Windows Marketplace: No Adult Rated Software, Please
Skyrim will probably be banned from Microsoft's Windows 8 marketplace in Europe based on its rating.
A Microsoft representative confirmed with Kotaku on Thursday that Windows 8's marketplace -- which will be a native app in the new operating system later this month -- will not offer games with a rating over PEGI 16, ESRB Mature ("M") or a corresponding rating under other ratings systems. This rule, which resides in section 6.2 of the Windows App guidelines, applies to all software sold within Microsoft new virtual storefront.
Here in the States, very few games that sport an A rating will be banned from the Windows 8 store. But Kotaku points out that European gamers will need to look elsewhere to purchase a number of popular titles that have been awarded the PEGI 18 rating. These include The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Mass Effect 2 and 3, Fallout: New Vegas and many more.
Kotaku's inquiry to Microsoft was sparked by an article written by Casey Muratori called The Next Twenty Years. He explains why the closed distribution model of Windows 8 will need to be changed "for the sake of developers, consumers and Microsoft itself."
"For the first time in the history of the PC, Microsoft is rolling out a new Windows ecosystem for which they will be the sole software distributor," he writes. "If you buy Windows 8, the only place you will be able to download software that integrates with its new user interface will be the official Windows Store. Microsoft will have complete control over what software will be allowed there."
The article assumes that even more games – and possibly other media for that matter – will be banned from the Windows 8 store based on content alone, not just their rating. Here are a few reasons, taken stright from Microsoft's own guidelines:
"Your app must not contain content or functionality that encourages, facilitates, or glamorizes illegal activity," reads section 5.3.
"Your app must not contain content that encourages, facilitates or glamorizes excessive or irresponsible use of alcohol or tobacco products, drugs or weapons," reads section 5.6.
"Your app must not contain excessive or gratuitous profanity," states section 5.8.
Instead of becoming just another player in the touch device space, he suggests that Microsoft should become one of the primary forces fighting to make tablet development as open as desktop development was under traditional Windows.
"They could take market share from the completely closed (and thoroughly dominant) iPad, and help restore to that space the freedom to innovate that developers lost when Apple imposed its restrictive policies," he suggested.
So far it looks like that's not going to happen.
Surface and Surface pro will have 'secure boot', so you simply will not be able to put win7 on it in the first place.
Why, it won't block you from running 18+ games, it's just that the MS store won't sell them...
That not how secure boot works , it's used to lock down the software not hardware
@bigdragon
why the bloody hell would you buy a touch device only to use a non-touch optimized OS, and this applies to the Ms app store only, your free to buy your adult stuff elsewhere, it's windows not ios you free to install whatever you feel like from where ever, just MS isn't going to he selling it though their app store thats all
Actually, like it or not, this is a smart move on M$'s part.
This is nothing different than what Android, iOS App Store, or Steam already do. It's their store, they can decide what types of products they want to offer ( and as COLGeek says, what countries they don't want to get into legal battles with. )
Just imagine how many IE users use the "InPrivate" modes to search for porn. Thats the Microsoft that should be displaying to the world.
+1
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/10/11/windows-8-marketplace-will-not-carry-pegi-16-games/
So yeah, just install Steam and be happy with it (this is good for Valve, btw)
That's funny, every game listed Europeans can buy anyway on Steam and the such.
Because my primary use for a Windows tablet is for it to act as a digital sketchbook on the go. I care about the stylus input the Surface Pro has. Windows 7 isn't very touch-friendly, but it is quite stylus-friendly. I've had no issues with Windows 7 and existing tablets like the Asus EP121 or Motion LE1700. The Surface Pro looks like an upgrade in terms of hardware. Windows 7 doesn't get in my way like Windows 8 does.
I have a Samsung state7 and can unequivicolly say win8CP is an infinitely better experience than win 7 on the slate, lm unsure what pat of win 8 got in your way but if your can do it on win7 than you should be able to do it easier on win 8, slate wise any ways
So no First Person Shooters since they all qualify with the above statement. So no Halo ... too bad MS.
What the f--k is this $#!+?
For f--k's sake, Microsoft...we don't need a PG-13 operating system!
Thanks for writing a misleading article to get wild knee-jerk reactions like we're seeing in the comments here, Mr. Parrish.
Also, people seem to be missing that this applies to things rated *over* PEGI 16 / Mature / whatever. That makes it more of a rated "R" operating system, not rated "PG-13". Only in the UK will games like Fallout: New Vegas and CoD be banned due to their more stringent rating system. Most other places things like that will certainly be available. Just because those incredibly vague rules about violence and whatnot are there doesn't mean they're going to be overzealous about enforcement of it. They're just giving themselves the option.