Earlier today, The Guardian published an article by Epic Games Founder Tim Sweeney, with rather strongly-worded criticism on the Universal Windows Platform, that has been recently brought up again by Xbox Division Head Phil Spencer during the Xbox Spring Showcase.
Sweeney mentioned that Microsoft’s move goes against the entire PC industry and gamers in particular, and argued that if Microsoft doesn’t commit to opening up the Universal Windows Platform for developers, then it “should, must and will, die” due to backlash from the industry.
“Microsoft has launched new PC Windows features exclusively in UWP, and is effectively telling developers you can use these Windows features only if you submit to the control of our locked-down UWP ecosystem. They’re curtailing users’ freedom to install full-featured PC software, and subverting the rights of developers and publishers to maintain a direct relationship with their customers.”
Now Spencer himself took to Twitter to respond to Sweeney’s criticism:
Windows has always been an open ecosystem welcoming the contributions of hardware and software partners, and will always continue to be.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) March 4, 2016
UWP is a fully open ecosystem, available to every developer, and can be supported by any store. Broad range of tools https://t.co/LqPcjRFzu9
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) March 4, 2016
We will discuss our next steps with the Universal Windows Platform at //build later this month.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) March 4, 2016
Spencer also mentioned that he agrees that the Universal Windows platform has to be open, and argued that it’s exactly what Microsoft is doing.
@emiel1981 @TimSweeneyEpic is a friend and he pushes for what he believes. I agree UWP has to be open and that’s what we are doing.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) March 4, 2016
Sweeney himself responded to Spencer’s tweets and mentioned that he will be waiting for upcoming details.
I like the sound of this, and look forward to thorough technical details on UWP's planned openness at //build. https://t.co/9oitPe3DuM
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) March 4, 2016
We’ll have to see what Microsoft will bring forth at Build between March 30th and April 1st. Time will tell if the Universal Windows Platform will be opened up as Sweeney desires.
