Directx End User Runtime June 2010 < Direct >

If you are shipping a game on Steam or Itch.io, always run the DXSetup.exe as part of your installation chain. Do not assume the user has it. They probably don't.

However, it is arguably the most important "invisible" software for PC gaming preservation. Without it, thousands of classic titles would be unplayable on modern hardware. directx end user runtime june 2010

Thankfully, this is harmless. The actual files are installed to C:\Windows\System32 (or SysWOW64 for 32-bit), and the installer is smart enough not to overwrite newer files with older ones. If you encounter a missing DLL error, do not download a DLL file from a random website. That is a fast track to malware. If you are shipping a game on Steam or Itch

If you have ever installed an older PC game from a CD, DVD, or a digital storefront like Steam or GOG, you have likely seen that familiar progress bar: “DirectX is installing…” followed by a flurry of file names like d3dx9_43.dll scrolling past. However, it is arguably the most important "invisible"

Thus, the responsibility falls to the game publishers—or the user—to install the legacy runtimes. If you check your "Programs and Features" list in Windows Control Panel right now, you might see multiple entries simply labeled "Microsoft DirectX End-User Runtime." Some gamers have ten or more entries. This is because every time a game installs the June 2010 package, Windows thinks it is a slightly different version.

The June 2010 release was the final standalone update to the family of libraries. It was a monumental "cumulative" update, meaning it contained every single DirectX 9, 10, and 11 runtime file released up to that date. The "DLL Hell" of Gaming Imagine buying a classic game from 2007— Bioshock , Mass Effect 2 , or Fallout 3 . You install it, hit "Play," and are greeted by an error: "The program can't start because d3dx9_43.dll is missing from your computer." That number at the end ( _43 ) is the key. That specific file was released with the June 2010 update. Without it, the game will not launch.