Windows 8 Store to Offer Developers A (Slightly) Better Deal

Hevva

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Aug 2, 2011
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Windows 8 Store to Offer Developers A (Slightly) Better Deal



Due for beta release in early 2012, Windows 8's "Windows Store" will aim to offer devs more profit, more transparency, and more freedom than its main rivals.


Having already announced the various developer-centric niceties attached to the upcoming Kinect for Windows package [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114376-Kinect-for-Windows-Can-See-You-Up-Close], Microsoft has now released several dev-happy details regarding the Windows Store for Windows 8, which is due for beta release in February 2012. According to Microsoft representatives speaking in San Francisco earlier this week, the Store will offer a more transparent and streamlined release structure and also allow developers to keep up to 80% of their profit.

Microsoft has been keen to highlight the differences between its Windows Store and Apple's well-established App Store. One of the most obvious differences is how much profit developers are allowed to keep. When the App Store opened in 2008, it more or less set the industry standard profit split for these apps at 70% to developer, 30% to host. In an attempt to make its store seem the more lucrative option for devs, the Windows Store will only use the 70/30 split up to the point where an app breaks $25,000 profit. After the app reaches this point, the developer's profit share will increase to 80% and remain there until the end of time (or, well, until either the Store or the app disappear or are removed. Whichever comes first).

As far as making that money goes, devs are free to choose where it comes from. While apps will be offered use of Microsoft's ad system, the company says that developers are welcome to choose a different ad system should they so wish. If they do wind up going for another, non-Microsoft ad system, Microsoft won't take a cut of the ad revenue (the other ad provider, one would suppose, will).

Companies will be able to register to use the Store for $99, while individuals will be asked for $49. The company will also offer developers an online tracking system for the application process and provide estimates regarding how long they expect the process to take.

Add these tidbits to Microsoft's massive install base, Kinect for Windows dev-friendliness, its experience with both console and PC games and its connectivity across PCs, tablets and smartphones and what emerges is a deal that seems to serve developers in good stead. Given how established its rival app stores are, however, doing anything else would've risked leaving developers with few reasons to move on over and familiarize themselves with a new marketplace. As it stands, Microsoft has chosen to try and welcome them with wide, open arms, a slightly friendlier approach to profit, and a Kinect which can see you from 20 inches away. Way to go, market competition!



Sources: Ars Technica [http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2011/12/win-8-app-store-revealed-more-money-for-devs-beta-in-late-february.ars?comments=1#comments-bar]




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thenumberthirteen

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Dec 19, 2007
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Cool. If not for a stupid mistake by me that resulted in me deleting the .iso file this afternoon I would be trying the latest developer release of Windows 8 right now, but alas looks like that'll be tomorrow.

The "app store" model seems to be really taking off, and it's about time MS got in on the party. I mean Steam is sort of an app store since it provides all your games in one shop, and allows developers use of it's distribution, advertising, updates, and security network for a cut of the dough. Not having a Mac I'd love to see how this works out. Let's just hope they'll be reasonably priced though.
 

noahpocalypse

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Oct 23, 2011
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I'm astonished. It costs 99$ to put apps onto Apple's App Store. Microsoft, of all companies, cutting that in half (for individuals)? Wow. Just... Wow.
 

robert01

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Jul 22, 2011
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That's because they are forcing people to use their store for any Metro app. So they need to give developers an incentive to develop for Metro(Not Windows8, there is a difference). If they don't Metro flops and Microsoft fucks over their game plans for ALL of their currently planned devices(next console included).
thenumberthirteen said:
Cool. If not for a stupid mistake by me that resulted in me deleting the .iso file this afternoon I would be trying the latest developer release of Windows 8 right now, but alas looks like that'll be tomorrow.

The "app store" model seems to be really taking off, and it's about time MS got in on the party. I mean Steam is sort of an app store since it provides all your games in one shop, and allows developers use of it's distribution, advertising, updates, and security network for a cut of the dough. Not having a Mac I'd love to see how this works out. Let's just hope they'll be reasonably priced though.
They did try a long time ago with the Marketplace and it failed hard because why does someone need to put their application there when the can put it anywhere and provide it to people themselves? The new Store will be filled with Metro apps because that is where they HAVE to be sold.
 

crimson5pheonix

It took 6 months to read my title.
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Jun 6, 2008
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noahpocalypse said:
I'm astonished. It costs 99$ to put apps onto Apple's App Store. Microsoft, of all companies, cutting that in half (for individuals)? Wow. Just... Wow.
You're surprised that anybody (even MS) is cheaper than Apple?
 

Thaliur

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Jan 3, 2008
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RhombusHatesYou said:
RaNDM G said:
Windows 8? We just got Windows 7.
It's Windows, you can ignore every second OS release.
From what i saw of Windows 8 so far, this seems to have changed. The lower memory footprint (about 50% WITH malware protection running, compared to Windows 7 WITHOUT) alone could convince me to switch. As a student, I get it for free, anyway, so if they manage to release before I'm finished, I'm with them.
 

walrusaurus

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So I literally just bought a brand new computer 5 days ago. Does this mean my OS will be outdated in 2-3 months? ....Ugh... i hate technology...
 

microhive

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walrusaurus said:
So I literally just bought a brand new computer 5 days ago. Does this mean my OS will be outdated in 2-3 months? ....Ugh... i hate technology...
No, more like half a year from now.
 

Lord_Gremlin

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It's all fine and good, but I'm not going to buy PC games not from Steam. One is enough.

Plus, MS is pretty much my number 1 most hated company. Their OS, their policy, their shitty console that brought PC gaming problems to consoles...
 
Feb 13, 2008
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An Xbox front end to Windows? I wonder where that's heading...

Remember guys, odd ones good, even ones bad. This is the next Vista. Windows 9 will be good again.
 

noahpocalypse

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The_root_of_all_evil said:
An Xbox front end to Windows? I wonder where that's heading...

Remember guys, odd ones good, even ones bad. This is the next Vista. Windows 9 will be good again.
You make it sound as if Windows 7 was good. Well, maybe their 'professional' version was, but what I got on my Netbook- the 'Starter Edition'- was terrible and horrible. It took about a minute to log in, and that's after booting up the OS. Now that I have Ubuntu on it, I can be somewhat productive.
 

Domehammer

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Jun 17, 2011
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Time to skip windows 8 and wait for the Windows 9 fix or it's like vista and they eventually patch it enough in future to make it better. So this service on windows 8 will suffer because UI looks like it belongs on phone...
 

ASnogarD

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Jul 2, 2009
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... so this is what it takes to turn a £600 gaming PC into a phone.

Last I heard it ( Win 8 ) will include a 360 emulator, so MS can sell you both phone apps and 360 titles, and it wont have to worry about PC gaming as PC gamers can play 360 titles instead.

... so your £600 gaming rig can run most £150 consoles games, almost as well as the original console ( doesnt include gamepad, batteries sold seperately ).
 

robert01

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Jul 22, 2011
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ASnogarD said:
... so this is what it takes to turn a £600 gaming PC into a phone.

Last I heard it ( Win 8 ) will include a 360 emulator, so MS can sell you both phone apps and 360 titles, and it wont have to worry about PC gaming as PC gamers can play 360 titles instead.

... so your £600 gaming rig can run most £150 consoles games, almost as well as the original console ( doesnt include gamepad, batteries sold seperately ).
Personally I don't see that concept flying that well. I know they want to include it, but I doubt they will see the masses enjoy that 'feature'. The platform war is too hot for that I think.
 

redisforever

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Oct 5, 2009
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WHA?? Microsoft doing something good?

Well, this may actually convince me to upgrade to 8 from 7.
 

night_chrono

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Mar 13, 2008
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When did people start confusing Microsoft releases with Star trek movie releases? Yea Vista was hardly great, but XP, 2000, 98, and 95 were all solid operating systems. They had their problems at launch but every Microsoft product does. If you run in day one expecting your computer to be reborn as something new and shiny, only to run into some bugs it's your fault for being so fucking retarded.

I waited till Service Pack 1 with Vista, and guess what? Never had a single problem with it. Yes it was a resource hog, but I had the machine to run it. So I enjoyed all the glory that was DirectX 10 no problem.

EDIT
Also because a disturbing amount of people don't know this. The "Metro" interface is an OPTION. You have a standard Windows GUI as well.
 

nyysjan

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Mar 12, 2010
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I'll wait until it's out of beta, and most bugs worked out, will look into switching a year from now, assuming i hear nothing that makes me avoid it (like i did Vista), or i hear something that makes it a must to have (never happened before with OS)
.