Initial sales for Windows 8 are higher than Windows 7 -- Microsoft has already sold 4 million upgrades for its operating system to consumers, and has sold tens of millions of copies to corporate customers.
Microsoft shared those numbers at a Tuesday event meant to entice developers to create apps and games for its platform. Just four days after Windows 8's launch, Windows Store has a sparse selection of apps (around 5,000 available in the U.S.), and the company is looking to grow the marketplace's catalog fast.
While Microsoft didn't specify how much better this upgrade's sales are performing against the last OS release in 2009, Windows 8 selling better than OS X Mountain Lion so far (though Windows' total install base dwarfs OS X's). Apple's OS update from June sold 3 million units in its first four days of availability.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told developers at the company's Build 2012 conference keynote today that by this time next year, there will be 400 million devices -- including PCs, tablets, and smartphones -- with Windows 8 installed. For comparison, Windows 7 sold over 240 million copies in its first year, and so far has 670 million installations.
Uhh... Logically speaking, if developers just plain hate Windows 8, then wouldn't they just make the game so it can run on Windows 7, thereby allowing them to ignore the Windows 8 store and undermine Microsoft's attempts, thereby still supporting people with that operating system without having to exert further effort?
They'll need more than sales when Windows 8 has reverse-compatibility.
This would be the most viable solution. Because in the end, video games don't sell Windows. Accessibility, convenience, and work production sells Windows. That's why I find it only reasonable for Windows to be going with what they're doing because that userbase, although pretty large, will never be as large as the main userbase, which are corporations and the average non gamer.
They want companies who just make mobile games to make games for Windows 8 phones, which de facto creates them for Windows 8 tablets, laptops, and desktops.
Mobile game devs would (should?) prefer Windows 8 over Windows 7.
Wiiu plans to have 23 games available at launch, rising to 50 in the month long "launch window." Which is considered impressive for a console. How will it compete when all the other platforms already have hundreds and hundreds of games available?
Yet, poor Windows 8:
"Just four days after Windows 8's launch, Windows Store has a sparse selection of apps (around 5,000 available in the U.S.)"
Windows 8 with only 5000 is "sparse," and "crippled by empty App Store." I'm getting a little tired of this line being repeated by every news outlet.
oh ffs, console games =/= apps. They are comparing the win98 store to iOS, which has hundreds of thousands. Win8 will reach that number, but right now it is sparse. Sometimes OS fetishists are annoying.
Windows 8 is simply too tablet oriented to be a big decider for the Desktop imo. Sure you can control it with the mouse or , I assume/hope , keyboard keys , but there is so much movement in the way tablet interfaces work that you have to move your mouse so much further on the new system you end up falling of the desk! At least thats what the RTM was like...
Besides , we all know every second Microsoft OS is piss poor! NT , Vista , Windows 8.
Maybe I am wrong , I mean the Nokia Lumia sold very well in Asia but then that is a smartphone not a desktop. We will see.
Well... those sales to corporate customers include the right to upgrade from Win8 to Win7 (dirty little secret where everyone wins).
And then there are sales to early adopters like me who needed to have a working Win8 install, but promptly disabled Metro and the Windows 8 Store.
I've got Win8 on this very machine. Tried the Metro stuff for a bit - no thanks. It's not suited at all for a savvy desktop user, even with the half-assed "hey, you can split your full screen into 3/4 and 1/4 apps!' thing. I can see where this would be great for something without keyboard or mouse, but that's not where those upgrades are.
If you build a phone-like platform, expect phone-like games.
Seriously though, how can you report sales numbers on OS software. That's like car dealers reporting on how many tires they sold... People will be forced into using Win8 just like they were pushed into using 98, XP, Vista, and every other consumer version of Windows in it's history. Every time someone buys a new PC Microsoft can claim a new "sale" of their latest OS.
They'll need more than sales when Windows 8 has reverse-compatibility.
Mobile game devs would (should?) prefer Windows 8 over Windows 7.
Yet, poor Windows 8:
"Just four days after Windows 8's launch, Windows Store has a sparse selection of apps (around 5,000 available in the U.S.)"
Windows 8 with only 5000 is "sparse," and "crippled by empty App Store." I'm getting a little tired of this line being repeated by every news outlet.
It's as if it all came from a common source...
Besides , we all know every second Microsoft OS is piss poor! NT , Vista , Windows 8.
Maybe I am wrong , I mean the Nokia Lumia sold very well in Asia but then that is a smartphone not a desktop. We will see.
And then there are sales to early adopters like me who needed to have a working Win8 install, but promptly disabled Metro and the Windows 8 Store.
I've got Win8 on this very machine. Tried the Metro stuff for a bit - no thanks. It's not suited at all for a savvy desktop user, even with the half-assed "hey, you can split your full screen into 3/4 and 1/4 apps!' thing. I can see where this would be great for something without keyboard or mouse, but that's not where those upgrades are.
Seriously though, how can you report sales numbers on OS software. That's like car dealers reporting on how many tires they sold... People will be forced into using Win8 just like they were pushed into using 98, XP, Vista, and every other consumer version of Windows in it's history. Every time someone buys a new PC Microsoft can claim a new "sale" of their latest OS.