Is .NET Relevant to Game Developers? (Score 3, Informative)

Most definitely, in fact there already is DirectX for .NET -- it is called Managed DirectX. Microsoft developed version 9 to have an entire set of "Managed" components. These are used by the .NET Framework. I have been using the .NET Framework, C# and ASP.NET since October of 2000 (ASP+ at the time and Beta1). I have been using DirectX since version 5 and was involved with the beta testing of the Managed DirectX since June of last year. It was released in December. I am currently writing a 3D level editor and game using C# and Managed DirectX. The code is much more cleaner than typical C++ code. Since memory is managed there aren't any memory leaks and I have found that most things are just fine with that. However, if there is a part of the program that needs to be sped up (which isn't as much as you might think) then it can be done with "unsafe" code within C#, or even talk directly to unmanaged C++ code. Either way, the point is COM programming will be going away -- BUT -- it isn't going to immediate, nor does it need to be. The interops in place allow any COM object to be easily used as a .NET assembly. Don't worry, game development on the Windows OS will not be going anywhere any time soon. .NET will help make more robust games, not hinder.