Microsoft Windows Store Changes To Come On July 18

Microsoft has presented a number of changes that will be introduced with the new Windows 11 in the fall. This also includes many innovations for the Microsoft Store, for its users, and, above all, for developers. However, some things will come into force earlier.

This is reflected in the latest changes to the Microsoft Store Developer Guidelines. The so-called “Microsoft App Developer Agreement” was updated on June 28, 2021, and is valid from July 28, 2021. The agreement will thus be in version 8.7; version 8.6 was published on July 10, 2020. The “Microsoft App Developer Agreement” regulates many details for publishing applications in the store. One of the most important changes, which will come into effect at the end of July, will be the new participation model for developers.

Highlighted Points:

• Microsoft will grant developers an 88 percent revenue share for games sold through the Microsoft Store on PC after August 1, 2021.
• The definition of a “game” has been expanded to include “game streaming or gaming subscription apps”.
• The definition of the term “store” has been updated to include services that enable customers to purchase content in storefronts operated by Microsoft.

In addition, there are now explicit references to the “Microsoft Commerce Platform” and “Microsoft Commerce Engine” for accounting systems operated by Microsoft. The sections that mention billing systems were quite vague before. Now it is said that developers can use secure third-party commerce engines – but only for the distribution of “non-games”, which includes music streaming and applications such as photo apps.

Games, regardless of which device they are purchased on, as well as all apps that are purchased on the Xbox, must continue to use Microsoft’s Commerce Engine. In addition, new terms and conditions for Win32 apps and Edge extensions have been added to integrate them into the Microsoft App Developer Agreement. These changes will then be specific to Windows 11. Windows 11 should appear this year – when exactly, but has not yet been said.