DirectX 11.1 coming to Windows 8 only, no Windows 7 love

So it looks like at some point we will all have to upgrade to Windows 8 whether we like it or not - when PC games begin requiring DirectX 11.1. As spotted by the beautiful people at Games.On.Net, a Microsoft support thread revealed an unfortunate detail about the next iteration of DirectX - namely that like DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 before it it will only be supported by the latest operating system - Windows 8.

Apart from a slew of technical jibber jabber, DirectX 11.1's main boon comes in the form of support for native Stereoscopic 3D - meaning the games using it will no longer have to insist you use a specific video card if you want to get a headache play in 3D. While the slow decline of 3D as a feature means this aspect won't be too important, the various other benefits of 11.1 mean that at some point we will have to bite the bullet and move up (if you haven't already) if we want the latest and greatest graphical marvels.

No doubt however, like DirectX 10 and Windows XP, some industrious folks will find a way to get 11.1 working in Windows 7 - but the amount of screwing about required for such hackery means most will probably choose the path of least resistance. Personally I'm not too bothered by Windows 8 - while the closed market arguments people like Gabe Newell have made about the operating system are something to watch out for, Windows 8 isn't there yet. On the other hand, there is no better way to make me stubbornly refuse to upgrade a product than to demand I upgrade or miss out. What do you think? Have you got Windows 8 already, or will you never get it in protest? Let us know in the comments below!