Microsoft has confirmed that graphics software DirectX 11.1 will be exclusively avalable on Windows 8 and not Windows 7. "..At this point there is no plan" to make it available for Windows 7," reads an online post by Microsoft's daniel Moth at the MSDN forums.

Moth added he was "crossing his fingers" that the company will reverse its position.

The latest games are traditionally built using the latest version of DirectX, and as a result, Microsoft's stance may force PC gamers to migrate to a Windows 8 PC.

While Microsoft has decided not to support the latest graphics software for older operating systems, game developers like Valve have expressed resistance to Windows 8.