Microsoft

Gabe Newell does not like Windows 8

July 25, 2012

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By Mike Johnson

Mike Johnson is a writer for The Redmond Cloud - the most comprehensive source of news and information about Microsoft Azure and the Microsoft Cloud. He enjoys writing about Azure Security, IOT and the Blockchain.

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well just make a windows 8 app there is plenty of other store type apps.

Ezekiel Carsella July 25, 2012 8:12 pm Reply
Its not that he doesn’t like Windows 8 its because he’s scared of Windows 8. I don’t think things with Steam are going to change with Windows 8. It’ll depend on the games that both services have, pricing, of games…etc. Also Steam is getting some good free to play games. We’ll see what happens.

Robert Kegel July 25, 2012 9:13 pm Reply
- Agreed.
  
  Onuora Amobi July 25, 2012 10:43 pm Reply
- I could see the app store cutting into his sales. Not over night, but long term when people start using it on multiple devices.
  
  Rex July 26, 2012 7:39 am Reply
Is that picture from a police Mug shot? Who cares what he thinks or says about Windows 8 anyway? Kinda sounds like sour grapes to me.
Look at those eyes…can he get any higher?

1stkorean July 26, 2012 9:55 am Reply
To put it all in perspective you have to look at what Microsoft’s strategy to chip away at Apple’s gravitational force attracting developers and publishers.
App Store vs. Marketplace:
One marketplace to reach xbox, wp, slates/surface, pc, in-vehicle.
For valve, that means less unit sales eventually. When a user can buy an application and run it anywhere they will over time gravitate to vendors who capitalize on that approach to differenciate their offerings. This means valve will need to work harder to sustain same performance metrics, hence an unhappy Newell.
3 Programming Languages vs. 1:
iOS and Mac OSX require developers to write apps in Objective C. Windows 8 allows a wider variety of developers to hop on and start cranking out apps. Javascript/C++, C#, VB.NET, ActionScript all are viable choices.
For Newell that means higher support costs, and bigger opportunity for his competitors to take away marketshare.
OEMs get a slice of the pie:
Microsoft announced earlier in the year that OEMs could also get a slice of the profits the apps the Marketplace sells on their devices.
For valve this means that Microsoft could choose and has the control over who ultimately has to give up more profitability.
If you read his statements he is not hating on Windows 8 the experience, he is hating on its business model. I see his concerns, they are valid, but I don’t necessarily agree with them. Windows 8 is a new paradigm shift. Trying to apply a legacy business model to a modern framework usually feels like forcing a square peg in a round hole.
This is his knee jerk reaction. If he has success on Linux, I guess we won’t hear much from him on the Windows front and he will get to say I told you so, otherwise, he could one day reconsider his position and that will be just fine.

grs_dev July 26, 2012 9:10 pm Reply