Home Gaming Epic’s CEO thinks Microsoft’s Universal Windows Platform is an abomination

Epic’s CEO thinks Microsoft’s Universal Windows Platform is an abomination

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The Universal Windows Platform has not been especially well received by gamers. Games sold on the Windows store in Windows 10 run poorly when compared to their Steam versions, and its delivery platform brings with it a host of inherent problems.

It’s not just gamers who’re up in arms though. It looks like developers have a bone to pick with Microsoft over its implementation too. In a very, very angry sounding piece on the Guardian by Epic’s Tim Sweeny, the outspoken developer says that Microsoft is “subverting the rights of developers and publishers to maintain a direct relationship with their customers.”

He believes the company is trying to monopolise how games re sold, and wants to put an end to UWP.

“The specific problem here is that Microsoft’s shiny new ‘Universal Windows Platform’ is locked down,” Sweeney goes on. “By default, it’s impossible to download UWP apps from the websites of publishers and developers, to install them, update them, and conduct commerce in them outside of the Windows Store.”

Sweeny asks that UWP be a little more open.

  • That any PC Windows user can download and install a UWP application from the web, just as we can do now with win32 applications. No new hassle, no insidious warnings about venturing outside of Microsoft’s walled garden, and no change to Windows’ default settings required.
  • That any company can operate a store for PC Windows games and apps in UWP format – as Valve, Good Old Games, Epic Games, EA, and Ubi Soft do today with the win32 format, and that Windows will not impede or obstruct these apps stores, relegating them to second-class citizenship.
  • That users, developers, and publishers will always be free to engage in direct commerce with each other, without Microsoft forcing everyone into its formative in-app commerce monopoly and taking a 30% cut.

“In my view, if Microsoft does not commit to opening PC UWP up in the manner described here, then PC UWP can, should, must and will, die as a result of industry backlash.

“Gamers, developers, publishers simply cannot trust the PC UWP “platform” so long as Microsoft gives evasive, ambiguous and sneaky answers to questions about UWP’s future, as if it’s a PR issue,” he says.

What do you think? Is Microsoft’s Store the devil?

Last Updated: March 4, 2016

22 Comments

  1. Commander Admiral Chief

    March 4, 2016 at 15:05

    It should GITC ASAP FFS

    Reply

    • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

      March 4, 2016 at 15:25

      Go Into Thwarted Crystallization As Symbiotic Arachnophobic Pilferers For Flaming Soot?

      Did I get that right?
      Oh, Congrats dude!

      Reply

  2. Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

    March 4, 2016 at 15:09

    Pfftt Steam, U-PLay, Origin and MUP can all go jump in a lake…

    GOG rules supreme! Say no to DRM!

    Reply

    • Commander Admiral Chief

      March 4, 2016 at 15:11

      Steam is live, Steam is all

      Begone you blasphemer!

      Reply

      • VampyreSquirrel

        March 4, 2016 at 15:14

        life*

        Reply

        • Commander Admiral Chief

          March 4, 2016 at 15:16

          It is live atm, so, not technically wrong…

          Reply

          • VampyreSquirrel

            March 4, 2016 at 15:23

            Nope, totally wrong.

          • Hammersteyn

            March 4, 2016 at 16:59

            You used it in the wrong context?

      • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

        March 4, 2016 at 15:49

        You are a potato!!!

        Reply

        • Commander Admiral Chief

          March 4, 2016 at 16:32

          PoTAHto

          Reply

      • Mark Treloar

        March 4, 2016 at 17:34

        Steam is so awesome that since I don’t currently have internet access I’m limited to games not in my Steam library. So screw Steam for not allowing offline installers.

        Reply

    • Kromas untamed

      March 4, 2016 at 16:48

      Don’t even get me started on that 9 year old computer science project they call gog galaxy.

      Steam forever!

      Reply

  3. Random guy

    March 4, 2016 at 15:12

    No valve should have the monopoly damnit!!!! :-p JK

    Reply

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      March 4, 2016 at 15:30

      lol awesome

      Reply

  4. HvR

    March 4, 2016 at 15:15

    O come the guy is paranoid when have Microsoft ever tried to monopolize the industry and use underhand tactics to undercut other industry players … o wait.

    Reply

    • Random guy

      March 4, 2016 at 15:16

      Haaaa I see what u did there

      Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      March 4, 2016 at 16:58

      lol

      Reply

  5. Fox1 - Retro

    March 4, 2016 at 16:55

    But Timmy, you can continue to operate as you were outside of the Windows Store on existing platforms. How’s UPlay and Origin treating you? Oh right, those platforms are for those publishers IP’s.

    PS: I don’t see the benefit of buying anything on the Windows Store as the same games won’t unlock on my Xbox.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      March 4, 2016 at 16:59

      People use UPlay and Origin?

      Reply

  6. Hammersteyn

    March 4, 2016 at 17:00

    If Microsoft’s Store is the Devil, then Steam is…. well not to blaspheme

    Reply

  7. Krabby Paddy

    March 4, 2016 at 18:00

    If you support the devil’s platform, then you deserve to have your games run like hell.

    Reply

  8. Pieter Kruger

    March 5, 2016 at 05:27

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