Great gaming experiences come in many shapes and sizes. Mobile and tablet gaming has become a huge success, while consoles continue to provide a thrilling experience. But when it comes to PC gaming, both Windows 7 games and Windows 10 games are still seen as the pinnacle of performance.
That's fairly remarkable considering just how long PC gaming has been around. It may be a classic way to play games, but there is undoubtedly plenty of life left in this platform.
Windows games are titles designed or adapted to be played on Microsoft’s famous Windows operating system.
The chances are that all of us have used a device that runs Windows at some point in our lives, as the OS has a truly enormous market share. However, while it has been useful for tackling work tasks and other day-to-day admin for many years, the operating system also has a long history of providing top-quality gaming experiences.
These might range from the simple pleasures of casual games to more complex and immersive titles played on high-performance, specialist gaming PCs.
Windows games have been on a fascinating journey through the years.
Microsoft released the first version of Windows in 1985, but the company’s success reached a whole new level when it launched Windows 95.
The operating system was a massive global success and many other versions have followed since, including Windows 98, XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 10. Some expect the latter to be the last version of Windows, with it receiving regular and ongoing updates moving forward.
The huge market share that Windows has developed means it now boasts an incredibly rich back-catalogue of games.
Gaming has been part of the operating system in some form or another for many years, with older versions of Windows including simple but well-loved games pre-installed. However, the quality of Windows games has improved massively in recent times thanks to the increased capabilities of both the operating systems and the hardware that run them.
For example, Microsoft now offers Game Mode, which is said to boost the computer’s performance. The idea is simple: when you’re playing games in Game Mode the operating system will stop any background activities on your computer. This means you’ll enjoy smoother performance as there are more resources available for your computer to use.
Exciting innovations are emerging all the time as well, with Microsoft notably creating a new way to play through Xbox Game Pass with cloud gaming. The service arguably brings a new meaning to what can be defined as Windows 10 games, as it allows players to access more than 100 games on Xbox, Windows 10 PCs,
Android smartphones, and tablets.
The future of Windows games is looking pretty bright, so what is it about the Windows OS that makes playing on it a more enjoyable experience? Here are just a handful of reasons why you should try Windows 10 games today.
Desktop computers and laptops can pack a real punch in terms of performance these days and Windows in particular can help you get the best experience out of your games. When playing, you could benefit from faster performance and a smoother gaming experience.
One of the greatest appeals of gaming on Windows is multi-monitor support. Using multiple monitors can enhance your gaming experience by giving you a greater view of your environment. Microsoft recently implemented the Windows Display Driver Model update, which allows for improved performance by managing video memory more efficiently on your graphics cards. The problem before with multi-monitor setups was stuttering caused by different refresh rates for each monitor. But the update has appeared to resolve this problem, with no stuttering occurring when moving windows between the two monitors.
Further, a drawback of playing video games on a PC, especially for racing games, was that you had to use your keyboard and mouse as controls. The Xbox controller has become widely known for its superior performance in gameplay, and the Windows 10 update has provided a solution by allowing these controllers to be supported natively. This means superior control and another avenue for a greater gaming experience.
The standard of graphics that you can enjoy in the best Windows games at the moment is second to none. You can discover a crystal-clear, immersive experience, with many titles featuring a high level of detail. Windows 10 also brings support of inline raytracing and variable rate shading, which allows developers to improve the efficiency of your graphics card. This means games using these features will perform better while taking advantage of the increased graphical fidelity that raytracing brings.
Another advantage to Windows gaming is that Microsoft is continually developing its graphics software “DirectX”. This is a collection of software systems that allows developers to code graphics and take advantage of your computer’s graphics card capabilities. In 2015, Microsoft released DirectX 12 promising greater performance. This was achieved by cutting out unnecessary software systems that only absorbed resources without benefit. Games using DirectX 12 boast better frame-rates compared to previous iterations. Especially with the introduction of inline raytracing and variable rate shading, Windows games now put less strain on your graphics processing unit.
Windows 10 has been around for several years now, but across the internet you’ll frequently hear that some people still prefer to play games on Windows 7. So, if you’re getting started with Windows games, what should you opt for? Here we compare Windows 10 games with the experience available on the earlier OS.
One reason people may prefer playing games on Windows 7 is because they believe the switch tabs function on it is more responsive. Compatibility in general may also be better with Windows 7: it’s been said that Windows 10 is prone to having issues when running older titles.
Previously, DirectX 12 hadn’t been released for the Windows 7 operating system. But in 2019, Microsoft did release DirectX 12 for those who prefer Windows 7, allowing more Windows 7 games to be played using it. It was offered on a per-game basis, meaning developers have to collaborate with Microsoft to get full compatibility. The good thing is that the number of games that are compatible is only growing.
If you choose to play on Windows 10, you can take advantage of a host of apps not available to those playing on Windows 7. The Windows 10 games experience gets a particular boost from tools such as the Xbox Game Bar and the Xbox Console Companion. These apps allow players to stream content from an Xbox One to a PC monitor and also to take screen grabs of their gameplay. As it is the Xbox One and not the PC that is still running the content, it doesn’t matter whether your PC has the latest specs; you’ll just be using your device as a viewing screen for Windows 10 games.
In an update to the Windows 10 operating system, users were also given more GPU options. This included allowing users with multiple GPUs the option to assign a specific GPU to individual applications and enabling Windows 10 to decide what GPU an application uses when it starts up. This gives people who play Windows 10 games the GPU most suited to their immediate needs since they can easily specialize one so that it works like a discrete graphics card, boosting their gaming experience.
Ultimately your choice of either Windows 7 games or Windows 10 games will be dependent on what is best for you and your budget. One thing is clear, though – there are plenty of signs that gaming looks set to play a big role in the platform’s plans for years to come.
PC gaming has been hugely popular for a great number of years and the variety and excitement of Windows games has played a key role in that. There is truly something for everyone in the world of Windows games. A diverse collection of titles is available, so you can enjoy everything from puzzles and strategy games to adventure and battle royale mayhem.
Windows games are currently continuing a rich tradition, and with the operating system also offering some exciting gaming features, the future certainly looks to be bright for this form of gaming. Scroll up and try some games now!