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Valve says a "catastrophe" and Blizzard says "not awesome"

by Alistair Lowe on 30 July 2012, 14:13

Tags: Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI), Valve

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In typical Gabe Newell fashion, Valve's managing director and quite humorously, ex-Microsoft employee, has gone on record as saying "I think Windows 8 is a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space." Gabe was referring, in part, to the impact of the new OS's App Store, which for the RT platform at least, will be the only way to get apps onto Windows 8 devices, with Microsoft taking a healthy 30 per cent cut.

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Chiming in with Gabe's little chorus was Blizzard executive vice president, Rob Pardo, who took the opportunity to state in a tweet that Windows 8 is "not awesome for Blizzard either." This has us wondering if Microsoft's store fees extend to subscription-based services and is treading on the firm's toes a little, or if there's something in general about the platform from a development point-of-view that the firm isn't too happy with.

It appears as though Microsoft is going to have its work cut-out for it to convince game developers that Windows 8 is the way forward, though, we also suspect that one way or another, developers will have no choice but to fall in-line, given the huge potential roll-out on Microsoft's doorstep. Gabe's perhaps just feeling cosy from the progress Steam is making in the Linux space.



HEXUS Forums :: 37 Comments

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but apple has been like that for ages and these company's have wasted no time in getting their games out on mac. so I don't understand what they are complaining about.
although Microsoft are doing themselves no favours by charging 30% on a platform no one wants to develop on as it is. they should drop it 20% and give out copy's of RT for free to OEMs so they can compete on a fair playing field. if and when windows RT picks up maybe then look at making money from it. if Microsoft don't stop the rot soon they will find themselves completely out of the race.
well time for a Valve_OS then Gabe
Developers do have options. Don't produce on windows 8 and concentrate on consoles and Linux. I only use windows so I can play the games I want - if I could play them on Linux I would never buy windows again (or any Microsoft package for that matter)
must admit the only reason I dont use linux is because hardly any of my games work on it and I dont fancy jumping through hoops (like using wine) just to play a game at worse performance than MS operating systems and less reliably. The next fact is that there isnt anything that comes close to beating Visual studios which I use daily, until that actually works on Linux (doubtful) then I will be on an MS operating system for years to come, I like linux but its just unable to take me from MS as I always need one :(.

I think valve and Blizzard are just being silly, they seem to have no issues developing for an OS that had only a few % of the market when they went to developing on Mac but now that MS has an operating system that is integrating everything together they kick up a fuss… its most likely due to the fact their console will be a bit fudged if they are actually making it :P.


Oh and no one is forcing people to develop on Windows, its up to them just as they develop for the Iphone over Android and vice versa, it is their decision… both take cuts! And I think people forget that this 30% is nothing, as the fact is Windows is everywhere so the market potential is huge… its up to developers to decide if its worthwhile and tbh theres a lot of applications for windows so im pretty sure there will be lots and lots.
I wonder if the EU will have something to say about this latest approach by MS. They forced them to unbundle IE etc.