At GDC 2025, Microsoft announced major updates to ray tracing in Windows with the introduction of DirectX Raytracing (DXR) 1.2. The update promises improved image quality and performance, thanks to optimizations developed with AMD, Intel, Nvidia, and Qualcomm. The first demo is set to be showcased in April.
These enhancements could boost ray tracing performance by up to 2.3x, making GPU-intensive games run more efficiently. Microsoft highlighted two key innovations driving these improvements:
- Opacity Micromaps (OMM): This technology optimizes alpha-tested geometry, reducing shader workload and increasing rendering efficiency. OMM can deliver up to 2.3x better performance in path-traced games without sacrificing visual fidelity.
- Shader Execution Reordering (SER): By intelligently grouping shader operations, SER reduces GPU divergence and enhances frame rates. In some scenarios, rendering performance can double, leading to smoother and more immersive ray-traced experiences. This advancement also helps pave the way for more path-traced games in the future.
With DXR 1.2, Microsoft aims to make ray tracing more powerful and accessible for developers looking to push the boundaries of real-time graphics.
Nvidia Developing Drivers for DirectX Raytracing 1.2 Standard
These improvements are a welcome addition, as ray tracing remains highly demanding, even for the most powerful graphics cards. To maintain performance, gamers often rely on upscaling techniques and frame generation to offset the heavy GPU workload.
According to Microsoft, Nvidia has confirmed that its upcoming drivers will support DXR 1.2 on GeForce RTX GPUs. While AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm are also actively working on optimizations, Microsoft has not yet announced an official launch date for the update.
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