Certification for Windows 8 is a 'broken concept,' says Serious Sam developer

Certification through Microsoft for an application's inclusion on the Windows Store is "a viscious cycle" that "is broken and should be abolished," Croteam CTO Alen Ladavac wrote in a post on Steam's community forums.

Microsoft's restrictions for downloading all applications through its store, even free ones, is a "horrible idea," wrote Ladavac. Each application downloaded through the Windows Store must meet certain requirements imposed by Microsoft, and the company has already banned "mature games" including Skyrim and Serious Sam as well as modding, wrote Ladavac.

Windows 8's interface, Metro, does not properly display applications that do not adhere to the tiled user-interface applications utilized by its online store. There is no other way to release these types of tiled UI apps, except through the Windows Store.

"They could very well forbid Open Source if they want," he added. "But even if these terms were not there, this is still a certification system. With all of its downsides, including uncertain release dates, rare and late patches, and everything turning out to be more expensive and sucking more."

Microsoft recently changed its ruling that all games above PEGI 16 were ineligible for inclusion in the Windows Store, instead shifting guidelines to allow ESRB-rated Mature games to enter the Store.