, which is based on DirectStorage. Nvidia promises many of the same things, such as rapid file decompression and fast load times, which are ideal for games with open worlds or highly detailed textures.

DirectStorage will be made available to users of Windows 10 and Windows 11, though of course, MS recommends the use of Windows 11 for the best results because of older OS's "legacy storage stacks.

The company will talk more about DirectStorage at the Game Developers Conference on March 22.