Windows 8 debate: 'Microsoft has Apple envy' - developers weigh in

Windows 8 has received a bit of a bashing lately from several developers, including Valve's Gabe Newell. Several developers have come together via Eurogamer to discuss the problems at hand with Microsoft's new operating system.

Speaking with Eurogamer, Introversion Software's Chris Delay stated, "They've got Apple envy, big style. In the past they were the successful ones, but then they sat down and watched while Apple took over. It's left Microsoft looking old and behind the times. They look at Apple and the iOS Store and see the royalties they're taking on this closed platform.”

The closed nature of Windows 8's marketplace has been a common talking point among gamers and the development community, and wasn't helped by Microsoft's recent about-face on its refusal to stock mature-rated content on its store front.

Delay's comments follow Serious Sam developer Alen Ladavac's recent tirade against Windows 8 on the Steam forums, in which he claimed, “Gabe Newell did not overreact. What you don’t see here is that, under the hood, the new tiled UI is a means for Microsoft to lock Windows applications into a walled garden, much like the one on iOS,

“If it was just about 'being downloaded from Windows store', it would not be a problem. It would be nice to have a common hub to download things from. But to get an app onto that store, it has to be certified by Microsoft. So far, we know that they've banned mature games, like Skyrim, Call of Duty, and Serious Sam [a policy that is being revoked]. They have forbidden modding. They could very well forbid Open Source if they want.”

What's your take on the nature of Windows 8? Is the walled approach damaging to consumers and gamers alike? Let us know below.

Hit up Eurogamer for the full roundtable on Windows 8.