This document discusses the different ways to build apps and games for Windows 8, including using HTML5/JS, C#, C++, and XAML. It covers certification requirements and options for monetizing apps, such as in-app purchases and free trials. The opportunities for app and game development on Windows 8 are significant given the large installed base and upcoming release of Windows 8 on many new devices.

1. Windows 8 App and
Game Development Landscape
all the different ways you can build apps and games for Windows 8
Jim O’Neil
Technology Evangelist, Microsoft
http://aka.ms/jimoneil
@jimoneil http://aka.ms/8in30

2. agenda
Landscape Certification Monetization

3. landscape
Landscape Certification Monetization

4. HTML5/JS Developers
• HTML5/JS Project Templates

5. C# / VB / C++ developers
XAML – develop apps from scratch using Visual Studio and Blend

6. C# developers
Xamarin - Xamarin enables developers to build fully native iOS and Android apps in C#
that can share code with Windows apps. Through code re-use and sharing, and by
unifying mobile app development in C#, Xamarin makes it possible to deliver gorgeous,
performant, native apps for all major device platforms quickly

7. HTML5/JS developers
• Free open source SDK/Toolkit for creating cross platform mobile apps
• Windows 8 Support is delivered via a set of NuGet packages
• jqMobi – standard appMobi Javascript SDK and Toolkit
• Direct Canvas – HTML5 Canvas support

8. HTML5/JS developers
• Free open source cross platform framework for apps on mobile devices
• Renders UI using HTML5 and CSS; Web browser encased in a native app
for each platform
• Build for Windows Phone and Port to Windows 8

9. Game On!
• < 1/6 of apps in the Windows
Phone market are games
• Games are the most downloaded
• 1/3 of all free apps are games
• Over ½ of all paid apps are
games
• Demand > Supply = opportunity

10. HTML5/JS developers
Canvas – and of course you can develop your game from scratch using the Canvas
element in HTML5.

11. HTML5/JS developers
GameMaker - family of products that caters to entry-level developers and seasoned game development
professionals to create cross platform games

12. HTML5/JS developers
GameSalad – create cross platform games rapidly with no code

13. HTML5/JS developers
Construct2 - cross platform game development for beginners

14. HTML5/JS developers
CreateJS – suite of modular libraries and tools which work together to
enable rich interactive content on open web technologies via HTML5
http://bit.ly/R3v2DH http://bit.ly/R8Rf1v

15. HTML5/JS developers
ImpactJS - JavaScript Game Engine that allows you to develop stunning cross
platform HTML5 Games

16. C# / C++ developers
XAML – develop games from scratch using Visual Studio and Blend

17. C# developers
MonoGame – cross platform implementation of the XNA 4.0 framework

18. C# developers
Unity – most popular cross platform game development tool for 2D and 3D
games

19. C++ developers http://www.unrealengine.com/udk/
Epic Games Unreal Engine 3 (UDK ) – a complete professional framework that provides
tools for creating high-quality games and apps, movies and advanced 3D visualizations
and simulations

20. certification
Landscape Certification Monetization

21. agenda
Landscape Certification Monetization

22. landscape
Landscape

23. Read the
agreements
http://bit.ly/Win8StoreDocs

24. Run the WACK

25. Quick Fixes
http://bit.ly/FixW8CertIssues

26. Certification Summary
1
2
3

27. monetization
Landscape Certification Monetization

28. Flexible options

29. Some Observations
Apps with a free trial downloaded 70 times more frequently
Apps with a free trial show a 10% conversion rate to purchase
For the top 100 revenue grossing applications (Jun 2010 – Jun 2012)
84% feature in-app purchases; 81% of those are free
downloads have doubled; revenue has tripled
net-revenue for paid apps has dropped 5% in past two years

30. • 40 million licenses of Windows 8 sold in first
month (launched Oct 26th)
• 670M devices run Windows 7 – all
upgradable
• 1.2B devices run Windows
• IDC forecasts
• 300M Windows 8 units to ship in 2013
• 142.8M tablets to ship in 2013 (all OS)
Unprecedented opportunity for
today’s Application Developers!