Microsoft Unveils DirectStorage 1.4: Enhancements with Zstandard Compression

Microsoft has introduced the beta version of DirectStorage 1.4, which includes the Zstandard feature aimed at accelerating game load times and data streaming.

Previously, Microsoft announced the gradual implementation of a full-screen Xbox interface for Windows 11 PCs starting in April. Recently, there have been hints about the possible addition of Cyberpunk 2077 to the Xbox Game Pass subscription.

Zstandard is a new compression algorithm utilized for game assets on Windows. According to Microsoft, this new feature offers an open standard designed to improve compression ratios, speed up loading, and ensure smooth resource streaming in games. The DirectStorage 1.4 Zstandard compression protocol is being developed by Microsoft in collaboration with leading GPU manufacturers, including AMD, Intel, NVIDIA, and Qualcomm.

The latest DirectStorage 1.4 release supports the Zstd codec, which meets all essential modern requirements such as compression ratio, decompression performance, and availability on both hardware and software levels, as well as widespread use. The source code for the Zstd compute shader has also been published on GitHub under DirectStorage.

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Intel’s corporate vice president of software, Lisa Pierce, stated that the company is working with Microsoft to optimize Zstandard decompression via DirectStorage across all GPU architectures.

NVIDIA’s lead engineer, Patrick Neill, confirmed that support for Zstandard and decompression optimization will be available for GeForce RTX graphics cards in the latter half of this year. Qualcomm has promised to introduce this standard on its platforms by year’s end.

Currently, the shader is under development and initially optimized for content split into blocks of 256 KB or smaller, aligning with modern game packaging patterns for streaming workloads.

“We aim to release optimizations for AMD GPUs in a publicly available driver by the second half of 2026 and are eager to see how developers leverage these investments to enhance the gaming experience,” noted AMD’s vice president of software development, Daniel Staheli.

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