Microsoft's developer event 'Game Stack Live' dated for April 2021

Game Stack is a suite of tools to help companies manage their game dev efforts, and there's a host of new features on the way.

What you need to know

• Game Stack Live is a developer event from Microsoft.
• The showcase is free to register for and will take place on April 20 and 21.
• Microsoft will reveal more about the event in the coming weeks.

Microsoft Game Stack is a suite of tools, services, and middleware designed and maintained to help game developers and publishers build experiences. From Simplygon to Havok, DX12 Ultimate and PlayFab, Microsoft's tools are among the best in the industry. Microsoft's toolkit is also potentially set to grow even more robust after Microsoft acquires Bethesda/ZeniMax in the coming weeks, adding the legendary id Tech engine to its stable of technologies.

Navigating the products and services on offer to developers across PC, Xbox, and other platforms can be a daunting task for a newcomer (even more so if you're not a game dev, whew). To that end, Microsoft hosts its own game dev conference dubbed Game Stack Live, which is returning to the airwaves on April 20-21 with an emphasis on game development.

Microsoft says that Game Stack Live 2021 will be its biggest yet, with more keynote speakers than ever. Some of the topics Microsoft has listed on the Game Stack Live announcement are as follows.

• Accessibility & Inclusion
• Audio
• Graphics
• Multiplayer
• Publishing & Production
• Systems and Tools

Over the coming weeks, Microsoft will reveal more detail about the available sessions, as well as who some of the available speakers will be. Registration for Game Stack Live is completely free, and can be accessed here.

For gamers, don't expect this event to reveal any upcoming games or anything along those lines. Game Stack tools are used across the industry, for all game services and platforms, including Xbox and Windows competitors. Games like Minecraft, Rainbow Six Siege, and Fall Guys use Game Stack products like PlayFab, and more, despite not necessarily being Xbox-exclusive. What this event will potentially feature is new game development techniques devs can leverage on RDNA2 and DX12 Ultimate on compatible platforms.

Either way, the show should prove productive for the industry, as well as Microsoft, as it moves deeper into providing cloud-based services for the booming game industry.