14 DAY TRIAL // We’ve known for a while that Windows phones are pretty much dead, but Microsoft has only recently acknowledged the demise of the platform, saying that it has no plans to ship new features or hardware for its mobile operating system.
Users and developers are one by one switching to Android or iOS, but some can’t get over the death of Windows phone without criticizing Microsoft for ruining the platform.
The creators of Game Troopers, which was one of the most popular games on iOS and Android a few years ago, explain that despite their commitment to Windows phones, Microsoft’s mobile strategy was entirely wrong and basically destroyed every chance of its mobile push to succeed.
“Microsoft has done a lot of bad things with Windows Phone, from an engineering point of view – with so many breaking changes on the platform – and from a commercial point of view - the way they treated very loyal developers like Game Troopers and how the company tried to attract others. These were all wrong,” Game Troopers CEO Jesus Bosch was quoted as saying in an interview with Spanish outlet OneWindows.
A message for Joe Belfiore
Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore confirmed on Twitter recently that no major updates are planned for Windows phones, confirming what all of us have known for at least a couple of years.
But Bosch says he’s not at all surprised, explaining that Microsoft should have acknowledged the demise of Windows phones sooner.
“The decision does not surprise me. I would add that it was time [for Microsoft] to be brave and honest with the community. But it’s better late than never,” he said.
Just like the rest of the developers whose games are available on Windows phones, Bosch says they are considering their options and there’s a good chance some titles would be removed from the store in the coming months.
Microsoft doesn’t typically comment on such departures from the store, but developers hating the company surely can’t be a good thing, especially because the software giant itself needs app makers to support the Windows 10 UWP push.