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Blizzard Entertainment’s executive VP Rob Pardo has concurred with Gabe Newell’s comments on Windows 8, saying that the controversial new operating system is “not awesome for Blizzard either”.
Pardo took to Twitter to voice his concerns over the latest version of Windows, which has been criticised for restricting the way in which content can be delivered to consumers.
The new OS will only allow Metro-enabled apps and programs to be downloaded via the Windows Store from which Microsoft takes a 30% cut, thus squeezing the margins of software developers.
Speaking yesterday about the impact it could have on the market, Valve CEO Gabe Newell said that “Windows 8 is a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space” that will cause top-tier PC manufacturers to “exit the market”.
“I think margins are going to be destroyed for a bunch of people,” he continued (via the BBC). “If that’s true, it’s going to be a good idea to have alternatives to hedge against that eventuality.”
He added that Valve was looking at using Linux as a “hedging strategy” to try and offset the impact Windows 8 could have.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for the 2,500 games on Steam to run on Linux as well,” he said.
Microsoft has been heavily criticised by some for attempting to close the PC platform via Windows 8. The operating system’s new touch-screen-focussed Metro interface hasn’t gone down too well with pundits either.
