Rubicon Mobile and the Windows app store

Friday, December 7, 2012

Your a popular app developer for Apple, Android, and even Blackberry, so you decide to release your well-known app for the new Windows phone store - only to see your game drop to the depths and not get any mention by the admins at Windows.

The developer Rubicon Mobile recently posted an update on their website, sharing their experience in the Windows app store with their game titled "Great Big War Game". Paul Johnson who owns Rubicon doesn't have too many good things to say about the future of the Windows App Store I'm afraid and he shares some numbers to back up his groveling.

Paul says his game costs $16,000 to develop but has only brought in $84 in sales in it's first week after launch. He also says Microsoft has stated they will not help him with any promotional features or marketing in any way. He goes on to say Apple regularly promotes their apps, as does Android - so why won't Microsoft?

His overall theme to the post is questioning why Microsoft - who has few popular titles as of yet in their app store, won't promote such a popular game.

I think it's important here to understand that one week in the app store isn't long enough to gauge any kind of success, and Microsoft is constantly tuning it's store to better accommodate developers, unfortunately while some of their decisions seem to affect their #1 crowd (developers) I have a hunch it's all for the great good of the Windows app store.

UPDATE: Microsoft has decided to work with the developer to iron everything out :)

Link here