Windows 8 App Store -- Full Of Junk

Having recently released my first game, Kozmic Blue, on the Windows App Store for a competition, I must go on a bit of a rant on the amount of garbage that has begun to collect.

Now I understand that I am NOT a professional developer, yet! And I know that my game has a few rough edges. But I am just completely apalled at some of the utter crap that is in this store, which is taking away face time for my app in the New Games section.

Here are some examples:

Crab Grab -- have the crab touch the algae -- yum!

Hungry Bear Eats Running Squirrel -- the hungry bear is going to eat you.

A Mooses Struggle -- giant crabs chasing moose

Its obvious looking at them, that they are nothing more than games to show advertising. There is no game here. The graphics are terrible (by my loose standard), and the support websites usually take you to a website to purchase.

I am concerned that Microsoft is not putting apps through enough of a quality check so that they can get more volume to compete with Apple and Google.

Maybe I am just in a complaining mood, but it seems to wreck it for other who are trying to put up a quality product in the store.

Interested in hearing everyone else's opinion on this.

Okay, my rant is over.

 

All app stores have tons of junk, that's part of what you have to deal with. I'd be more concerned that Microsoft's store itself is rather, well..."bare bones", to be polite; it doesn't look like they put much time or effort into it.

--Eric

 

Don't expect many good games on a app store, I have seen basic games on android and apple devices. Usually only a few games are good ones when it
comes to app stores.

 

Why are you ranting and comparing your paid game to free titles? Tsk... illogical.

 

+1 it's free therefor it's not a cheap money grab, I think some of those apps are "dummy apps" the apps to learn the ropes of developing for windows app store.

 

After reading this I just remembered my trash apps on google play and removed them, just doing my part to make the play store a better place

They are probably just beginners who wanted their efforts to be visible, the same happens with Google play and to a lesser extent the App store.

 

Seeing a bit of both sides:

Yea they're bad but their free and a lot of app stores have some shovelware, then again no wonder they needed the contest. But yea if they we're paid and bought...

 

This applies to all app stores.
I personally don't even download, much less buy an app without reading a review or two at a third party website. I believe smart customers have ways of filtering the good apps.
I have used the iOS app store but never used the windows app store, never had a problem finding just the kind of apps/games I was looking for

 

This is probably because of this:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57575215-75/microsoft-offers-developers-$100-per-windows-8-app/

The Windows 8 App Store got a remarkable influx of absolute shovelware trash because Microsoft was paying out. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of these games were churned out in an afternoon using some pre-existing assets or were just lazy ports of existing games on the Android/iOS markets.

 

Sounds like an easy way to get 1000 dollars, publishing 10 garbage apps...

 

Looks like an opportunity to me. Great opportunity for anyone who isn't afraid to spend $50 on buying decent assets.

 

If you dont have curation you will find the store is filled with junk, look at google play, the app store, kongerate, xbox live, ouya, etc etc, which means people will only buy from the featured lists, if you arent featured you wont sell.

 

Microsoft has realised their store is crap. It will be vastly improved with the Windows 8.1 release.
As for loads of junk on the store, nothing can be done about that. One man's junk is another man's gold.

 

Classic case of pot calling kettle black

 

Not sure what you are implying here?!?

 

It's pretty obvious; he's implying that your app is junk too. I surely wouldn't go that far, but visually it does seem to be a bit of a hodgepodge of unrelated graphics.

 

These rants are always motivated by one thing.


"Im not making a million dollars because no one can find by game because of all the other 'crap' that got there first"

 

Thanks JohnnyA -- I am looking to improve the game so I will get that tightened up.

 

Actually, not so much that, as it was I cant believe the stuff Microsoft lets in. But as other have pointed out, other app stores have the same problem. And I guess from Mokk06's reaction, my game is further proof that they will let any piece of S***e into the app store.

I guess that;s what I deserve for starting a rant.

 

Everyone has a rant at some point, I put a rant in a blog!

It does annoy me that im not making a million dollars though! I want to blame it on the CRAP that clouds the view, but its really my own fault for failing@marketing

(and possibly letting the dev licence expire, thus removing my 'crap' app from the store).

ps. The only thing that made it crap is users are dumb

pps. This is also something I tell myself

ppps. This was also mentioned in my rant.

pppps. Always include a tutorial for dummies



lols.

 

I don't think your game looks like "junk". I do think that it could use a little graphic design and/or colour palette work, based solely on the screenies.

Unfortunately most App Stores base their gatekeeping on functionality rather than quality. With the style of store they're running they're not really able to base decisions on subjective criteria, so all they can check is whether it works as advertised and doesn't crash or break too often. It sounds to me like what you really want is a curated storefront - something like Steam or XBLA. Much harder to get into, but probably well worth the effort.