Epic Games’ co-founder continues to rail against Windows 10’s moves toward a “closed platform”

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Published onJuly 25, 2016

published onJuly 25, 2016

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Gears of War has long been a very successful title for both Microsoft and Epic Games founder Tim Sweeney. Despite the success, however, the founder of Epic Games famouslywent on a tear of Microsoftwhere he detailed how he believed Win32 apps are better for consumers than Microsoft’s UWP. To perhaps add insult to injury, more recently Tim Sweenywent on another rant,and labeled Microsoft as a monopolistic threat to gaming. Now a few months removed from these rants, Sweeny is at it again by railing against Windows 10’s moves towards a closed platform (via gamespresso)

In an interview seen in Edge in Edge, Sweeney comments how Microsoft made “sneaky PR moves” with Windows 10 after having Surface RT devices which only would run apps from the Windows Store. As noted bygamespresso,Sweeney says:

“The trouble started when Microsoft began shipping some PCs and regular Surfaces that were so locked down that you couldn’t run Win32 apps; you could only run apps that had been bought from their store. That is a complete travesty. With Windows 10 they removed some more capabilities. They’ve been able to do this via some sneaky PR moves. They make a bunch of statements that sound vaguely like they’re promoting openness, but really they’re not promising anything of the sort.”

Tim Sweeney also spoke out about the UWP as a phasing-out of Win32 apps, and how he sees it as a forcing of the distribution of games and apps through a closed-platform Windows Store. He tells Edge in Edge:

“The risk here is that, if Microsoft convinces everybody to use UWP (Universal Windows Platform), then they phase out Win32 apps. If they can succeed in doing that then it’s a small leap to forcing all apps and games to be distributed through the Windows Store. Once we reach that point, the PC has become a closed platform. It won’t be that one day they flip a switch that will break your Steam library – what they’re trying to do is a series of sneaky manoeuvres. They make it more and more inconvenient to use the old apps, and, simultaneously, they try to become the only source for the new ones.”

Of course, it does not end there, and Sweeney mentions how the UWP will “flip a switch which will break your Stream library” and how Microsoft will “force-patch Windows 10 to make Steam progressively worse and more broken.” He says to Edge in Edge:

“They’ll never completely break it, but will continue to break it until, in five years, people are so fed up that Steam is buggy that the Windows Store seems like an ideal alternative. That’s exactly what they did to their previous competitors in other areas. Now they’re doing it to Steam. It’s only just starting to become visible. Microsoft might not be competent enough to succeed with their plan, but they’re certainly trying.”

Regardless of his comments, and with theWindows 10 Anniversary Updatejust a week away, Microsoft is obviously still pushing its plans for the Universal Windows Platform. In fact, (and perhaps to Sweeney’s dismay,) Universal Windows Platform apps are even coming to the Xbox One, withMSN Weaher just being one prime example.

Again, this is just another set of controversial anti-Microsoft comments from Sweeney. So. regardless of which side of this situation you stand on, we would love to hear your thoughts, and so be sure to drop us a comment below!

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time).

For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web.

Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they’re looking for.

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Epic Games’ co-founder continues to rail against Windows 10’s moves toward a “closed platform”