Blizzard agrees, Windows 8 is 'not awesome"

[EmptyTimCup]

Blizzard agrees, Windows 8 is 'not awesome"


Earlier this week, Valve boss Gabe Newell made some interesting comments in regards to the future of open platforms.
The exec went as far as to call the upcoming Windows 8 a 'catastrophe,' saying: "I think Windows 8 is a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space. I think we'll lose some of the top-tier PC/OEMs, who will exit the market. I think margins will be destroyed for a bunch of people. If that's true, then it will be good to have alternatives to hedge against that eventuality."

This weekend, Rob Pardo, executive vice president of game design at Blizzard, agreed with that sentiment. His tweet read: "Nice interview with Gabe Newell - "I think Windows 8 is a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space* - not awesome for Blizzard either"

Most of the criticisms have to do with the expectation that Microsoft will restrict publisher's options to sell software directly, instead redirecting them to the Windows Store where the company takes a 30 percent royalty cut.

 

[ItalianScallion]

That's why I wait. It should be a red flag when an operating system comes out right after its predecessor did. They cannot have done enough testing for it to be released that soon.

I'm not one who need the newest products right when they come out so I waited on Vista and thank God I did! I'm waiting on Win 7 and wouldn't even think about 8 until all of the computer wizzes have offered their $.02 on it...

 

[EmptyTimCup]

Win. 7 is great .....

..... I moved up from x64 XP - when 7 Beta came out

 

[bobbyr1229]

I can see how blizzard is upset because of Microsoft pushing the Microsoft store but I still fail to see how this is a catastrophe. It's not like Microsoft is going to disable DVD drives in Windows 8 and I have been using the RC for well over a few months now and there really is not much difference between 7 and 8 aside from the Metro UI which I actually find sometimes better to use than the actual desktop. The actual desktop is just as functional as the Windows 7 desktop and I have been playing Blizzards games as well as everything else I have thrown at Windows 8 with no problems at all.

 

[EmptyTimCup]

actually I did read someone where, the cheaper SKU's were not going to have a dvd ......

No Windows 8 DVD playback will mean increased costs, and consumer confusion

Summary: While Apple has a streamlined one-size-fits-all OS X edition that contains everything users needs, Microsoft is once again juggling features in order to make one edition of Windows more superior and desirable than another.​

ZDNet's Ed Bott reports that DVD playback has been cut from its upcoming operating system as Microsoft tries to give consumers a reason to buy the more expensive Windows 8 Pro edition.

Windows 8 users who want out-of-the-box DVD playback capability will not only have to purchase the higher-priced Pro edition, but also the optional Media Center Pack. This is bad news for consumers because it means increased costs, more confusion, and the potential for more 'crapware' to be installed on new PCs.

Currently, Windows Media Player handles DVD playback. With Windows 8, Microsoft is removing this functionality from Windows Media Player and shifting it into the optional Media Center component.

This represents a big change in how Windows works, given that Windows Media Player has had DVD playback support since version 6.1, the version that shipped with Windows 95 and Windows 98.

Microsoft has yet to explain how it intends to inform consumers of the removal of this feature. I expect that the first most people will know of this is when they try to play a DVD and are informed that they need to buy the upgrade.

Note that third-party software, both commercial and freeware, will be able to add DVD playback functionality to all Windows editions. The changes outlined here only affect the functionality built into the Windows operating system.

Microsoft says that the Media Center Pack will be available at "marginal costs". However, in order to have the option to buy this feature, users will have to be running the higher-priced Pro edition, or upgrade to this edition. Currently, the difference in price between Home Premium and Ultimate editions of Windows 7 stands at around $100. I would expect the difference between Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro to be similar given that the difference in features between the two editions is broadly the same.

That's a hefty tax on consumers who want to be able to play DVDs.

 

[bobbyr1229]

Yeah but that is just DVD playback meaning that watching DVD videos will require some sort of third party program or purchasing the optional DVD player that Microsoft sells and not the functionality to install programs from a DVD. Not to mention that most games today such as steam or blizzard are installed via a download manager so in both the case of valve and blizzard Microsoft's store could be bypassed by using their installers.

 

[EmptyTimCup]

thanks Bobby, this ain't my 1st Rodeo ........