Gaming

Windows Vista delivers simply great gaming. Playing the games you love with Windows Vista is easier, more exciting, and more fun than ever before. Choose from a wide selection of games and experience amazingly realistic 3-D graphics in a safer gaming environment for the whole family.

Experience the future of gaming

Play the next generation in gaming, with hyper-realistic visuals and incredible performance. With DirectX 10 included, Windows Vista will be able to run the latest, most graphically advanced games. You can even plug an Xbox 360 controller into your PC and use it to play action games the way they were meant to be played.

Eye-popping graphics in Microsoft Flight Simulator X.

Get into the game

With the new Games Explorer, install, find, and start your games with surprising ease. Learn more about a game by reviewing game data—including content rating—with just a click of the mouse. Here you can launch any installed game and find links to publisher websites where you can get the latest game updates. You can also check your system’s compatibility with other games using the easy-to-read Windows System Performance Rating (WinSPR).

Games Explorer organizes all your gaming resources.

Play with greater confidence

With the flexible Parental Controls in Windows Vista, you can rest easy knowing that your Windows Vista–based PC will play only age-appropriate games—and only for a duration that you’ve deemed suitable. Similar to the powerful Family Settings that Microsoft designed for Xbox 360, Windows Vista parental controls help you manage which games your children can play, which programs they can use, and which websites they can visit—and when. Every family and every child is different, and Windows Vista makes it easy for parents to tailor usage profiles to the age and personal interests of each child.

Base PC game permissions on game ratings.

Put more playtime in your family time

Whether you're a fan of first-person shooters or a puzzle enthusiast, one simple fact stands tall: you don't have to be a hard-core gamer to join in the fun. Windows Vista has the power and performance you need to fully enjoy today's games. From the simple to the spectacular, you'll find PC and online games for Windows for every age and ability. And now you can enjoy them in a whole new way. With premium games and Windows Media Center included, Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate make it possible for you to play and view the new Chess Titans and Mahjong Titans right on your TV so the whole family can savor the competition.^G