The world’s biggest PC video game makers aren’t very happy about Microsoft’s new operating system, Windows 8. Speaking with one-time Microsoft Game Studios chief, Ed Fries, at a Casual Connect earlier this week, Valve’s Gabe Newell described Microsoft’s plans as a “catastrophe.”
“Windows 8 is kind of a catastrophe for everybody in the PC space,” said Newell, “I think that we’re going to lose some of the top-tier PC [original equipment manufacturers]. They’ll exit the market. I think margins are going to be destroyed for a bunch of people. If that’s true, it’s going to be a good idea to have alternative to hedge against that eventuality.”
Newell says this is why Valve is pushing hard to bring its games, its Source engine, and the Steam digital distribution platform to the Linux operating system.
Is he alone in thinking that Windows 8 will be a disaster for the PC gaming industry? Blizzard’s Rob Pardo doesn’t think so. The StarCraft designer and current vice president of game design at Diablo III studio Blizzard said that he believes Microsoft’s new operating system will also be a thorn in his company’s side.
Pardo Tweeted on Wednesday, “Nice interview with Gabe Newell—‘I think Windows 8 is a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space’—not awesome for Blizzard either.”
The belief in the development community is that Microsoft will make Windows 8 a closed system, an operating system that seeks to more stringently control, much in the way that Apple does with Mac OS X and the iOS platform. This would allow Microsoft to better monitor the quality of applications running on its platform, but it will also wall off the most widely used operating system in the world from myriad developers. PC game makers use Windows because of the openness of the platform and its ubiquity. If Microsoft takes that openness away, what will developers do?
Windows 8 won’t be released until October of this year, so Microsoft still has time to decide exactly how free game and application makers will be to use the system. Valve and Blizzard are, by sales and reputation, the biggest PC game makers in the world and their influence over Microsoft’s platform isn’t insignificant. If Blizzard and others follow Valve to Linux platforms, what will Microsoft do to lure them back? Will PC gaming become increasingly based on streaming and browser-based solutions?
I think what they are really afraid of is the xBox integration – that would scare me if I were a PC game developer — how can you compete with that
I think what these companies are complaing about is profit margins. Up to now they have been used to developing new games and keeping all the revenue and profits for themselves and making Billions. Now Microsoft is asking for a cut from each game of 30% that gravey train is going. As usual it is lobbying using fear tactics by corporate interest only this case it is not being done on K street it is being done on our computers. Market forces will put Blizzard and Valve back inline, Linux is never going to be a threat to Windows it is too complicated for the average user so the games industry will have to embrace Windows 8 and manage the inbuilt cost of the 30% cut by MS. However, given the Half Life etc. are such big games I am not sure they would be in the App Store for mobile devices anyway right? So what is the fuss about.
Let’s make a few clarifications, shall we?
On the PC, Windows 8 will be ALMOST EXACTLY the same as Windows 7. You will have the traditional desktop and the ability to install applications and games, just like you do on Windows 7. The only difference is that the “start menu” will be replaced by the Metro UI “start screen”; however, the “start screen” behaves just like the “start menu”, it just covers the entire screen and is given EXTRA functionality through Metro UI “Apps”.
On mobile devices, such as the Surface tablet, Windows 8 will consist of only the Metro UI and will NOT have the traditional desktop or the ability to install “PC-only” applications or games, thus Metro UI Apps will make up ALL of the MOBILE DEVICE’S functionality.
Now, the Metro UI Apps, will be made available through Microsoft’s own app store, just like the app stores on Android and iOS devices. We can also assume that all submissions to the app store will probably require the same level of approval from Microsoft, as Apps for iOS require from Apple.
With all that said, there is nothing in “Windows 8 for PCs”, that will prevent games from Valve or Blizzard from being installed and played. ( Exception: Hardware Driver Problems, which is not the fault of Microsoft. )
If you doubt anything I’ve written, download the Windows 8 Release Preview and try it for yourself.
So why do you think Blizzard and Valve are making a big stink about Windows 8 then?
I’d bet my money that it is just a misunderstanding, unless they know something that Microsoft hasn’t made public.
It could also just be the same type of fudd that accompanied Windows Vista and Windows 7 before they were released.
More work to do simple tasks, clicking icons all over the screen, hidden pop outs, multitasking nightmare.
Try googling windows 8 and business, as the world rejects this update. Not sure how you can miss “radical change” in nearly every discription of the os.
Windows is like the standard platform because of its popularity and it is widely used in pretty much everything. Apple can do everything as well. Well there is bootcamp. Developers has no choice but to adopt on the current platform being used by the users. Its not like the users are the one whos gonna adopt on a different platform just to simply play their game.
OEM’s exiting windows is still just a statement. Big computer companies are just upset because of MS manufacturing their own product such as the surface. These companies will just lose more customers if they force users to use different platforms such as linux which isnt maintained and as well secured. Especially end users hates to learn ang guess on different OS.
HA, you obviously know little of linux operating systems. There are thousands of different destros out there, the most popular of which is ubuntu, and it’s supported by Canonical and many forums with thousands of users who contribute (BTW many of these users are far more competent than windows devs) . You say linux isn’t well secured, yet the most secure servers in the world are running redhat linux. Not to mention that openGL is far better than direct 3d and the fact that valve made L4D2 run better and faster on ubuntu than on win7. Your argument is invalid.
I am still not clear how it will “wall off” the developers. Apple’s app store has a TON of developers, some big names as well small, creating for it. Play by their rules and you will have no problem.
I don’t get what the fuss is about. Maybe I just am not understanding or do not have enough information.
Well for as much complaining as Valve and Blizzard will be doing, there really is nothing they can do to change Microsoft’s plans. They will go where the users are. If Windows 8 adoption grows (and there is no reason not to think it won’t otherwise), then game developers will follow. Using Linux as leverage to scare Microsoft is just stupid. There isn’t a big enough user base there, regardless of how good the OS might be.
The real threat I think is to move solely to the game consoles, but again, they will be beholden to the closed systems there too. There is no way you could run Steam on the Xbox for example.
So better to just adopt the new OS and spend your time developing good games!
Except that a closed platform staples creativity and innovation. Many of our greatest innovators are just hackers on their home computer. Many of our great programmers didn’t first learn and make programs in college, they learned and experimented on their home computers. If the development is made more closed, many people who would one day become great technological innovators may never have the juice to get over that barrier to make their start.
Also the userbase is there, recent results have found linux gamers can be quite a lucrative market like the Indie Bundle has shown. Also the vast majority of linux users are under reported. I’d wager at least 80% since nearly all who use it don’t buy it from an OEM but buy a windows computer and then put a downloaded linux on. Lastly a big thing keeping people from linux is a lack of games that is a problem this targets.
I agree re: Stifling creativity.
Regarding Linux, even if they are under-reported by 80% that’s still way too small to make money for a developer like Valve or Blizzard.
I don’t see how much more “closed” Windows 8 could really be. I mean is Microsoft going to just have to “approve” the quality of the games released for the OS? If so why is that a big deal for someone like Valve? I could see it affecting the indie developers more than anyone. The console market is closed, iOS is closed and they are both doing just fine.
The “approval” process will only apply to games and applications on the mobile platform and those submitted to Microsoft’s “App store”.
On the desktop, you will still have all the ability to install applications and games as you do in Windows 7.
Perfect, then there shouldn’t be a problem. Thanks for the reply!
I disagree STRONGLY! Windows is ONLY popular because of the apps that run on it! If you take all of the games on Steam and all of Blizzard’s games, make native Linux versions…gamers wouldnt NEED MS anymore! DIE SCREAMING MS!
How about a dual boot PC? Linux for games and Windows for everything else?
what’s your problem with MS? not good enough to get a job there?