14 DAY TRIAL // Epic Games’ CEO Tim Sweeney has long been one of the biggest critics of Microsoft’s push for the Microsoft Store, blasting the company for creating what he called a closed platform for developers.
However, Sweeney has become one of the biggest supporters of Microsoft’s new Windows and HoloLens models, and he applauded the software giant for its efforts to migrate towards a more open platform at the unveiling of the HoloLens 2 earlier this week.
Speaking at the event, HoloLens chief Alex Kipman reiterated that an open business model is what Microsoft relies on in the long term, revealing that the company wants to build an open store model, web browsing model, and API surface area and driver model.
“Developers will have the freedom to create their own stores,” he said as per The Verge.
Sweeney likes Microsoft
These words were music to Sweeney’s ears, who showed up on stage at Microsoft’s event despite previously attacking the company on several occasions.
Talking with the cited source, Sweeney explained that Microsoft embraced a completely new direction now under the guidance of the current leadership, and this can only lead to a healthy ecosystem.
“I feel like it really marks a new era for Microsoft under Satya Nadella, Alex Kipman, Phil Spencer, and a number of other people who are really committed to the platform being a healthy ecosystem for everybody and not just an extracted business like you see on the Facebook or Google side,” he said.
“I welcome Microsoft having a store on Windows, what I’ve always resisted was a push to close down Windows to competing stores. There are various limited versions of Windows, such as Windows RT… which are no longer in the marketplace now which is a wonderful step forward for Microsoft. We’re back at the point where Windows is a completely open platform for everyone, and we can trust and invest in it,” he continued.
Sweeney also pointed out that Microsoft investing in an open platform makes it harder for its rivals to stick with a closed model, obviously referring to companies like Apple and Google.