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I find it quite funny that although this is all over the internet just lately, it’s actually old news. Square Enix confirmed last year that Just Cause 2 wouldn’t support Windows XP [1], seeing as the game is designed to take advantage of DirectX 10 technology, and we all know XP doesn’t support DirectX 10, only up to DirectX 9. Only Vista and Windows 7 do, in addition to DirectX 11.
"Just Cause 2 is an incredible looking title with one of the most richly detailed landscapes ever seen in a computer game, and to achieve this on the PC, the minimum specification includes a DirectX 10-compatible graphics card and operating system. The DirectX 10 and 10.1 APIs have allowed us to achieve an unparalleled level of visual quality, adding features and routines that simply would not be possible under DirectX 9. As a result, the graphical and performance gains have allowed us to create a game which raises the bar significantly in PC gaming and offers the player one of the most immersive and enjoyable gaming experiences."
And I’ve also noticed how on many forums and websites, those people who support Windows XP and haven’t upgraded to either Vista or Windows 7 are getting ridiculed now, because they won’t be able to play this game.
I for one still use Windows XP, even though I can easily get both Vista and Windows 7, but I haven’t made the switch yet, seeing as I’m waiting until I upgrade this year to do so. And even then I will likely still have a hard drive with Windows XP on it. I’m not really into Just Cause anyhow. I played the demo of the first game, but skipped buying it, and I’ll likely do the same with this one. Plenty of others out there that you can play on XP.
But it just goes to show that this is another step in the demise of the Operating System. Last year Microsoft reached the end of it’s free guaranteed service period for XP. Before that they tried to kill it with Windows Vista and failed. But I think that games are where it’s going to end up dying a slow (or quick) death, seeing as there will be more games like Just Cause 2 that won’t support XP, only Vista and Windows 7 (or just Windows 7), as they move on to newer, better technology, and that will see most of us switching to Windows 7. Not much of a hassle, but there you have it.
There have of course been other titles that have gone with later OSs, but this is just the latest one, and one big game that probably many are looking forward to.
Remember when games would support XP and 2000 with Windows 9X tagging along on the System Requirements? Then Windows 9X went out, then Windows 2000, and it looks the same way for XP now.
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Sources: [1] Eurogamer
