• PC World
• »Software
• »Operating Systems

Can I Play Games in Win 2000?

Q: I've gotten mixed signals. Can I play games in Windows 2000?

A: We wouldn't call Windows 2000 a gamer's paradise, but it's not nearly as feeble as some have made it out to be. Our answer: You bet!

Many of the problems that gamers experienced when Windows 2000 was first released have been fixed, and nearly all new titles work with Windows 2000.

Windows 2000 shipped with DirectX 7, but DirectX 8.0a is the current version. Since most games rely on DirectX, you should download and install the latest version.

There are some tricks you can use to get games to play under Windows 2000 and boost gaming performance. For example, the Application Compatibility utility can fool aged games into thinking they're running under older editions of Windows or DirectX.

The best place we've found on the Web to check if a specific game works in Windows 2000 is the Games list on the NT Compatibility Web site. There's no search tool on this site, so you'll need to browse the list. Be warned: Games aren't listed in tight alphabetical order, there are multiple entries for many games, and you'll find scores of entries for Windows NT compatibility when you're probably only looking for Windows 2000. Your best bet is to use the index to locate the section labeled with the game's first letter, then use your browser's Find command (Ctrl-F in Internet Explorer, for instance) to search for the complete name.

Microsoft also released a series of compatibility updates that patch the operating system to permit specific programs to work--or work better--with Windows 2000. The most recent of these patches posted in March 2001. You'll find a list of the games covered by these updates on Microsoft's Web site, where you can also download the latest edition of the Windows 2000 Compatibility Updates file.