One of the coolest things of DirectX 12 is its ability to support multiple GPUs from different vendors. This is a feature that is currently supported only in Ashes of the Singularity, and from the looks of it, it may come and to other DX12 games in the future.
Stardock revealed that it is currently working on a software solution – that’s part of DirectX 12 – that will let gamers enable multi-GPU support from different vendors in DX12 games. We’ve already seen this in action with Ashes of the Singularity, however it remains a mystery whether this software solution will be shared to other developers so they can actually use it in their games.
As Stardock’s CEO Brad Wardell told Venturebeat:
“One of the biggest problems with games is that a new video card comes out from AMD and Nvidia, and they’re like [expensive], and you have to make a call. I like my video card. I can play most games on it, and I don’t want to spend $800 on some new video card. But imagine, instead, hey, they’re having a sale [using my GTX 760 as an example]. Hey, they’re having a sale on an AMD 290 for $75. Wouldn’t it be cool to put this into your computer and double your performance. You keep this in there [the 760]. You put this in there [the 290], and your games are twice as fast without doing anything else.”
Stardock has been working on this for a whole year, and has been constantly talking with AMD and NVIDIA about this software solution.
Stardock and Microsoft will reveal more about this software solution during GDC 2016 (which starts today by the way).
Wardell concluded:
“They don’t love that part [mixing competing cards in one PC], but [what they do love] is the idea that people will buy more cards. It’s a major friction where someone says, ‘I have a card that works. I’m not going to spend $800.’ They don’t get the sale. But you’re going to get the same effect by adding [an] $80 video card [to your existing setup].”
John is the founder and Editor in Chief at DSOGaming. He is a PC gaming fan and highly supports the modding and indie communities. Before creating DSOGaming, John worked on numerous gaming websites. While he is a die-hard PC gamer, his gaming roots can be found on consoles. John loved – and still does – the 16-bit consoles, and considers SNES to be one of the best consoles. Still, the PC platform won him over consoles. That was mainly due to 3DFX and its iconic dedicated 3D accelerator graphics card, Voodoo 2. John has also written a higher degree thesis on the “The Evolution of PC graphics cards.”
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