Thanks to ooo for this.
"DirectX 9 will be the last DX release for a while, as Microsoft focuses resources on making bigger improvements for PC gaming in Longhorn, including introducing a standard controller.
At GDC, we had a chance to sit down with Dean Lester, the head of Microsoft's Windows Graphics and Gaming division, to hear about the software giant's major new project to make the PC a better gaming platform. Lester acknowledged that two or three years of the company's attention was focused on launching the Xbox, but he said that now it's the PC's turn. The PC gaming initiative has support from "Bill and Ballmer" on down, and it's enough of a priority that there are some 200 people working on it. Basically, Microsoft will make improving the PC gaming experience one of the central appeals of Longhorn, the next major version of Windows that's expected in about two years.
Before saying too much about where Microsoft is going, it's important to know where the platform stands. We've seen major releases of DirectX nearly every year since the standard debuted in the early days of Windows 95. Lester revealed that DirectX 9 packs enough features to be future-proof and is a temporary stopping place for DX development. ATI, Nvidia, and other hardware companies have spelled out their road maps in enough detail that DX9 has previously unannounced support for all the next-generation graphics features, and as a result Microsoft doesn't expect to release another major DirectX update for a couple of years. "
View: Article @ Gamespot
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