Interview

YoYo Games: 'The world has moved on, and Microsoft is rushing to catch up'

CTO explains Windows 8 dev contest

YoYo Games: 'The world has moved on, and Microsoft is rushing to catch up'
Earlier this month, YoYo Games announced that it had set aside $12,000 to reward a selection of GameMaker: Studio users working on Windows 8.

To enter, developers just need to release their GameMaker: Studio game to the Windows Store before 8 December, and drop YoYo Games a line to ensure the company knows about it.

The Dundee-based service provider and publisher is looking for quality games, of course, but also titles that make good use of Windows 8 features, such as Live Tiles.

So, in order to find out more about YoYo's perspective on Microsoft's platform, and how developers can get the edge in the company's ongoing contest, we spoke to YoYo Games CTO Russell Kay.

Pocket Gamer: What do you make of Windows 8, and Microsoft's attempt to bring an App Store-like ecosystem to a desktop OS?

Russell Kay: The world has moved on, and Microsoft is rushing to catch up.

As margins are cut and retail falls away, both Apple and Microsoft have realised that they have an opportunity to channel customers through their own portals and to replicate Valve's success with Steam.

Each store has upsides and downsides, each company has various rules that seem to make little sense, but the main goal for developers is that they all provide opportunities to make money and to get closer to customers to learn how to create games that engage the audience and drive sales back into the developers' pockets, not through retail and publishers.

Would you encourage game developers working in the mobile and tablet space to consider developing for Windows 8?

We encourage game developers in the mobile and tablet space to develop for Windows 8.

Windows 8 is an opportunity to gain experience in a market that is quite different from the mobile space – related but different because there is a lot of cross over with the iPad audience.



Increasing the audience for the developers' products and opening their eyes to what a desktop can add to the experience of the product are both great things.

The audience for the desktop is huge and broadens the scope of what a product can achieve in the marketplace.

You mention that developers entering your contest should consider including Windows 8 features such as Snap View, Live Tiles and Share functionality. How would you like to see these used in games?

Snap View provides an attractive presentation while in pause mode, utilises a giant icon while the game is docked as asynchronous interactions occur, and gives a chance to present contextual game information while the user is interacting with other local applications.

Live Tiles allow the user to view information about the game when it is not running by showing relevant information about progress or challenges, leaderboards or achievements, and exposing the internals of the game to ensure the user is kept involved with the product.



Share allows the game to interact with the user's social network which provides opportunities to inform and attract other users to the game.

What will you be looking for from those who enter your Windows 8 developer contest?

We are looking for creative, fun and consumer-friendly games that take advantage of the unique Windows 8 functionality.

The GameMaker: Studio export for Windows 8 is free for Standard, Professional and Master Collection customers. Will this functionality remain free or is it an introductory offer?

The GameMaker: Studio export for Windows 8 is simply free to all GameMaker: Studio Standard, Professional and Master Collection customers.
Thanks to Russell for his time.
Staff Writer

PocketGamer.biz's news editor 2012-2013