Microsoft Losing Ground On Windows Store and UWP For Gaming

Vigile writes: Microsoft has big plans to try and merge the experiences of the Xbox One and Windows for gaming but the push back from the community and from major developers and personalities is mounting. Earlier this week PC Perspective posted a story that detailed the controversy around DX12 performance analysis without an exclusive full screen mode, changes to multi-GPU configurations and even compatibility issues with variable refresh that crop up from games from the Windows Store. Microsoft's only official response so far as been that it is listening to feedback and plans to address it with upcoming changes. Now today, Epic's Tim Sweeney has posted an editorial at The Guardian with an even more dramatic tone, saying that UWP (Unified Windows Platform) "can, should, must and will, die..." Clearly the stakes are being placed in the ground and even damage control from Phil Spencer on Twitter isn't likely to hold back angry PC users.

Comments

As a casual user

[imgod2u]

I'd consider myself a "gamer" in a previous life. Nowadays, I have exactly one machine (my media PC) that has a decent-ish GPU that I rarely use to play games. My typical gaming? Plants vs Zombies on an iPad.

There are hordes more like me than there are multi-GPU people. And Microsoft is doing the smart thing here. The "PC gaming gods" that complain about this shit and want to "boycott" it are holding Windows as a whole back a decade. I want a Windows tablet (like the Surface) but I'm forced to admit, the iPad has *way way way* more apps. And part of that reason is because neckbeards who are very vocal but by far in the minority are guiding the platform for the majority of users.

Good for Linux

[Ormy]

I like using Linux for most things, but Windows 7 is my main OS because it plays all my games reliably, Linux is still lacking in this area. I'd love if this UWP fiasco finally pushed gamers and developers off of Windows for good,

Re:Angry PC Users?

[Forgefather]

Maybe a gamer who wanted the to play the games that are exclusive to the windows store such as Quantum Break, which is what caused the entire controversy in the first place. What this represents is the carving up of the PC space into a console like model of distribution where Microsoft is the gatekeeper of the PC gaming experience.

Re:Pay to Play PC games online

[JustAnotherOldGuy]

No, I won't care because I don't use Windows.

I'm on the verge of abandoning Win 7 (which I actually like) and moving over to Linux Mint.

I've got it installed (dual boot) on a laptop and it rocks. So far I've kept MS from 'upgrading' my PC to Win 10, but the moment that happens, *boom* I'm gone.

In fact I'll probably switch before then, but for the moment as long as my venerable Win 7 install keeps running I'll use it.

However, as soon as I buy a new bit of gear that doesn't have Win 7 drivers, that'll be the reason I jump ship (assuming that the new gear will work under Mint).

So basically it's just a matter of time until I switch....

Re:Angry PC Users?

[ArmoredDragon]

A good way to help fix this:

Any time you're asked to fix a computer with Windows 8 or 10, do the person a favor and unpin the Windows Store icon from the taskbar and start menu to make room for things that are actually useful.