How would Microsoft destroy win32 platform?

Community Community & Industry Discussion
49

One look at Apple’s App Store revenue graph gives a pretty good argument why Microsoft would want to adopt this model.

I think both Gabe Newell’s and Sweeney’s thoughts are a realistic estimation of the situation - long term, of course.

For example, is their platform open enough to build something like Steam on top of UWP? Of course not, apps that install other apps are a security concern (operating systems that install apps and prevent us from removing them are ok, however :D). If they simply push UWP hard and reposition Win32 as legacy and/or server platform they will already hurt Valve.

The sad part is that if this future comes to pass, app stores will limit to curated, filtered and sanitized content. Someone wants to publish a thought-provoking book/movie/game that satirizes religion? not on our app store, it might offend people. Question moral standards? Nope. Criticize a government? Nope. Use erotica to drive a story or push boundaries? Nope. An inconsequential time sink that tries to rob people via IAP? Yes, you’re welcome.

50

Easy - make it less viable for distribution than UWP. Add some little inconveniences to win32 that won’t be a roadblock, but would be enough to make developer think more about UWP. continuously release cool features for UWP only, create new inconveniences for win32 and consistently market UWP(Much more secure! Big exposure for your apps!).

Why do they should care about promoting/improving win32 if UWP earn money for them? If they wanted to earn money with selling W10 they would take another route for its promotion, but they clearly just want to maximize userbase in order to maximize possible profit from UWP. This is not bad, as a platform owner and developer it’s pretty smart thing to do. Also, as a platform owner, you will see Steam and other stores as rivals - they distribute same content as you, however they don’t pay a penny to you for using your platform.

A logical step for them to either mark other Stores as bad/insecure or demand a cut. Is it bad? No, I guess! It’s Microsoft platform and their rules, other companies did the same!

The problem - everyone except Microsoft lose in this scenario.

52

Haha - I love conspiracy theories. :smiley:

Especially because nobody cares about it until somebody (in this case ) makes up some wild speculations. I also like @Dementiurge theory:

I would extend it a little bit:

Valve paid to use his fame to damage Microsoft (and now @Dementiurge theory kicks in), so that Valve can stop supporting Steam on Windows.

That would be a perfect move. They’ve just published SteamOS and want to sell some Steam-Machines.

53

On Android, you need to enable sideloading once with a setting as easy to find and use as any other.

On Windows, you get a custom installer that more often than not tries to install Ask Toolbar or similar crapware. And when you uninstall, better pray the program is actually removed.

In my eyes it is easier on Android, but that is not the important part. The reason the Play Store is dominating is that it is way easier than sideloading and classic Windows installs. That is the same reason Steam is so popular, it is a solution to the archaic way to handle apps on Windows. And if Windows as a mainstream platform is to survive, it needs a native app store. Of course Microsoft wants the 30%, but even more they want Windows to remain relevant so they can keep the revenue streams they already got.

54

And yet, it is not possible to build a successful business around selling applications that require this setting changed.

Agreed! To the user it’s easier! And to the developer, that “ease” comes with a significant cost – a cost often much higher than the entire cost to develop the software in the first place.

Does a desktop OS need the same kind of business model as a phone OS to stay relevant? I don’t know. The Mac App store is a disaster, and that was built by people who built the original iOS App Store, and has been around for years.

What will Microsoft do with all the workstation apps that actually make the workstation? Someone paying thousands of dollars for a CAD system or video production system or whatever, is unlikely to want to pay 30% extra to the store. Those vendors will go Linux before they allow that to happen. Which leaves two kinds of software to the Windows store: Simple apps, and Games. Simple apps may be dying on the desktop (at least as a business) – they are migrating to mobile. And games are already served by at least Steam, Origin, and Blizzard clients (probably more.)
Desktop OSes are used by power gamers and by power professionals. Microsoft is trying to “make Windows relevant” in a niche that no longer exists.

55

I believe as soon as more new Games start to use Vulkan, Windows will slowly become obsolete for most players. But SteamOS is definitely not the golden key to that.
At this point it would fall back into the “Enterprise” section. Also this would go in hand with what M$ is currently doing to the desktop platform. They rape it, kill it, revive it, and rape it again.

56

I think this belongs here

Epic’s own hosting framework (Single - and Multiplayer) Epic's own hosting framework (Single - and Multiplayer) - Feedback for Unreal Engine team - Unreal Engine Forums

59

Just downloaded a game yesterday and it was a Android FLash game ported to PC… WTF who cares about what Microsoft will do to them… WTF are they doing to themselves…

Can anyone say Kongregate but as a APP… Steam sighh…

Not to mention after trying to find new gaming flare, most i downloaded had reviews of the DEVS forgetting about the game, One even stated it was a mistake to release it…

Will this become ME after i hopefully become a PRO…???..

60

I don’t think that Micro$oft is going to kill Steam. But Win32 must die!

Because if M$ had a look at Steam, they would see that Steam is not just some simple launcher. And I just assume they did have a look at Volvo’s nerdy* creation.

  • I had to download the Metro skin for Steam… Obviously GabeN ain’t a god. It’s OK. Gamers like to exaggerate. I would know. :slight_smile:

Steam does have a different review system. It does have a Community hub with forums, screenshots, videos, groups, and all that jazz. Steam is so different, that the Win Store is never going to be like it, even in the future! Because it’s simple not the Windows Store’s purpose to be like Steam.

I think M$ actually knows this. At least I hope if they didn’t know, that now they are aware that the PC Gamer Kind of the Glories PC Gaming Race, would find M$ and burn them alive if M$ killed Steam without delivering something equal, or better.

However, regarding Win32. Steam itself is for free because we indirectly pay for it by buying games at the store. Volvo takes 30% of any game sold. I do like the idea of only having to buy Window 10 one last time, and getting features, fixes, security patches for free for the rest of all eternity. M$ said that there is not going to be a Windows 10 successor. So no Windows 11. And the Windows Store could make this an actual reality. You know, things cost money. It could pay for the future development of Window 10.

And have a thought about this little logic. Volvo built its empire on M$'s shoulders, and they don’t pay a cent to that what is giving it all that power in the first place!? I can’t help but to wonder, who is the crook now. Volvo or M$. Because now it’s Volvo. To my opinion, killing Win32 and “closing” Window 10, ain’t Big Cat Capitalism. It is a normal step that had to happen sooner or later. Until now, it just wasn’t necessary because M$ could manage to sell copies of Windows in very large quantities.

Well, I’m not gonna pretend. I’m not an expert on M$'s financial state. I’m not selling or making OSs. So correct me if I’m wrong. But if M$ fails to make money out of the store, than whether we like it or not, the development of Windows 10 could slow down or even stop.

61

I’m moving to Linux and am not looking back. The only way I’ll run M$ again is in something like VirtualBox.

62

So, which joker at Epic Games moved my original post (above) from the section General Discussion, in here (Off-Topic)?

First of all. The description of the General Discussion sub-forum reads: “General discussion about the game industry and the Unreal Engine community.”
But this, Off-Topic sub-forum reads: “Anything and everything else - Breakfast cereals, movies, who was the best batman? Off-Topic is the place for everything not Unreal Engine.”

How the heck would my topic not affect the Unreal Engine? If there is no Win32, the launcher and even the whole freaking engine would have to be ported to UWP.

Secondly. The topic of “How would Microsoft destroy win32 platform?” ain’t the same as “I don’t think that Micro$oft is going to kill Steam. But Win32 must die!”

And Sweeney said that M$ is stupid… :open_mouth:

Who likes conspiracy theories? Because I got one. It goes like this: Why did Epic Games move my Original Post into this wrong section with a wrong topic? Far away from the other posts where more people would read it? Because, Epic Games doesn’t want people to know the truth… har… har…

63

Maybe if there would be more developers for ReactOS it could nuke windozzz out of picture. Some celebrity could hire developers easily instead they spend money on drinking and buying 100 cars and use narcotics and waste money on useless overkill sized superhouses.

64

It looks like one of our mods moved the thread because the original post was more about the operating system and changes coming to it, but I see what you’re saying. I’ve moved this back to General Discussion since this whole thread is more about Steam and what is going to happen to the games market.

65

Thanks. I don’t mind if my post remains merged with this one. But the moving back to General Discussion had to be done.

66

Hey ,

I was the one who merged it after discussing it with another mod. We decided to merge it to minimize the number of threads on the same topic.

I was not aware there was already another ongoing thread besides yours in General Discussion so I apologize for that, if I had known I would have merged it there instead. To be clear there is no conspiracy here, it wasn’t even Epic who did this (mods are not Epic staff), we’re just trying to keep discussions on the same topic in a single place since multiple threads don’t help us or other users wanting to add their opinions. The topic of the thread is irrelevant, this is done routinely to allow your post to contribute to the ongoing discussion.

Sorry for the confusion. :slight_smile:

EDIT: We have merged the other thread that were here in General Discussion into this thread since they both pertain to the Win32 platform (Steam, UE4, the launcher, etc).

67

But, all conspirators do deny their conspiracy… har… har…

Yeah, I know. It was only a joke. :slight_smile:

I think that the likelihood of a conspiracy in any group of people with a decent IQ or education, couldn’t even happen that easily. Because that would go against their own intellect. And what may have happened at M$ ages ago. Well, M$ was even big back . It is not M$ leadership that would conspire, it is more like somebody in between. Also there is the thing that M$ actually does have the right to kick some butt, to some extend. Since all that software is thair’s, and therefore they are who make the rules.

At least for as long as M$ manages to keep up with a better Windows 10 that ain’t another Windows 8. I couldn’t even care if M$ killed Steam. Well, actually I’m already thinking about of asking M$ to create a Steam equivalent, that could be used for ALL the content on the Window Store.

I would love to see this so called God to sweat like pig and run for his life. What? Have you had a look at the Steam Controller? Did you nothing something? Well, I did… Also the Windows Presentation Foundation is much better looking than what ever the hell Steam is using.

Gotta say that one couldn’t have enough Death Stars in his garage, for she needs more Death Stars! Now since M$ is about to ***** slap the free nature of Windows. The time is now to construct a new Death Star!?

Aside a forum for apps, I would love to have a forum for the movies I bought/rented on the Window Store. I kinda don’t feel like going to another website and register, only that I could talk about how Batman V Superman lacked story. Yeah, there is YouTube. But I think a more centralized form could be added to the Windows Store, and that would be much better. People watch other movies, too. And I think even the movie makers could make use of the feedback in such forums.

I want GabeN to sweat like pig and run for his life. Because Steam ain’t using its own full potential.

69

Given that this topic was six years old, before being bumped by a reply that isn’t on topic, and that the original topic is no longer relevant due to the discontinuation of UWP support in Unreal Engine (and the requirement to use it in the Windows Store), I’m going to lock this topic and let it sink.