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Could Microsoft destroy Linux gaming by using the windows store

So as we know Windows Platform Apps and WinUI3 apps do not work on Linux, I keep wondering if Microsoft were to launch a new API let’s say direct X 15 but limit it to Windows Store Apps, and provided a way for the apps to be installed from other stores like steam could they in time kill modern Linux gaming.

simple ,

They tried. It was called UWP, but it never caught on and Microsoft quickly realized nobody wanted to use their store or even bother with the new format, so all their games also have a normal x86 version.

Cube6392 ,

Their main mistake was never trying to make their walled garden not suck ass. I would try to install things from the windows store just to see about it back when I was running windows and it took an infernally long time to open the store, search for an app, and then install that app.

scrubbles ,
@scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech avatar

I bought Gears 4 from the Windows store - they sold it as an exclusive there. We are not under any threat from that.

The store is clunky, it works about 40% of the time, it constantly needs updates, and there’s an install limit of 10 times before you have to buy it again. Even if they locked a tech like DirectX behind it developers wouldn’t use it.

skymtf OP ,

I mentioned this in a lower comment but im also curious if they made an API allowing apps like steam to install WinUI3 apps would the same be true.

GregorGizeh ,

I suspect if they let steam do it there is nothing stopping steam from running it on Linux as well, provided the usual compatibility features such as proton wouldnt be deliberately incapacitated by Microsoft; which in turn would piss off valve a lot because of the steam deck and OS.

They invested heavily in their Linux fork and compatibility suite, if windows store were to fuck with that I suspect they would be on the losing end. Steam users are very loyal to the company and by default extremely hostile to proprietary fuckery.

havocpants ,

They invested heavily in their Linux fork and compatibility suite, if windows store were to fuck with that I suspect they would be on the losing end.

This was why Valve invested in Linux and Proton. Microsoft talked about forbidding installation of Windows applications from outside their store under the guise of security.

PrettyFlyForAFatGuy ,

and there’s an install limit of 10 times before you have to buy it again.

lol, wut?

adarza ,

it’s not true.

while there is a 10 device ‘limit’, that refers to how many linked devices you can have. you can remove one to add another. info and how to do that

wreckedcarzz ,
@wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world avatar

Yeah, I was like ‘uh, no’. I had to reinstall FH3 well over a dozen times because their updates would break shit and there was no file integrity check system. The store is garbage, no doubt, but let’s keep it to facts yeah.

savvywolf , (edited )
@savvywolf@pawb.social avatar

I think the time to do that has already passed; the Steam Deck and even Linux gaming in general has really taken off, so it would impact far more people than before. In addition, I think the EU has started breathing down their neck and will pounce on them if they do anything so blatantly monopolistic.

So this hypothetical “Direct X 15” would be limited to only Windows 11 users outside of europe, and the games wouldn’t be distributable through Steam. I can’t see that being a good pitch to developers, even if DirectX15 was really good.

They also tried this waay back in Windows 8 with the Windows Store, and it honestly was a flop.

AceFuzzLord ,

They’d probably feel the wrath of the EU if they tried that, hopefully. Also, I doubt Steam under the current management would do that since it would shoot them in the foot because they’d be giving up and abandoning the popular enough Steam Deck at that point. I’m sure they’ve made more than enough money back from it to not want to shoot themselves in the foot.

cmnybo ,

Hopefully that would get a lot of developers to switch to Vulkan.

parpol ,

DirectX 11 was enough for me to switch to Vulkan.

ppb1701 ,
@ppb1701@ppb.social avatar

@skymtf Well yes and no. Technically they probably could, but they'd likely incur the wrath of the EU doing so. That said if they were interested in a locked environment, they could have just never started porting Xbox games to PC.

skymtf OP ,

What if they made an API allowing 3rd party stores, but the same security methods. Like MS would do this for the sole reason to kill device like the steam deck

skymtf OP ,

I mean in terms of the reason to kill Linux gaming so devices like the steam deck would need to run windows for most games

DmMacniel ,
@DmMacniel@feddit.org avatar

even then Microsoft would not survive the EU. These changes you mention is solely to gatekeep gaming to their platform.

Also given Vulkan being pretty on top of things, HDR FSR/DLSS, Raytracing; Devs could simply opt to use the non-propritary interface.

Also, besides the EU, Microsoft would get A LOT of flak from digital Store Front Vendors like Steam, Epic, Blizzard Activision, EA…

EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted , (edited )
@EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Aside from the reasons stated by other people in this thread, purely destroying something isn’t really Microsoft’s MO. Theirs is Extend, Embrace, Extinguish Embrace, Extend, Extinguish.

Maestro ,

You got that the wrong way round. It's Embrace first, then Extend and Extinguish.

EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted ,
@EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

You’re right. Whoops. Haha. Thanks, I fixed it.

laurelraven ,

There’d be no reason to. Anymore, I think they’d be more likely than that to try to port their Xbox game store to Linux than try to kill Linux gaming (though I doubt they’ll do that either)

Lettuceeatlettuce ,
@Lettuceeatlettuce@lemmy.ml avatar

My hope is that the Microsoft store continues to be so shitty that users just reject any future attempts to do that.

That being said, if a large number of devs and users eventually adopted it, I would abandon gaming and stick with only native Linux games and vintage PC games that ran through Wine/Proton.

I refuse to use Windows for anything. And as much as I love gaming, I love my freedom, privacy, and rights as a user far more.

mindbleach ,

Hahahahahaha…

Sure.

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