The June GDK for Xbox platforms comes with a major improvement for developers who are working on games for the Xbox Series S console.
According to a new video shared on the Microsoft Game Dev YouTube channel, the June GDK for Xbox platforms makes development on Xbox Series S easier in addition to other improvements that benefit both consoles and PC.
Improved Memory Allocation On Xbox Series S
According to the video, Xbox Series S developers now have access to hundreds of additional megabytes of RAM. This will give them a bigger memory budget to work with, allowing them to dial up textures and other visual parameters in previously memory-constrained scenarios.
Improved Performance For Graphics Allocations
The improvements brought forth via the June GDK will also allow developers to manage memory allocation more effectively. Microsoft has fixed a problem where virtual addresses for graphics were allocated much slower than those for non-graphics.
Improved PC Game Development Experiences
The video outlines a number of improvements for PC development. They are stated as follows:
- Auto-synchronized cloud saves and sign-in
- A simplified user model
- Startup screen that is displayed before the title is rendered
- Game update checks that are performed for packaged builds
- Capability for debugging packages and testing a title in a retail environment
Improved Storage Management For DLC Content
The June GDK improves the handling of storage for DLC content. Developers now have greater control over how storage space constraints affect the end user. With the improved system, users will no longer be required to head to their storage settings in order to make space for DLC when needed.
HDR Improvements For Streaming
Based on the video, the June GDK improves the accuracy of HDR content when streaming Xbox game content on a remotely connected device.
For the uninitiated, the Xbox Series S is comparable in its hardware to the Xbox Series X, similar to how the Xbox One S relates to the Xbox One X, but has less processing power. While it employs a lesser GPU, a proprietary RDNA2 with 20 CUs running at 1.55 GHz for 4 TFLOPS as opposed to the Series X’s 12 TFLOPS, it uses the same CPU with slightly lower clock speeds. It does not feature an optical disc drive and comes with 10 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD storage unit with a raw input/output speed of 2.4 GB/s. As a result, the user must obtain all software through digital distribution.
