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Comment by dogma1138 | Hacker News Reader

Microsoft takes about the same cut regardless of the distribution method.

Hrm, that's not what their website says:

> There are no fees to apply to ID@Xbox, to submit a game to certification, publish, or update your games. There is a very modest one-time cost associated with development for the Universal Windows Platform.

https://www.xbox.com/en-US/developers/id

It looks like the big costs are insurance and the ratings boards (but this post is 6 years old):

https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/07/30/launching-indie-game...

With severe limitations, you have to use all of the Xbox Live features including having multiplayer.

You still need to pay for ESRB ratings and other things.

The SDKs that are available for this program are also heavily limited it’s basically only for UWP compatible apps, and while they didn’t put it yet it looks like there will be further limitations down the line including ensuring full cross platform compatibility including with IOS and Android.

So yes if you build a game using their more limited SDK and implement all Xbox Live features they won’t take a fee other than dev account fees.

And we aren’t talking about indie devs we’re talking about fucking Epic Games.

I made a free game, and it was totally free (apart from a regular store sign up fee): https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/rob-game/9nblggh5fkh6

I don't think it is too hard to make a regular game UWP compatible. Unity just lets you do that.

UWP applications don't have the same capabilities like XDK ones.

Around the time that program was introduced, Microsoft was promising to eventually level the two. I am certain DirectX is fully supported. Not sure about access to all memory though.

Does Microsoft dictate what a publisher can charge for games on other platforms? Because Apple does.

I have no idea I know Steam is putting the same limitation no differential pricing other than bundles and sales.

I won’t be surprised if Microsoft has some clauses with their publishers not to have a game for cheaper on competing platforms.

Apple does no such thing.

Yes, you can't charge more for an app on the App Store than you charge on Android.

edit: this used to be the case, it's possible this has changed and I didn't know it.

It’s “possible”? Both Spotify and YouTube did exactly this before they pulled out of in app purchases entirely

Apparently streaming apps can but not others, see

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24311230

So your “source” is a HN post with no citation? You can simply compare prices on the NYT’s website and compare them to the iOS app price to find out that this isn’t true either.

No Apple doesn’t. Spotify literally right now charges more on iOS than direct on their website or on Android.

You’re thinking of credit card merchant agreements.

Apparently it depends on the type of app and streaming apps are one allowed to do so.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24311230

Used games.

Game keys are bound to accounts these days used games are becoming quite rare.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com