theyarecomingforyou wrote on Jul 26, 2012, 09:18:
Microsoft allows you to make in-app purchase externally to the Windows Store (app certification [4.7]); although it doesn't explicitly state so, that should avoid Microsoft taking a cut of the transaction (the same goes for ads). The trade-off is that the user is prompted every time an external transaction is made. However, if you are indeed correct - which is a distinct possibility - then that would have to be a breach of competition law, at least in the EU. Afterall, Microsoft is already being investigated by the EU for not allowing other browsers onto Windows RT. Otherwise it would be HUGELY destructive for the entire industry.
Except for the part where Microsoft reserves the right to boot your app at will over whatever they please, including you attempting to skirt their rulings over revenue sharing and percentages. Much like the Steam/EA fiasco, there is no way this would play out well. I don't really see Microsoft letting other storefront apps sell games when they compete with the XBL companion app and marketplace. If they do then they will want a cut of sales much like Apple does. Microsoft is a fairly anti-competitive company in general. They wouldn't even let Steam link accounts or do game redemptions for the Portal 2 release recently.
Personally I could care less about getting any Metro apps or not but the casual market dictates a lot of direction in the industry.
Like I had said on another forum, good luck getting MS to license out DirectX to have all of those titles run on Linux. Otherwise, the Devs would have to port the games and we all know how great ports are....
No one said there wouldn't be obstacles but there's always a first step. Wine has come a long way but I agree in general that developer dependence on DirectX is the biggest problem - not drivers, user interfaces or etc.
This comment was edited on Jul 26, 2012, 09:41.