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Microsoft Formally Bans Emulators On Xbox, Windows 10 Download Shops (arstechnica.com)

Posted by msmash on from the tough-stance dept.

Microsoft is officially banning emulators from Windows Store. The company has updated the Windows Store policy to announce the changes. The new rules bar any applications that emulate pre-existing game systems, resulting in the removal of a popular program that supported games from Nintendo and Sega and other consoles. From a report on ArsTechnica: An affected developer was notified of the change on Tuesday when its product, Universal Emulator, was delisted from the Windows Store. While no proof of a letter or notice from Microsoft was published, the developers at NESBox linked to relevant changes in the Windows Store application rules, dated March 29, which now include this line: "Apps that emulate a game system are not allowed on any device family." This list of general Windows Store rules, written for developers, received a massive update to its "Gaming and Xbox" requirements; these used to contain only one sentence, and it referred hopeful Windows Store game developers to the ID@Xbox program. That existing program requires pre-approval by Microsoft, but developers will soon be able to publish their games directly to both Xbox and Windows 10 marketplaces by paying a one-time fee of $100 or less as part of the Xbox Live Creators Program.

4 of 116 comments (clear)

  1. How about I tell Micro$oft to go fuck themselves by BlytheBowman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I will make sure I will never buy a Windows machine that can't run normal windows *programs* (not just "apps")

  2. Sounds like another lawsuit by smooth+wombat · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Essentially they are telling you what you can and can't install on your own system.

    The whole, "You're renting", or "You're the product" is BS. It's your system. You paid for it. You can install what you want.

    --
    We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
    1. Re: Sounds like another lawsuit by ArmoredDragon · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I think banning outside applications is the overall plan, (note how they refer to non store applications as legacy) just they need a critical mass of applications and adoption before they can pull it off.

      They only allowed sideloading after a failed windows 8 and a few windows 10 builds couldn't muster any interest, with several developers being outspoken about Microsoft's tight control of the overall platform.

      For further evidence of what I'm saying, see Windows RT and the upcoming Windows 10 Cloud.

  3. Re:What about paid emulations? by stephanruby · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...by paying a one-time fee of $100 or less as part of the Xbox Live Creators Program.

    Finally, Microsoft is showing some humility.

    I remember when they were first starting the app store for Windows phone, they would waive the first year of registration for app developers but would tell us that we should expect a fee of $100 for each year after that (when the Android app store only had a one-time fee of $25 and 10+ times the existing market share.)

    However, it is unfortunate that Microsoft is still a bit out of touch. In the case of game system emulators, they should have just said that they're banning the emulation of proprietary game systems (not officially endorsed by the companies owning those game systems in the first place). That policy would have been sensible enough. Instead, they chose to enforce a blanket policy that makes little sense, only attracts bad press, and that provides no significant benefit to their platform.