Windows 8 sales 'below internal projections', source claims

Windows 8 sales have been called 'disappointing' by Microsoft, according to an alleged tipster who has also suggested that sales of the operating system are below company projections. Get the details below.

Gamespot reports - by way of Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows - that one of Thurrott's trusted sources inside Microsoft has shed light on the company's reaction to sales of the operating system so far.

Thurrott writes in an account of his source's claim, "Sales of Windows 8 PCs are well below Microsoft’s internal projections and have been described inside the company as disappointing. But here’s the catch: The software giant blames the slow start on lackluster PC maker designs and availability, further justifying its new Surface strategy."

The source claimed that Microsoft cites PC maker's “inability to deliver,” as a key reason for the poor sales of Windows 8, and again underlines the company's move into making its own bespoke tablet hardware.

It comes as some game developers have waxed lyrical on the subject of Windows 8's closed platform, including Introversion's Chris Delay who went so far as to say that Microsoft has 'Apple envy'.

Serious Sam developer Alen Ladavac also waded into the debate heavily on the Steam forums, stating, "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."

What's your take on Windows 8? Is this poor sell-through just a result of this being a costly time of year, or is the operating system in danger of being in real trouble? Let us know below.