Wordament heads to iOS with Achievements - what that means for Windows Phone

Alright, so Nokia has a good grasp on what the word exclusive means. But Microsoft takes a more liberal stance towards supporting other platforms. We’ve seen the big MS publish previously Xbox Windows Phone exclusive games to iOS before, such as Kinectimals and Tentacles. It always hurt, but we sucked it up and complained only in small doses.

Yesterday, another exclusive turned coat and migrated to iOS: Microsoft’s own Wordament. I had previously speculated that Wordament could function as a killer app, attracting gamers to Windows Phone with its highly addictive gameplay and smart design. That will no longer happen, but here’s the really bad news: Wordament on iOS (opens in new tab) is an Xbox Live title complete with real Achievements!

Migrating Achievements

Wordament iOS Xbox Live login

Yes, Wordament has become the first game on a non-Microsoft platform with Xbox Live Achievements. Sure, it only offers 50 GamerScore worth of Achievements as opposed to the Windows Phone and Windows 8 versions’ 200 GamerScore, but it’s only a matter of time until that 50 GS limit rises to 200 GS.

Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised by this move. After all, during the Wordament presentation at Casual Connect Seattle, Microsoft’s Alex Navarro basically hinted at this future when answering the following questions from an audience member:

Q: “When integrating a mobile game with Xbox Live, is that a Windows-only solution?”

  • A: “It is right now, but it won’t be for very long.”

Q: “You’re bringing functionality [from] the Xbox to mobile?”

  • A: “Absolutely. The same people who engage on the console are the same users who have the Live account who engage on the mobile titles. We find there’s a great deal of migration between the separate screens.”

At the time, I hoped that he was just stringing along the attendant iOS and Android developers with deliberately vague answers. But the iOS version of Wordament was likely already in development. Knowing that Xbox Live Achievements would spread to competing mobile platforms, Navarro’s encouragement was subtle but honest.

Cross-platform boggling

Wordament iOS screens

iOS screenshots from Wordament.com.

Wordament is also the first Xbox Live game with cross-platform multiplayer. iOS players compete against Windows Phone and Windows 8 players in real-time, trying to find as many words as possible during each round. Existing Wordament players who sign in on an iPhone or iPad will see all of their existing Xbox Live Friends and frenemies. Presumably, stats and rankings carry over as well.

Now, I can’t rally against this feature because if you’re going to port Wordament, of course you want everyone to play against each other. The ability to play the same game simultaneously with non-WP friends is alluring. A fair chunk of Wordament’s appeal is seeing so many other players sharing the same experience and comparing your own results against theirs.

On the Xbox 360, Microsoft has long opposed cross-platform multiplayer of any kind, even when developers wanted it. That’s why Playstation 3 and PC players can enjoy Portal 2 together, but Xbox 360 players cannot. Hopefully Wordament is proof of a new stance on that well-liked feature from Microsoft.

Why WP needs exclusives

Wordament photo

Wordament, we used to be proud of ya!

Now, every time we complain about the loss of an exclusive, somebody hops in and responds that they hate exclusivity and that Windows Phone doesn’t need exclusive apps and games. And let’s face it; Windows Phone exclusivity is bad for some people: iPhone and Android users who have no plans to switch to WP and don’t want to be incentivized to make that switch. For them, every little thing that makes Windows Phone look better is a curse instead of a blessing.

But let’s remember that Windows Phone continues to be an underdog platform. Android and iPhone have a huge lead, both in market share and the public mindset, which makes it hard for Windows Phone to compete on even ground. For Microsoft’s scrappy little mobile OS to win over new users, it needs features, apps, and games that those users can’t get anywhere else. Why else would an average Joe give up the iPhone he already owns hundreds of games on and throw in with Microsoft?

MS, I find your lack of faith disturbing

Wordament iOS screens

The offending Achievements

Make no mistake; Wordament popping up on iOS with Xbox Live Achievements is a vote of no confidence in the Windows Phone platform from someone at Microsoft. In case you didn’t know, Microsoft is comprised of multiple teams housed in separate buildings, each one responsible for its own little niche in the company’s business. These teams have little incentive to cooperate with each other when they’re not forced to do so by senior management. In fact, even within a team employees actually compete with each other in various ways, but that’s a story for another day.

So the situation is that many portions of Microsoft simply don’t care whether Windows Phone lives or dies. They’re just concerned with turning a profit for their divisions rather than helping out a floundering mobile division.

That’s exactly why:

  • We still don’t have a mobile (and exclusive) Halo or Forza game (two of Microsoft’s strongest console game brands).
  • Microsoft doesn’t just throw money at big developers to get them to bring big name games to WP even though they could afford it a thousand times over.
  • We got no new Xbox games for two weeks within the last two months.
  • There are exactly two Xbox Windows Phone 8 games after two months of the new OS’s availability.

Appearances matter

Don’t think this is the end of days for Windows Phone or that I’m ready to jump ship over Microsoft’s mixed signals. But you know, not everyone understands Microsoft’s divisive nature. They look at the big MS publishing games and bringing Xbox Live to iOS and they see a company that doesn’t believe in its own mobile platform.

You will never catch Apple releasing one of their hot products for Windows Phone, nor Sony bringing their games to the Xbox 360. They’re focused on making their own products succeed, not competing against themselves. If only Microsoft would show the same solidarity and commitment to their brilliant Windows Phone platform.

Play it anyway

Wordament for Windows 8

Windows 8/RT version

All implication aside, let’s not forget that Wordament is simply a fantastic word game. It did make our list of 5 Must Have Xbox Games, after all. And just look at our review!

Wordament, much like Boggle, involves trying to find as many words as possible from a field of 16 letters, all within a time limit. The hook? You’re competing against hundreds of others in real-time over the internet. Rounds last for a couple of minutes. Once they end, you get to see how you compared against everyone else, and then the next round starts a few seconds later.

Some rounds have hidden themed words and digrams (words that use a specific combination of two letters) to find as well. You can also add specific players to your Frenemies list and keep track of how you stack up against them. It’s all incredibly addictive.

Wordament is free and supported by ads on all platforms. Seeing as how each version counts as a separate game Achievement-wise, GamerScore fiends might as well play every version they can. I'd certainly be tempted to if I had an iDevice!

Get each version of Wordament with the following store links:

Update: Check out sister site iMore's impressions of the iOS port. It sounds a little rough compared to our version, but those kinks will surely be smoothed out over time.

Update 2: As it turns out, the iOS version was developed by Babaroga, makers of Zombies!!!, Shuffle Party, and several other Windows Phone games.

Paul Acevedo

Paul Acevedo is the Games Editor at Windows Central. A lifelong gamer, he has written about videogames for over 15 years and reviewed over 350 games for our site. Follow him on Twitter @PaulRAcevedo. Don’t hate. Appreciate!

337 Comments
  • Windows Phone. Doomed.
  • It feels that way.  My immediate reaction to this is "these guys really don't know what they're doing".  Where the benefit is of releasing on other platforms Microsoft content boggles my mind.  They gave everyone OneNote, they're in the process of giving everyone Office, and now Wordament on other mobile platforms!  This is disgusting.  Exclusives give reasons to jump to a platform.  Offering them as multiplatform lets people keep comfortable on their current platform.  Microsoft hasn't learned how to do mobile well, yet.  If they were smart, they'd pull the plug on Office and Wordament.  If not, at least make them pay $4.99 for Wordament and $14.99 for Office on mobile to get extra cash to throw into other projects.
  • Add to it that iPhone users probably won't have to pay XBOX Gold membership and you'll understand why I feel ripped off by Microsoft as a XBOX user.
  • Personally I think they should put it on Android aswell... Have it the only game on iOS and android to have achevments and i can garenty that people that own an xbox and an iphone or android, and are achevment hogs, have to add that, will go out and get a windows phone... I know a few people who make it their mission to get 100% or as close as in xbox achevments for all their games... come to think of it all those people used to be nintendo heads who stopped argueing when the Wii came out and will still tell you they are waiting on a good nintendo console to show everyone else how its done as they stare into a game of gears of war on the 19th hour of straight play... Some of you might be here now.......... How many achevments u got on ur WP device?
    If you know anyone like this that does not own a windows phone.... tell them your going to catch up on their gamer score at work 100 and 200 at a time straight off your phone..... they will not be able to resist......
  • I have a friend who has a android phone and tab, but will be buying my Lumia 900($100) when my 920 arrive, just for Xbox Live
  • WTF is going on.... 1st zombie run now this... It's a dark day for WP and MS is not helping WP needs new management ASAP!
  • What? You don't need an Xbox LIVE Gold account to get achievement on ANY Microsoft platform. My sister never had a LIVE account at all, but made a Silver one for her Lumia 822. I'm not sure what wacko planet you're on.
  • So, what? You still missed my point!
  • What was your point? Why would iPhone users not have to pay for gold?
  • You don't have to be a gold member to earn achievements.
  • I believe when Office comes to iOS and Android, you'll need a Office 365 subscription to use them.
  • Xbox games and Xbox music pass are the reasons I have a Windows Phone 8 device right now and have moved over from iOS and Android. It would be a shame for people like me to loose our incentives.
  • Xbox music is coming to iOS 
  • I know its a free game. The question is will this expand to paid games? Will people who have jailbroken iPhones be able to get games and achievements free???
  • yep, it seems like Windows is going towards the end specially when Nokia has backstabbed Microsoft to choose Android for their upcoming tablet. http://bit.ly/TeDPUa
  • Yeah, right, your source is 110% reliable...
  • Yea that article was a pretty poor pice of speculation. It claims that Nokia is "clearly" going to make an android tablet and the only reasons it gives are Windows RT sucks and Nokia hired a linux engineer (Which they already confirmed was for mapping software).
  • Lol Microsoft doesn't even have faith in its platform
  • So that's what you got out of that huh?  Sad, just sad. :(
  • Sad but true. If you didn't get that from reading this, maybe you should read it again. Microsoft has indeed lost faith in windows phone. And frankly, so have I.
  • That sucks. 3 of my friends loved this game so much that they were planning to get a windows phone replacing their iPhones. Now I guess they won't.
  • Just don't tell them... Lol.
  • i hate ms for this
     
  • Agreed.
  • I kind of think that line of thinking is a hyperbole.....ms should try to put their software everywhere.... I would personally want Xbox music all over android and ios... Best way to grow... And much better service....they can play with pricing a bit though to finance other projects...
  • What you're suggesting is not the best way to grow Windows Phone's market share.
  • +100
  • +1000
  • Sadly it's soon going to be time for me to say goodbye to win phone... This doesn't matter to me, but it points to the bigger issue and problems WP will never overcome.
  • Thing is, I stay for the modern UI and live tiles, not the games.
  • me too, also the integration with my work place office apps
  • Those will be available for the other mobile platforms shortly as well.
  • I too stay for these reason, however I would like a notification hub, NOT like andriod with a drop down menu how about we slide our right right, and the notifications are on the left of our live tiles, in a list like our apps are on the right?
     
    This was Toast noficiation missed with Apps with no tile count would never been over seen. - I WOULD LOVE to see the Peoples hub have Toast noficiation as well as tile count.
     
    Games - WP was never about games for me.
  • I don't stay for games wither, in fact I don't even have this game. As I said...bigger problem... Microsoft makes the other platforms happier first, their own last. I love the UI and I love Office on my phone, but apps are jumping ship, cross platform apps are better elsewhere...
  • I'm with you. Already switched. Not enough apps and cool games(like dead trigger and shadowgun for eg.)
    And with MS giving away their"exclusives" to other platforms why stay?(unless you're obsessed with the metro UI).
  • why are you even here then? Why are you on WPCentral?
  • I'm still here too, and I've also already jumped ship.  I'm still here daily hoping for good news but in the end I moved to Android as I await the apps I need.   I've considered moving back, but the best solution I can personally see for me is a 920 and a Nexus 7 tablet to give me access to the apps I need.
     
    I still root for WP, but it sure looks gloomy.
  • +1
  • This gloom and doom is unfounded. WP is strong on all fronts after only 7 weeks on the market. You guys who jumped ship (Android? Really) don't care about the experience and you "root for WP"?  what on earth is that? I want to burn iOS and Andriod with fire. If you have jumped ship you're a turncoat. Join Android Central or TheVerge. We really don't want or need those who have lost faith here spreading FUD.
  • "fanboy rant"
  • I hate what this site has become. WP fanboys ARE THE MOST ARROGANT of the lot.
  • Fanboys period anywhere are...im going to go where I feel I will have the best experience. I came to WP thinking that. I think I was wrong so I may move on.
  • i agree but not all fans of the platform are zealots. i just honestly like windows phone. its a shame to see microsoft outsourcing all of the things that make their platform unique to other platforms. But its like the article said most of the divisions at microsoft work independantly from eachother. So while it hurts to watch exclusives go it wasnt really microsoft as one entire entity that made such a decision. for those in this comment thread called turncoats its understandable why you left as one of my friends left for the same reason, just ask that we arent all categorized as zealots. thanks
  • then what the hell are you still here for? You're free to leave.
     
  • I'll leave when I'm good and ready... :D
  • I wasn't replying to you.
  • hey @The_All_Blacks bro i understand your defending wp and by all means do so but how can we convince people of the good qualities of wp when theres constant arguing amongst ourselves. this is a bad thing and people are reacting accordingly. lets just get along :) everyone apologizes and we forget about this argument. and btw wp is not for grandmothers lol, as difficult as this may be for some people to absorb not everyone feels the need to have a gazillion apps. :P
  • I fueled the troll and that's my mistake, but we aren't arguing amongst 'ourselves'. I hate that I stay away from Android and iPhone sites because I have nothing to say about them and they are of no interest to me, but the shills don't have the common decency to do the same. 
  • You want to burn Android and iOS with fire?  Wow, calm down. 
  • Wow, gangbanger mentality rears its head in the mobile os world again. I've been with WP since day one, but I'm also thinking of jumping ship now too. These type of moves do indeed point to a much larger problem within Microsoft. I may abandon their products all together. Why support them when we're obviously an afterthought, not a priority.
  • You've got to see the bigger picture rather than just focusing on WP. MS doesn't have a problem and to think that you'd abandon the platform all together  shows that you don't understand and I'm not saying that attack or bait you, but MS is shifting everything to the cloud and that involves integrated services and device agnostic services. MS upgraded it's entire portfolio of products in 2012, all 12of it's billion dollar divisions have gone through major transformations and it's going to transition into 2013 with Office.  there's plenty more to look out for and it's a great time to be invested in the MS ecosystem which is arguably the strongest in the world) and still working hard to improve  and allowing the end user experience to be that much more meaningful. We  all want to see more weight behind WP, but there are priorities that, in the grand scheme, are more important than WP at the moment. Have some faith.
     
  • I don't think you get it. If Microsoft is putting all it's services on other platforms then what's the reason to buy a Windows Phone? If someone can have the ecosystem of IOS and Android AND Microsoft's services then why not go there instead of staying with WP?
  • UX, differentiation, hardware and inegration. The First Class experience. These are the reasons that will drive WP ahead and of course new apps, not rehashes of what other OSes already have. 
  • creating all new ways to interact with ones content is where MS is headed. The number of apps is gotten to the point where it doesn't matter and way overblown.
  • Why do you say apps don't matter when it obviously does as it's a indicator of how healthy an ecosystem is. If this market was all about look then ya WP should be on top but they're not. As for first class experience i have a WP7 as well as an Android phone and Xbox and smartglass apps are about the same. The SkyDrive apps isn't noticeably better on WP so the the experience is pretty consistent across all platforms. If all they're looking for is to sell their services then they don't need a phone and can just provide the service to the top two platforms. They've rebooted Windows Mobile and now Windows Phone so bow many cracks do they need to do things right? There's still issues with WP hardware and mine got bricked doing a factory reset so it's not like they've learned their lessons.
  • Also, MS is putting all of its services on it's OWN cloud Service which is Azure and these apps allow any device to access the information. 
  • Apple did it with the iPod and iTunes and then people started buying Mac's. It's the Halo effect and I guess we'll find out if it works with software too.
  • I like how Microsoft is trying disseminate content to all phone users regardless of "loyalty" or this entitlement belief that because you use a certain device you should be rewarded with certain perks and they are somehow the bad guys.  I don't agree that this has anything to do with Microsoft feeling that Windows Phone isn't a priority, I feel it has more to do with grabbing as much market share as possible for their products regardless of platform!  If you don't like the Windows experience and the phone as a whole then use a different device, imo Windows Phone is enough of a carrot on its own, unique hardware, great features, simple and beautiful UI, it is just a great device.  Who cares if iPhone and Android users can have some of their apps, I would like some of theirs and wouldn't expect them to complain at Google or Apple for letting us have content.
  • Then they don't really need their own device to do all that do they if they're just going to be a service provider. What incentive is there to stay with WP besides the UX? I'm sorry but that may be ok for some people but not the masses which is why they're struggling. Google and Apple are not putting apps on WP and that's the problem while MS is giving them everything.
  • Exactly Welve. I would like to say that maybe, just maybe if Live takes off on other platforms that means more development for WP users. Think about it. Wouldn't this get other developers to want to make live games for ios and then of course be easily ported or put on WP first?
  • That's a good idea because I have a 920 and I use my galaxy 4.0 player for any apps I may want.
  • Really?... What exclusives does android have that ios doesn't or comparables and vice versa that make a people choose one over the other????.......its a mood point...WP8 needs to succeed on its own as a better OS, and more app support......
  • all i was saying was and i agree with the_all_blacks on this point. the selling points for microsofts mobile os is its unique approach to the mobile game. i feel if devs gave the people the apps wanted on windows phone you would see a huge leap from android and ios to windows phone, because i feel that the unique nature of windows phone the aesthetically pleasing sight of the live tiles, emphasism on information as opposed to polish and absolute integration with the products are what make the windows phone platform a viable solution.
  • Let me explain. Microsoft divisions don't care about each other. Office doesn't give shit to WP, neither Xbox. It's like they're different companies.
  • I am pretty sure WP is currently part of the Entertainment and Devices Division along with Xbox.
  • MS is going to be a device agnostic company. "Devices and Services". This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.
  • which they have always been. microsoft has always been a software company first and foremost.
    office is already on macs right? 
  • You're right, sir. Has been since the beginning.
     
  • Then why have their own platform if they can just develop for iPhone and Android? What's the point of fighting a losing battle?
  • what losing battle? As long as WP continues to gain market share, which it has compared to this point last year, it's always a win. They don't have drive iOS and Android to the brink for WP to be successful.
  • If you think for a second that Microsoft thought that their current market share is all they were going to get when they first launched WP then you're delusional. Even getting up to 10% is a failure as I'm sure they thought they could be competitive in this space and they're not even close.
  • That's why you should stick to playing risk and let others do management decisions... Really????
  • What are you guys talking about , so that means good doesn't have faith on android, no is business, ppl will switch to wp8 cuz is different, cuz is unique and better looking and to me easier to used , Microsoft need to focus more in bringing the apps we missing so we can be even with that , and ppm make their choices base on what they like more . But that being said if I don't get all the apps I need , temple run , instagram , flipboar , auto trader, and few more , this Lumia 920 will be the last piece of my money ,Microsoft will see with windows phone .
  • A plataform can't survive w/o all social network these days, phones are about people moreover. The lack of Instagram killed Windows Phone for many of my friends. If BB10 launches with it that will show how incompetent MSFT was.
  • I agree completely, that's why my wife return the HTC 8x and got and iPhone 5.
  • And don't forget dead trigger, shadowgun, walking dead, NOVA etc... There are tons and tons of AAA games absent on WP. Only crappy indie games. No matter how much die hard WP zealots argue that it isn't about apps, they need to realize that it IS ABOUT APPS AND GAMES. Apps is what propels a platform. How do you think iOS has such a cult following(which many people despise but face the truth)? Its was all because of the apps. I'm glad I switched to iPhone.
  • NOVA is actually coming to Windows Phone though.
  • it is, but when? after no one gives a shit about it anymore?
     
    i still like my 920 a lot, but lately i've been using my n4 more just because i feel like msft is screwing things up more than ever lately from a management standpoint.
     
    xbox music is a mess, and why can't i even transfer movies from their service to my phone when i can DOWNLOAD them to the device on other platforms.
     
    honestly the only thing keeping me with wp right now is the 1 yr of xbox music i got with my surface and the hardware in the 920. micrsoft needs to get its ass in gear.
  • Ok... Then ..finish moving on a leave....
  • They are already talking, BB10 With instagram at launch. Who knows, I might be able to jump ship to BBM, since I hate ios, and Android.
  • Wait... how does lack of an app make MS incompetant? How is it not an issue with the developers, and/or owners of the companys? Did MS tell instagram to stay away from their OS, or is it the other way around? 
    If Instagram wants the largest membership they can get they will offer their app on all platforms. They are the ones who are holding it up.
     
    If things like that matter most to people then please, by all means leave and get another phone.
  • Don't worry, people are leaving and not coming back.
  • Troll much?
  • i'm sorry, if BB (a brand that has worse mindshare than windows phone at the moment) actually pulls off getting instagram at launch with BB10, then it is clearly microsoft's fault for not making whatever deal they needed to to get them to develop or allow msft to develop the app for their platform.
  • That's true. There's no app availability problem that throwing money at the developer won't solve. If Microsoft wants Instagram bad enough, they'll work a deal out.
  • what if instagram's CEO hate MS with a passion... thats the feeling I get anyways
  • Guess that's a possibility! Not a good way to run a business though.
  • Talk to the Fandroid and Applehead developers and not Microsoft on these issues. Yell at them over and over demanding your apps. Keep the blame where it belongs.
  • Like ppl say I'm my country, Dominican republic, issues and problems are solve,with blood or money in this case blood is not and option, so I tell u what ,you might no like WP platform and that's why you don't build the app for it , but if I call u and offer you lets say for and app like flipboard that the developer is most likely no a millionaire and tell u , imma give u a million dollar, I bet next day he will be working on it , so the should spend money cuz they have plenty.
  • That's like a 1" tall person in a crowd of normal people yelling at them... They won't even hear it.
  • Game selection is the last piece of the pie for my platform selection. Super happy windows phone 8 here..
  • Reminds me of Zune players, when they were on the cusp of actually being successful Microsoft abandoned it. It was the only device that had a chance of competing with the iPod properly.
  • Reminds me of the XBox when it first came out, and everyone was saying it can't compete with Playstation, and definitely not with anything from Nintendo. They couldn't sell in Japan and then... wait... nevermind. Just stay tuned and STFU already. 
  • Its not about being able to compete, its about Microsoft having faith in the platform and ensuring its successful. The Xbox would not have been as successful if they allowed Halo to be ported to other consoles.
  • Yeah, except Microsoft didn't release Halo for the Gamecube/Wii or PS2/3.
  • Of Microsoft keeps doing this, what's the point of even supporting Windows Phone?
  • Seriously, Microsoft's leadership needs to reign on and get the company together, literally and pun intended.
     
    A strategic analyst would clearly see potential latent in having Windows 8, RT, Phone and Xbox synchronized on the same page. This could take Microsoft to a whole new level of success and growth, yet something is clearly blocking them. I can't speak of the internals in the company, but I want to know, what is stopping them from releasing a Windows Phone (and RT) game under the Halo and Forza titles? Why not leverage Xbox console and incentivize current game developers to roll out WP/RT games under those titles?
  • I can't imagine a Forza game on a mobile being any good. No amount of money could make a racing simulator work on a phone.
  • True, but it would still be a exclusive with a big following. Halo would be fantastic, They should just release a Halo 1 port. The phone could easily run it, and that alone would generate a lot of talk/desire for windows phone.
  • That's a great idea as a port from halo 1! F**** ios and Android have ports from GTA. :(
  • It's much easier to create an arcade spin-off in the GTA "world" than in the niche Forza Motorsport franchise.
    Forza Horizon on the other hand..
  • That's not true at all. Forza has always allowed players to turn off the sim elements if they wanted. It would be easy to strike a balance between playability on a phone (which lots of racers do great already) and having lots of cars and options to mess with.
  • Without the sim elements Forza Motorsport is just boring. What options would you mess with on a phone? Performance tuning would seem totally silly, while swag and pimping is an NFS thing.
    Oh, and another key element of Forza, the attention to detail in reproducing the cars - now that also won't make it to the phone. So what's left of it to go on the phone would be just generic racing with the Forza logo slapped on it, and a high price to cover the car licensing.
    Thats said, while I'd rather see Forza Motorsport stay on the big consoles, I'd be fine with her litte sister Forza Horizon going mobile.
  • I agree that Forza Horizon would work well on a phone, but they could call the mobile game Forza Whatever and it'd still do fine. As long as it's a solid racing game, it'd be a good way to extend the brand.
  • They dont need to make real big games for the phones. What they should do is make the phone/RT games as add-ons. A perfect example is the Fable game. You win money on your Windows Phone and submit it to your Xbox 360 game. Racing games could be played for credits in the game as well. FPS could unlock new contect for the story mode or even unique guns for online, or enable smart glass to be used. A lot can be done, but it would have to stay in the Microsoft eco system.
     
  • Agreed; that's a good way to do it.
  • God dammit Microsoft. What's next, Microsoft office?
  • Microsoft Office was confirmed for iOS. So, yes.
  • Ffffuuuuccckkk.
  • MS is becoming a Devices and Services company and you need your services on all devices.
  • I think they're trying to raise awareness of the brand. Its a good move.
  • By that logic Microsoft Studios should've put out Halo on the Wii.
  • Not really. How many Wii owners know of Halo? How many iOS or Android owners have even heard of Wordament?
  • News has spread fairly quickly. the average game I played has jumped from 900-1k users to over 1600 per round. Not bad for 1 day.
  • I don't think um going to be having my windows phone that much longer if this continues to be the case.. Smh
  • Agreed! That iPhone 5 is looking better and better than my Lumia 920 day by day.
  • I hope you're trolling.
  • Who cares... If they want to switch let them....they are just bitter
  • BTW...aren't Xbox and Windows Phone in the same division? Entertainment and Devices Division?
    To be honest, Wordament is not my worry per se... It's the lack of drive and initiative in WP itself.  
  • This!
  • +1  
  • They do have drive and initiative
    ..... It's to get all their services on other platforms instead of concentrating on their own and making it better.
  • As I understand it, there are separate teams within that division. There is some cooperation, but not to the extent that we might want or expect from one division under the same company.
  • Fanboys is mad. I'm happy. Now I can destroy my girlfriend in wordament when I play on my 920 and her on her iPhone.
  • ^ This. It's odd to see MS dump exclusive features like XBL integration, but the result to the user is that now you have more people to play with, and people can actually play with Windows phone users. It's annoying being left out of most of the cross-platform stuff.
    People love to bemoan the "lack of apps" on windows phone, but as a non-gamer, I've got solid (and often excellent) 3rd party apps for the services I use (Pandora, Google Chat, Google Voice, etc.). The last real bridge is getting cross-platform support for the apps people are obsessed with on iOS and Android. For games like Wordament, more players is better - having them WP only is useless, because few people will ever hear about them. A few stray people may jump ship to WP over these kinds of exclusives, but honestly, cross-platform with no deficiencies is the best solution for everyone, since it will help to dispel the feeling of apps missing from Windows phone.
    The only thing that really strikes me as odd is the ability to earn XBL points cross platform. That's rather stupid, but it'll get players on Wordament, for sure... gateway app, anyone?
  • I think Microsoft is promoting "XBOX" first. iOS and android already have smartglass and some others. Microsoft is looking at alot more than just windows phone. They're trying to make a,stronger all around ecosystem, that caters to everyone. They need to make money by other means. Everyone sees that they are being cut off in some shape or form, from others.
  • It's only a game maybe it's an exclusive but is only a game is not gonna change everything what is most important is OS not the apps the apps can be awesome but the most important thing is the full experience not just game and i think is what is windows phone doing right giving to the costumer a good experience in all the aspects.
  • It's literally only a matter of time until they do get BETTER experiences with the games and services we have. Windows Phone will be left behind, even by its own division within Microsoft.
  • Exclusive to WP? First remove the exclusivity for Nokia (even though I own one didn't own earlier)
  • This is a great idea. Give outsiders a little taste of the Microsoft ecosystem. Sure, not all will take the hook. But it's a great way to advertise your platform without spending a dime. Exclusive crap is for Apple. Microsoft sees the bigger picture.
  • Makes me realize how much smarter, more successful, and richer apple has gotten taking that approach. So maybe Microsoft's big picture is the wrong picture.
  • Like the iPod which is on all platforms?
  • Umm, the iPod is its own platform (iOS). If you mean iTunes, that is indeed multiplatform, but it's primarily a way to use and sell content for iDevices. Almost nobody would use iTunes who didn't also own an iPhone, iPod, or iPad. That's a lot different than publishing apps or games for a competing platform, because an iOS Wordament user (for instance) doesn't need or have any reason to own a Windows Phone in order to enjoy the game.
  • Wow. What the heck. I mean I know revenue from Xbox has to be good to keep WP going for the time being, but no. This is bad. Bad move, MS.
  • As long as the Office for iOS rumors aren't true.
  • Office for IOS is hardly a rumor.  It was announced by Microsoft months ago.
  • Well said, Paul. When Office, Xbox, Sharepoint, along with all the other MS services are on ios we will see how long WP survives.
  • I love Windows Phone, but have the clear cut understanding that no matter what version of it we use, we are the beta testers. Microsoft is out to rule the living room through the Xbox setup and expansion and if catering to the more popular mobile platforms achieve that goal, we will be sold down the river sign sealed and delivered. If Windows Phone can overtake one of the two major platforms they will adjust the game plan. If not they will slowly build on Windows Phone as a interconnected subsidiary of Windows with a lower priority than all the other platforms. While the exclusive games are a great example I would suggest looking at the extreme beta stage of syncing on WP8. why else take out the best part of experience when connecting to the home computer?
  • I actually think this is good, creating apps in other platforms will ease switching to WP, just like google did everywhere, created apps that promoted its software abilities . More apps should be ported to ios so when any one makes a switch those apps will create familiarity.
  • I totally agree!  I was so pissed when I heard about this fiasco, but now I realize that it's the exact thing that needs to happen.  Give iOS users a taste.  Let them know what they are missing on WP, and they'll start coming over.  This moves has a great potential to make the WP platform much stronger.  
  • You guys are absolutely and completely delusional if this is what you believe!
  • Good point, and way to back it up with facts too.  Your opinion totally counts, though.
  • How is this move supposed to make the platform stronger? This just means it's one less reason to buy a WP when the games and services are on other platforms. What would make the platform stronger, getting someone to buy a WP and hook them into the MS ecosystem or create services and games for other platforms?
  • Why would you switch when those live games are already on WP? Why not just stick with WP? If it's because the other platforms offer more, then why get a WP to begin with? They need to do this. It opens WP for more development.
  • People used iTunes so much during iPod start that they started buying other apples products and osx wad more familiar.... Same with chrome
  • Actually your answers your question, how do you get people hooked onto the MS ecosystem?????... By limiting use of the services that make up the ecosystem?...no...you want more. People to sample them
  • You are just totally out to hate too...relax....
  • I don't really think this will harm WP in the scheme of things - a little annoying, but not harmful. In fact, I think this comes down to something much larger - the battle of eco-systems. The eco-system that has the most chance of winning is the one that is cross platform. In fact, in a roundabout way i think this type if decision will help WP, the more people that end up buying into the eco-system will eventually mean that more people will consider WP as it is native to the eco-system
  • This...
  • Personally I just think that this shows how divided the divisions within Microsoft still are. The fact that each division appears to be more interested in the growth of their own division as compared to helping the growth of the other parts of Microsoft’s business is a fundamentally floored idea. Smartglass should be a Win 8 / WP exclusive, no Xbox stuff should end up on iOS and Android, and who knows what will happen if they port Office over to iOS, because they will in effect might as well not make RT or WP at that point. Microsoft needs to choose to become either a services company, and stop trying to push into marketshares where it’s weak, or to remove all support for other platforms and promote exclusives on its own platforms.
    Trying to do both just alienates those who invest into Microsoft's own platforms.
  • Office l is going to iPad already
  • So why would you need to buy the Microsoft product if you could just have the same experience on an i device?
  • If they purchase Office for iPad, then they did purchase a Microsoft product.
  • It may get Microsoft subscribers and help their bottom line but how does that help their ecosystem and get people to buy more WP/W8 tablets? So instead of tempting people to buy W8 tablets and phones to get people into their ecosystem they sell $7.99 monthly office subscriptions. Who do you think loses and wins?
  • Well. You're likely gonna pay for office for ios anyway.
  • You would only have that service experience... The full experience comes on a native ms OS...plus your software gets everywhere!
  • Exclusives help to turn eyes to a platform but I think it is a bit overrated about how this makes people turn to a specific platform.
     
    Case in point: A few weeks ago I was playing Wordament at a table with some friends and they looked at it on my 8X and asked to play it. I pass them the phone to try the game and they were hooked right away to the game. I told them it was only available on Windows Phone but they still fired up their App Store and Google Play to search for it. They didn't find it but I also received no comment about any of them migrating because of the then-exclusive Wordament game.
     
    App ubiquity is another thing. After two years, there are people who are not aware that Windows Phone exists. When developers/companies start releasing their apps for iOS, Android and WP at the same time, people can then be aware that there are currently 3 platforms to choose from, not just two.
     
    However, this is like the chicken and egg question because as there will only be more apps for WP when it gains more market share, but it won't take more unless there are more apps or people becaming aware of it and choosing because its the best OS out there.
  • Of course, no one exclusive will lure people to a different platform. But if WP was dripping with exclusives they wanted, it'd be a different story. Also, shame on your friends for not believing you!
  • This concerns me. It shows me they aren't totally confident in their own platform's future....and heck lets face it, wordament is arguably the best word game out there. What's next, .NET on mac?
  • Wow :-(, maybe that will let us get temple run..
  • What's going to kill win phone is how buggy it is and the lack of apps. People want apps. Win phone has nothing to offer people on android or IOS that they don't already have. Exclusives is what sets you apart and as we learned with the Xbox Microsoft doesn't care about exclusives. I'm don't with WP. I'm on my 3rd Nokia L920 and after the last patch they turned my phone to trash. If I find a way to get rid of this thing and switch to another os I am. There's no way WP can compete
  • Oh fantastic. Microsoft,why don't you give all your Xbox titles in one go instead of torturing us bit by bit. Sarcasm over.
  • Windows need to upgrade their Facebook app some more. I don't get notification when I receive inbox messages or friend request; maybe its just my phone...there is absolutely no reason to switch to a windows phone; I embarrass my everytime I try to convince people, and now this!
  • I might just get that new blackberry, or the galaxy s3
  • Good article, I'm in agreement! No one is going to switch platforms for wordament, but where will it end?
  • That's what I am saying. No one cares specifically about wordament, but where does it stop and why do cross platform apps work better on other platforms...
  • Phil Spencer, the VP in charge of Microsoft Studios, should be called in for special meeting with Steve Ballmer over the holiday break. The topic: how fast he can pack up his stuff. As a game publisher, Microsoft Studios has been on a slide since Shane Kim retired.
  • This is the tweet I sent him (feel free to let him know what you think too): @PeeeThree Allowing Wordament to earn Xbox Live achievements on iOS. Just step down from Microsoft Studios.
  • I think some could agree that Ballmer needs to go as well.
  • yes but its the head of the gaming division i would assume made such an assenine decision.
  • Guys, we need to put things in perspective. WP is a priority, but in the grand scheme of mobile W8 and MS services are the real priorities. WP users represent less than 1% of the MS user base and even less when it comes to monetization.  Xbox has priority over WP(sucks, but true) and MS wants users of any device to be using MS services.  
  • agreed but windows phone could be a contender if given the proper attention it deserves as a platform.
  • Kind MS support other platforms. MS need Google to do the same. YouTube is broken on WP!!!!
  • If MS was porting over a bunch of games to iOS, I would understand the nerd rage going on here. But, as other people above have suggested, this can act as a teaser. Think about it, you have ONE game with achs, on iOS. People will be drawn to the mobile OS that has ALL of the Xbox games with achs, and also the Xbox itself. While MS is working on coordinating divisions more, and I agree they need to, moves like this are calculated.
  • It won't be just this one game. There are already other games; this is just the first with Achievements. More will surely follow.
  • How many "great" exclusives does WP have that iOS and Android don't have?
  • It would be a teaser with a popup notice like "Want archivements? Play this game on Windows Phone!" ...
  • The fact that WP lost its last exclusive feature, Xbox Achievements, is outrageous. We need Steve Ballmer to go around to all the Microsoft divisions to kick their butts and tell them to stop hurting Microsoft's most struggling product.
  • Send a tweet to @PeeeThree Phil Spencer, VP of Microsoft Studios.
  • Wordament is a bit passe on WP already, having been exclusively available for so long already. So really no big deal. We need more NEW exclusive killer aps, not clinging on to the very few we have.
  • Really, we need both. You don't want just a handful of exclusives at any given time. You want a full arsenal of apps and games that inspire people to consider WP over other platforms. For that to work, the lineup has to grow as time goes on - not dwindle.
  • There's nothing new to this... Hardware and services...ballmer said that long time ago.. People dont switch just because of game..and most people own Xbox 360 its all good...ios and WINDOWSPHONE are totally different... So buy me a ham sandwich because I am hungry.
  •  
    As long as in the near future they don't release a multitude of games like this I think we"ll be alright.  Listen, I was so pissed when I heard about this ordeal, but now I realize that it's the exact thing that needs to happen.  Give iOS users a taste.  Let them know what they are missing on WP, and they'll start coming over.  This moves has a great potential to make the WP platform much stronger.  
     
    And think about this too.  The more apps that all the mobile OS's share the easier it will be to switch between them.  Like a lot of people keep saying, if Instagram were on WP8 there may have been a mass exodus from iOS to WP8.  I think this will get people from iOS hooked and might actually make them take the jump.
  • FUDGE SHOULD OF SPENT $525 ON A ANDROID PHONE
  • I think it's a strategy to get people on all platforms to use Microsoft Games/Apps...The more the people use MS apps/games the easier it's to convince these people to shift to the WP/Surface paltform....Right now there are exclusives on iOS/Android like Flipboard/Instagram....Lot of people use these apps and are hesistant to move to the WP.....It's a high risk strategy but it's a risk work taking as WP 8 is not taking off as rapidly as people expected
  • I think the point in the article about MS being divided is spot on. 
    Looking at Games for windows Live. I tried to be a loyalist for that and if ever there was a toss up between a game with xbox live on xbox or PC I always made sure I got the PC version. The choice was so limited...  MS really doesn't focus on another other gaming platform properly other than the main console, then they wonder why it failed when they never really gave it the big push it needed.  
    MS office and xbox games are probably the biggest pull for the WP ecosystem (business users and achievement hunters).
    Some more investment in games and QA testing (MS accounts setup with personal domains need work for syncing tasks and calendars) is where it should be at. 
    I do think Wordament on iOS with LIMITED achievement points is a good move. My tablet is still a iOS device while my phone is a lumia 920. 
  • When you think about it, Wordament is also available on Windows 8; just because someone owns an iPhone doesn't mean that they use a Mac! These iPhone users are also Windows 8 users and if they are playing Wordament on their PC, having the game on their iPhone is a good convenience and allows them to play on the go.
  • Its the Xbox achievement points that's screwed.
  • But you get achievements on the Windows 8 version, at least I do (I have a seperate Live account that I use for Windows 8, and I've unlocked achievements with that profile). 
     
    If an iPhone/iPod user creates a Windows Live account for Windows 8, then I don't see an issue with the achievements following them when they sign in using their iPhone/iPhone.
  • News like this makes me less sure that I want to upgrade to a newer Windows phone.  
  • Why? Does it make any newer WP different if one game runs on another platform? Please explain.
  • No. But it makes the other platform even more attractive.
  • Doubtful. These days (when it comes to iOS and Android) specs are what make a platform more attractive. People are talking about (and buying) the galaxy III, Note II, and iPhone 5 cause of the hardware, specs, and OS not cause of the exclusives. For them, apps are a given. They are in abundance. That's where WP falls way short. If they had the same quality of apps, regardless of if they have them as exclusives, then the conversation turns to the OS. As we know, WP OS is something worth switching for. They just need to keep pushing boundaries with specs, hardware, and of course (quality) apps, apps, apps.
  • I would assume having a game cross platform would make it much more enjoyable to play having a much larger user base. Also IOS users probably have windows pc too so why not make it available to everyone, the ranting going on here right now over this game is completly pointless. Windows Phone is much bigger than the apps on it. IOS developers and Android developers should take a hint on how MS does things and make more apps that work across all platforms.I reallly couldnt care less if all apps that are on WP are available on other mobile platforms,n I didnt buy my phone for that reason, I buy my phone because of the way the OS looks and feels and how smooth and fluid it all runs.
  • WP8 is the best mobile OS on the market now; I think if MS shows great products on other platforms people may want to try WP. Once someone really tries WP8 they will never go back. So I think this is good idea. The exclusive thing is ok when that is only thing going on for you, but WP8 is just to good. :)
  • The best mobile OS...no.  They are gradually becoming competitive, but are a long way off matching eiter iOS or Android in features or functionality.
  • I have a bb, android nexus, iphon5, and wp7, and now Ativ S. With the latest version on TELUS even update was pushed to phone. For me this OS works the best. I have not found use case where I prefer the others.
  • I'll call it the best once we have separate volume control for the ringer and apps/games. Such a glaring omission.
  • WP8 OS is by far the best OS available, we are not talking about apps here. The OS itself simply is miles ahead of IOS or Android.
  • Uhm, I've known people that have tried WP and gone back. More like ran back when they saw the app selection and the battery issues on the Lumia 920.
  • Stop trolling and making stuff up
  • He's not trolling. And some people have tried the Lumia 920 and left it behind for whatever reason; that can and will happen with any phone.
  • Sorry to go off topic, but Guys, I need your favour. Go to HTTP://wp.me/p2qtUO-2m and click on my app ideas and vote them "its superb". More votes will make my app shortlisted in top 36. I just want enough votes so that my app ideas do not get lost in the crowd. Please please. Vote them, it will not take much of your time. Do read that post to know how to do that. Thank you. Hope I will see my app growing in rank. :-)
    and yeh, prize is a lumia 920, which I could win by ur help
  • Worst. Decision. Ever.
  • I SECOND that!! Even third, fourth, five, tenth, hundred or thousand times if i hv to
     
    No pressie from Santa for the MS Marketing team, been a bad bad boy!!!
    >:(
  • Also, I can't wait to see how all the anti Microsoft \WP sites will spin this. Microsoft just keeps creating their own bad press.
  • Wordament is terrible on iOS. It doesn't support iPhone 5's screen size, it intercepts the multitasking system, the interface is impenetrable and cramped, and overall it's just not a well done port. Is that a good or bad thing for Windows Phone? http://www.imore.com/wordament-first-xbox-live-game-microsoft-hits-iphone
  • but does it change the anger people have? its outrageous that ios would or should even get any xbox titles at all especially when its already difficult enough for current wp users to wait on games and apps for as long as we have/are?
  • Excuse me sir, but how did manage to get on the internets when being so.. challenged? Or are you just trolling?
    Half of your review is moaning about how you can't figure out how to play this simple game. Dear gods, there are videos on youtube of 5 year old kids playing Wordament wihout any problems.
    As for the tiny letters - that's what you get for buying a phone with a tiny screen and idiotic aspect ratio. A 3,5'' with a useless extension for a fifth row of icons is still a 3,5'' tiny screen. You can fit more rows of letter or icons on it, but they'll still be the same size, otherwise the words or icons wouldn't fit in the width - get it? The UI in Wordament on iOS is exactly the same as on WP. And I've never heard anyone complaing about small letters on their 3,7'' WPs. Probably because they had a proper aspect ratio. You may have one valid point if Wordament really doesn't suport multitasking on iOS. But all the rest of your article is just utter shit. Shat by an incompetent person. I had tried not to be an apple-hater, but you just made me. Honestly.  
  • Haha.. Ouch. Take it esy man. :)
  • Did you read the review? It's staggering. I literally facepalmed at the part about an "invisible timer" written right below the screenshots showing a clearly visible timer.
    It appears that all those iphone user stereotypes are actually true.
  • Rene is the EIC of iMore, our sister site. So let's be respectful of him. I agree that the iPhone's screen is foolishly small though.
  • I still can't figure out if his review was serious or some ironic parody of an iUser struggling to learn a new app in which the controls aren't skeumorphic. The part when Rene is confused by text being an active UI element is just mindblowing.
  • It's possible I'm stupid AND the game isn't well done. They're not mutually exclusive. (Actually, the game itself is great, it's everything surrounding the game that's problematice). The iPhone's screen size is something that needs to be taken into account when porting the game over. It's what separates high quality, caring, details-oriented developers from the pack. Wordament could be a great game. Microsoft is getting in the way of it. (And sorry for missing the tiny timer amid the sea of tiny text the first time around. I've since found it. I haven't, however, found the buttons that would let a human accept or skip the next board, and give them control of the experience.)
  • MS just don't know what they are doing compared to companies like Google. Google are pulling support from MS yet MS are giving everyone their exclusive content.... Muppets
  • MS is a software company. MS rules software. They really don't care what device you're using as long as it's MS services that you're using. Google is nothing compared to MS, two entirely different beasts.
  • I dont think its a big deal. I dont know anyone that was buying a windows phone based on Wordament. I didnt even know it existed when I made my purchase. the way I see it, this move gives us something we need, compatibility to play games with people on iOS and Android.
  • You give them a little to get them hooked, then you offer them a bigger piece to draw them in.  By putting out software on other platforms it gives people the ability to see the quality work MS does and introduces them to another platform that they may want to try out next time they go upgrade to a new phone.
     
    If you remain obscure and never build on other platforms people will see you as irrelevant.  This is just like google not building apps for WP; the more and more they choose to disregard the platform the more people in the WP ecosystem will find alternatives and then learn those alternatives are either better or 'good enough'.   People will become dependent on your servcies and obviously there will be more xbox live games on WP than iOS or android will ever get - so if you want the achievements and xbox games as a main feature WP is the best option.
  • Exactly. The doom and gloom talk is crazy. They just want to give them a taste of the XBox live experience.
  • They did. It was called Smart glass. Porting exclusives is utter ridiculousness.
  • I'm wondering what happens to WP if Nokia decides to go Android. I mean what incentives does Nokia have to stick with WP is it sees MS loosing faith in its own platform? This is all a bit strange really it is!!
  • I got myself a 920 and am very happy with it. And now that I am invested, I do want to WP8 to be a success. That being said, I don't think a few games are going to make or break the platform. As popular (and good) iOS and Android maybe, I think a lot of the popularity is also driven by herd mentality. And that is what Microsoft needs to pursue. The way I see it is that if Microsoft can get popular titles like instagram, flipboard,Spotify etc on WP8 then it attracts a lot of customers and also gets the attention of a lot of developers who may be abandoning WP8 right now. And it would be surprising if MSFT is not investing in that already. I can see why they may not have done it for WP7, as they would have always known the sales projections and the upgrade path (or lack thereof) to Wp8. I also realize that wp8 already has a few alternatives to the popular ios and android apps, and I hope they are not banking on those to substitute these popular apps because they need to tap into the herd mentality.
  • Wordament is fun, but it wasn't going to be a "killer app." Very few people out of WP have heard of it. If we see a bunch of really fun games make their way to iOS or Android, but are on WP first, that may actually legitimize WP to them as a gaming platform. Then after some legitimacy exists, promote the hell out of something that is truly exclusive.
  • All this gloom and doom talk is a bit excessive, former android user, casual game player, I agree cross platform is better, getting as many hooks into people as possible, we forget all these companies are there to do the best they can for themselves...loving my Nokia so far. The build quality is excellent and so is the WP interface.
  • If they all act a stupid and rediculous as Rene in his review on iMore, you have nothing to worry about. He didn't even try to understand how the game flow works. It was like it was written by a five year old. But that is typical of on ifan, if it didn't come to iOS first then it no good.
  • The other day i was bragging to my friend who owns an iPhone 5 about how I get to play Xbox live games and he cant...now it feels like that exclusivity has just been violated...raped if u will...
    I, on the other hand feel as if I just got kicked on the gonads by Microsoft...
  • Oh just wait till some 11 year old tells you he's running Office on his iPod.
  • Someone please explain to me how android users get to play the full version of any game, for example angry birds for free and we (windows phone users) have to buy the game?? I am new on windows OS.
  • There's no such thing as a free luch. Android "free" version is ad-supported.
    And you know why there's so many ad-supported apps on android? Because nobody wants to pay for anything on android, since it's so easy to crack and steal apps on it. And google won't secure their system, since they are an advertising agency, not a software and services company.  
  • Aren't the free games on Android full of ads?  Personally, I am not interested in playing a game with ads if there is a paid version available.
  • As I just explained, android games basicaly come with battery and data transfer draining ads. There are "premium" ad free versions of angry birds which cost a mere $1, just as on WP. But since you can simply grab pirate copies of android apps from the internets nobody buys them. 
  • Thanks guys.. That kinda makes sense :)
  • Yes, I know.  I didn't intend my response for you...i meant to reply to jordan.  Agree with you, though :)
  • What Tomasz said is accurate.
  • Would be funny if iOS version will be better than WPs.
  • How could it be better?
  • No big deal from my pov. No one was going to buy a phone because of wordament. There much bigger problems with WP than non-exclusivity of some apps.
  • since theres not anything exclusive about wp but nokia why should i keep buying wp
  • Because you like the phones and software technology with promise of apps and games to come?
  • Buying a phone (or any tech) for the promise of features to come is a risky decision. New features can get cut, canceled, or modified. Instead, you should get the device you like the best. If it changes for the better, enjoy that.
     
    If you like the style and interface of Windows phone, get it and enjoy. If you don't, change platforms. Exclusivity sucks. If you want a lot of people to use your product, you have to get its features into their hands. Being unable to share a game because you and someone else are on different platforms sucks. 
  • I think MS smartly knows it lives in two worlds. One where there are those who feel the need to be staunchly tied to one platform/company/ecosystem or however you want to describe it. And then there are those, like myself who may have different devices from different brands and doesn't necessarily tie themselves to one brand. Is it a smart strategy considering the other two players seem to be playing hardball with their brands? Who knows. I inherently don't see anything wrong with it and don't think Wordament being on IOS is going to prevent people from trying out WP
  • Just read some of the reactions here and don't get why some find this bad? In what way is this making my WP experience any worse?  I like wordament, it's one of the very gew games I have on my own (Games are not important to me). Why shouldn't iOS users play it too?  
  • I think I explained why this is bad in the article. I honestly haven't seen any responses that counter my points other than some folks not believing Wordament is a killer app. But the problem is larger than just Wordament. This is just one of many exclusive titles that's gone or will be going over to iOS.
  • It's the "Achievements" part that has me all screwed. I don't care if they port over all the games as long as they leave Achievements exclusive to our platform. Why even bother having your own mobile platform if your going to pull a Sega and become a multi-mobile-platform publisher? Replete with all the goodies' that come with it?
  • But if an iOS user is a Windows 8 PC user, and if they've created a Live account in order to play Wordament on their PC, why is it a detriment that they be able to use that same Live id to play the game on their iPhone/iPod?
     
     
  • I get a trip out of these posts... SO what ? Let MS spread the weath elsewhere. Who cares, sooner or later they will come over to the dark side....hehehehe
  • While I really hear the whole argument about MS having many divisions and them not always or even rarely working cohesivelt together, this HAS to be seen as a bad move surely?
     
    Think about this and I'll use myself as the example in this rhetoric. I've been saving my dollars for a WHOLE year waiting to lay out for a new WP8 device. I've been with Windows Phone since the beginning, firstly a Samsung Focus, then the Focus S. I've been a frequenter of this fine board for a long time (and seriously dudes, the in fighting, flaming and foul language nees to stop, it's honestly reached disgusting depths) and keep well abreast of current tech trends. 
     
    So, here I am with money burning a hole in my pocket. First off we have the Nokia 920 debacle of a release quickly followed by the realization that stock of all Wndows 8 phones is ridiculosly low. That's followed up by post after post and article after article about hardware issues, software issues etc. That's followed up by news like this whereby we're starting to see what should be Wndows Phone platform exclusives slide over to other OS's. So I'm holding off on purchasing a WP8 because I'm starting to have grave doubts about the future of the platform.
     
    Secondly, I dropped money on the Surface RT. Beautiful piece of hardware and in my opinion fairly well executed. But I'm seing it back. Why? Because the SDK for Windows 8 has been out for months and STILL tHe app store is like a freaking desrt, with many big name companies still stating outright they have NO intention of releasing a verison of their app for Windows 8. Couple this with the fact that the single,killer app that Microsoft should be keeping COMPLETELY exclusive to the platform, MICROSOFT OFFICE, is going to be released for iOS and I've stopped in my tracks and said to myself "WHY sould I bother to invest in the MS ecosystem when pretty soon I'm going to be able to do it all on other platforms that are alrey light years ahead innterms of ecosystem?"
     
    I'm now firmly sitting on the fence as I honestly don't know which way to turn. I deeply love the Windows Phone experience b there are just some really basic things that MS needs to fix and I'm not sure they're going to. Honestly I'm feeling pretty down about the Windows ecosystem at the moment which hurts, because I truly believe WP8 has the ability to be bloody fantastic presence in the arena. 
     
    I guess only time will tell but for the time being I'm done being the early adopter. I got burnt really badly with the Zune player and am starting to feel like its heading that way again so I'm off to the sidelines to wait it out.
  • I think you're looking at it from the just the WP aspect. Windows has, of course, Windows,Office, Outlook, Skydrive, Xbox, Bing, IE10 and WP that encapsulate the "windows" experience for consumers.  I personally am waiting on the Surface Pro and additional high-end W8 hardware to round out my "Windows" experience
    iOS or Android don't allow you to entirely live within their ecosystem. If you use an iphone, ipad and Mac you still require google (or bing) for search, mail (outlook, as well) or browser. and if you use an Android phone and tablet you need a PC or a Mac. These offerings don't have the breadth that MS offers which sets MS apart.
  • You make a good point and one I fully acknowledge. I'm just waiting and hoping that this will all smooth out in the coming months and I can reinvest in to the ecosystem. I'm really waiting for a good surface pro competitor that's not as expensive. I do worry that it's going to put people off, particularly given the lower battery life.
  • I think we might be blowing the battery life issue out of proportion and Panos is to blame, but most sources have acknowldged that the battery life for the RT is far better than what MS initally lead people to believe, only time will tell if that's true or not, but there are plenty of reports indicating more Surface line of products coming and to be honest, I wouldn't mind a touchscreen ultrabook (Lenovo thinkpad carbon x1, to be exact) and they are pricey, but Lenovo has always, to me, been the creme of the crop of the OEMs and if MS is planning a signature Surface Book Pro made out of VaporMg I am sold because I know it's going to be that quality build the Surface offers. 2013 is going to be another MS year and I have faith.
  • Just buy what you want. Problem solved! We give developers to much power. They want our money. I be damn if i let any developer dictate what I buy.
  • The ONLY way I can support this exclusiveness' is if in fact, Microsoft advertises the HELL out of Windows Phone on the IOS version.
  • I love my experience with WP, been with it since the launch of wp7 and will continue to use and enjoy it until if or when they abandon it. If it grows good! If not, I'll switch. But I hope it succeeds. I don't care what goes to ios or android I'm using WP for the experience. I mean come on, Microsoft is a software company at heart they can't help it its in their DNA to try and get software sprayed to every nook and crany..
  • agreed.
  • thats how i view it as well. but still there are certain things microsoft should refrain from doing like improving experiences in ios and android before doing so on their own mobile platform, and before anyone trys to give me the deal about there not being enough users well i say screw that the more and better they improve the experience the more users will switch the more devs will develope sort of like a chain of command
  • "In fact, even within a team employees actually compete with each other in various ways, but that's a story for another day." I'd really like to read that story, if you guys are ever so inclined. Or if you could link me to articles about that elsewhere, that'd be cool, too.
  • I'd have to think about it (and do more research). As you might expect, Microsoft doesn't really dig articles exposing their inner workings in a negative light.
  • Honestly, I love Microsoft but the culture is toxic.  When your corporate ranking system is essentially a bell curve, you are competing against you're coworker.  Basically, you're on your own because you need to make yourself look good and your coworker look bad so that you can receive a better ranking from 1-5.  Look at it this way, the email app on WP is head and shoulders above what is on Windows 8.  Why didn't they just use the same code from WP?  Because somebody on the Windows team had the objective of creating an email app.  Their ranking is based on this, and they're not going to use somebody else's code and give them credit.  That would reduce their compensation.
  • All the people who are upset about this, shouldn't be, its kinda sad that people still consider this old game as an exclusive. Just shows you that there isn't any good games for Wp if you still consider this as an "Exclusive".
  • I take it you don't know what the word exclusive means either? ;)
  • I don't think it really means that at all but here we go again; another article that reads a lot of drama into another business decision. WP has such a small market share that the only people who are going to see the exclusive apps are current owners. I hope you considered that cross-platforming apps might be more about proliferation and less about hedging against their own product. It's safe to say that there is interdepartmental competition at MS and it's safe to say that for most other companies as well. But I don't think you really have enough of a grip of the situation sitting from the outside to go that far in that direction. The only people who really know what these decisions are about is the MS Biz-Dev team but even from where I sit I don't see any tangible signs of trouble down the road and I don’t think you really do either. I don't care how many employees or inside sources you've spoken too officially or unofficially. Please stop making flying saucers out of weather balloons. If you get your click-throughs more as a journalist and less as a Chicken Little blogger your words will carry more weight.
  • LOL @ the Chicken Little comment
  • If you don't care about our facts and sources, why should we care about your opinion on the article?
  • You missed the point. It's the absence of facts that inspired my opinion. I'd like to see some facts please.
  • The only thing I find depressing is the comments on here. 2 years ago with what windows phone was - this might have been different, but I stick with it because update upon update I love the OS more than ever. Give them wordament and bring some Halo type game as an exclusive to WP. Now the hardware is getting there it could be on the horizon. Even if they gave the whole wp Xbox library to other platforms Id stick with WP. iOS is terrible to me - too appcentric, and android is too much work. Blackberry has the same ecosystem problems as WP but without the OS that I've learned to love. With a bit of perspective.. Its a drop in the ocean really isn't it?
  • SMH Y'ALL need to calm down with this gloom and doom. I expect an article like this from the other tech website, but not from WP. WPCentral.com should be ashamed of itself, and no this is not reporting, its the wrong type of propaganda. Good job in scaring the new user that just joined the site. With friends like this who need enemies. By the way this was said before, but here WE ALL ARE WITH WP8.
  • I'm not ashamed for expressing my opinion in a news/editorial piece. I do plenty to promote Windows Phone, but I'm not paid to never be critical of it.
  • I agree with article Paul and it seems like MS is hedging their bets with WP instead of being "all in" lime they said they are. How is something like this and putting Office on other devices supposed to draw people to the platform? Why choose WP when you can get all of MS's services on other platforms?
  • I'm a Microsoft DieHard and this doesn't bother me slightly. First of all by offering Achievements you require all IOS peeps to create a Microsoft Account. Which then allows all of these people to instantly have access to Hotmail, Outlook.com, SkyDrive, Messenger, and many other services. Once they get annoyed with DropBox or Gmail it will be very easy for them to make the switch. 2. Jealosy - Achievements are one of the best features in gaming. Once they try Xbox Achievements and see how their games doesn't have them, some may switch because we have hundreds of games with achievements. 3. Xbox is still king. If MS can get some IOS people to buy an Xbox, that is more important to them then converting an IOS to WP.
  • ^This.
  • Are they retarded?
  • Are you?
  • Yes I am! And so are you. Takes one to know one.
  • I love Wordament. This is totally ridiculous. When Windows Phone 8 fails, don't blame us, we went out bought your products to support the ecosystem. Blame your ownselves for your own stupidity and mismanagement of your own business
  • Windows phones real slogan, "Put People first, Putting Apps Last"
  • oh boy.
  • "Exclusive" Apps won't help WP grow unless people without the platform Know about it and Want the Apps. Right now, no-one who doesn't own a WP knows Wordament exists. If MS had the muscle to lock up 2 or three Angry Birds titles exclusively, that would get noticed. You're right that MS should make some kickass Halo games exclusively for WP and let you integrate your experience with the XBox - that would matter. Getting someone to switch from iOS or Roid requires that they can still get their favorite Apps and games on WP. What better way than to hook them on MS titles on their current phone. - then when the WP OS starts to look good to them, they won't be held back by missing their favorite Apps & games.
    Smart move, not betrayal.
  • Some serious overreaction in this comment section. Also, WP isn't going anywhere.
  • You are looking it wrong! People won't move to WP8 because phew game exclusives at least that there is huge titles like Halo, Forza Sports, etc. Wordament is a very normal game. Still, even in the case of Halo or Forza Sports, it's likely people will not move because those games at least that they first get used in their already purchased phones or have a chance to play for long time in their friends phone.
    MS can develop a list of games like Wordament for the casual user releasing first on WP and let people outside WP play it. Everyone that their favourite game becomes a MS one, it's a person that loses the "no apps" reason to not buy a WP. Just think, why did Google succed with Android? Because everyone was used to Google search, Google Maps and GTalk. People did not move because those apps were nice, people move because those were the apps they wer ALREADY familiar with.
    Until MS decides that it's worth to release a game of the size of Halo or Fable on WP, WP exclusivities mean nothing. I will get pissed if MS releases HALO for iOS before WP, but Wordament is that kind of small game that can make a person addicted, and then, make it painless for him to move to WP because he/she won't worry about lack of games.
    What MS needs to do is: Promise 1 million $ to the top 200 most used apps to release a feature complete port to WP. Dedicate 200 million $ to create a mobile version of Halo, Fable and Forza Motor. Dedicate 200 million $ to create multiplatform apps for Microsoft services that hooks everyone to MS instead of Google services or third party developers that usually give lacklust support for WP. For example, MS can create a better-than instagram application, and make sure they also have it for WP, just as they did with Photosynth. MS has a name problem, and in order to solve that name they need top notch games and apps being representatives of the quality people can find on MS products, just as google does with their web services on Windows with Chrome, Google Earth, etc.
     
  • Further proof of what I've been thinking to my self. MS doesn't need WP to succeed. Sure they may want it to but they could fold it tomorrow and live fat from Windows and Xbox which is their main focus right now.
  • Been thinking the same, MS can just be a service provider and put Xbox live games, Word, and everthing else on ios and Android. Focus on Xbox and Windows and maybe team up with RIM to make BB10 the only business phone you would ever want. I believe this would be a win win situation for them.
  • I agree, they don't need WP if that js their plan to just sell their services and honestly it kind of feels like they're not even trying to be competitive and putting all their services on other platforms as a plan B in case things go sour.
  • Microsoft doesn't believe they can gain adequate market share with WP, so they port one of their BEST Xbox Live exclusive titles to iOS?! Yoda?!!! - That is why you [Microsoft] fail!
  • I dunno if I see this as an issue for windows phone. The only thing I feel this does is further the unimportance of achievements. When they first started they were really cool, and when they were on wp7 it was still cool. Then they came out on windows 8, now iOS, probably android. Its just all spread out everywhere now and they feel like less of an achievement because of it. I just think they should have stopped at xbox360 (console) and windows phone (closest thing to handheld).
  • I don't see how you could interpret the proliferation of Xbox Live Achievements as a sign of their unimportance. In fact, the more places they become available, the more meaning they have.
  • You know what is bad about it? Achievement-whores now have an incentive to get an iPhone. And what if they like it and stick with it? The horror..
     
  • I keep expecting ms to smarten up and i keep being let down terribly i dont even like wordament
  • I think most of us who faithful windows phone fans really don't want to leave for another platform, but it's frustrating trying to tell people the benefits of having a windows phone, and all the other platforms have what we have and more. I like WP because it's different and I'm different and I really want this os to succeed..
  • Great article.  While I don't think this is the beginning of the end, it's definitely a step in the wrong direction.  There are definitely a lot of Achievement hunters that chose WP just for the achievements.  If WP doesn't keep those Achievements exclusive, there is going to be a decent amount of WP users who jumps ship.
  • Oh well.
  • After seeing this today, I lost a large amount of respect for Microsoft. Every thing that males their platform attractive, they bring to other platforms. They're stupid. What's going to persuade me not to Jump ship to ios? Smh
  • As long as it is a shared leaderboard I think it is a good thing.
  • I am not 100% sure on how to take this. I love my windows phone and honestly the reason why I got mine windows phones was because it was something different and synced up with everything in my house. The only good thing I could see of this would be hopfully cross platform gaming for the future and i mean with everything. Xbox and Sony sharing online resorces so people can enjoy games together. Phones all talking for games. I wonder if the reason for MSoft doing this is becasue they do think their UI sells itself. Live tils is something no one can really have. I still think it is to early to move exclusive content to other platforms though.
     
  • MS
    What are you doin?
    MS...
    Stahp Can we just get some stuff that we get to keep and entice others with? We want more users. Why should they make the jump if MS gives it to them? *sigh*
  • I'm now very close to giving up on WP, from the start they've made it tough, and it doesn't look like getting easier. I'm nearly done with it I think.
  • Microsoft had a project once called Live Everywhere. It eventually came to life when Windows Phone was reinvented. They have reached that point where their core service is available on their products, but now they're taking it a mile further by putting that same service on other platforms. And I really don't give a sh*t about users. This is the phone that I want, it works with me, its great, so don't spoon-feed me with your android or ios crap. Only primary consumers can be as ignorant as I am, and I'm pretty sure most are, but developers shouldn't *cough* Instagram *ahem*
  • Damn good article paul, very good work. Cheevos on the Iphone so lame. People are upset and I can see why.
  • First off who the fuck buys a phones for app exclusives???
    You buy a phone because of the OS and the hardware you are holding in your hand, not because it has some app that is not available on another platform. I dont understand why so many of you are upset that stuff that is on WP is also on other platforms, at the end of the day who really gives a shit, it really makes no difference to the WP platform. Just childish behavior from members on here i am seeing.
  • The senior management at Microsoft are just idiot for not stoping these kinds of lapses injudgement by the competing divisions. Until WP is on par with the other platforms in terms of market share no WP exclusives should go to the competition.
    But it probably should not surprise anyone that Microsoft is shooting itself in the foot again, just look at the Skype support for iOS and Android compared to the shit support for WP7 and WP8 users.
     
  • It is a little premature to feel betrayed over a few game titles. It makes more sense to feel betrayed that ms is not moving apps and games to the platform fast enough. I hate google...hate hate hate. I vowed I would not own another iPhone nor another android google machine...., but if this ecosystem does not grow in apps I will be forced to leave.
    I care less if some exclusives are on another platform. I care the apps and games are not coming fast enough.
  • Huh? They've been moving more and more services and games to other platforms and soon Office so why would they stop this trend? What this signals is that WP isn't really a priority for them as opposed to getting their services out there. Not very comforting when you just dished out money for a new WP8.
  • Do like me hold on too your old wp device until the apps you want come ( i want real uno multiplayer) iphone had it years ago yes i know small thing .i am getting a old ipod for the apps, but i may make the jump if its not to bad to iphone.
  • WHY do i feel my surface tablet leaped past the wp phone in terms of quality apps within the second week.
  • I don't think we have to worry apples sales have slowed down it will just be a matter of time they'll be gone just like the innovator of that company.
  • I really don't see this as negative as many of you. Microsoft's biggest problem these days is perception. People simply think ms is uncool. They think of windows 98. Friends chastise my phone with things like "does it blue screen?" So, making quality apps on other platforms may be a step towards turning that perception. I can see it being more of an upside than a downside... I don't know how many people are buying windows phones for the Xbox achievements.
  • I agree but it's not just about wordament its that they're giving lots of stuff away like office and SkyDrive with no price. They should over price it if they're going to give it away so at least they can make some money. That's what all the app companies on WP do.
  • Who said they are giving away office for free? Everything I heard about office on android and IOS is that it would be free to download, but require an office 365 account. That is exactly how it should be... You don't want apple to get 30% of every copy of office sold on iPad or iPhone. SkyDrive is free for the first 7gb of data, regardless of whether or is on WP, android or iPhone.
  • I'll be worried when we lose ZOMB1ES (on teh ph0ne) exclusivity. I purchased the wonderful indie title I MAED A GAM3 W1TH ZOMB1ES 1N IT!!!1  on my Xbox for a measly 80ms points. When I saw it on my phone with another game included and and horde mode tacked on, I picked it up for 2.99 without even thinking twice. A great ridiculous game that I love to show my friends. Probably the only real game I play on my phone.
  • I played Wordament earlier today and was excited to see that so many new (who I thought were) WP users... It turns out they are new iOS users! Its a little disheartening. I used to gauge the popularity of the platform by how many players were online in wordament.
  • This is a stupid idea. If they want their platform to grow they can't give away what's nice about WP. They should keep office, keep SkyDrive, keep WP exclusive apps, and keep local scout. All of these are why I love WP and like to show it off to my friends who have ios or Android. Even though they might not listen because they're ignorant its still nice to be able to type a paper on my phone when im not at my computer.
  • Not to be too negative on this. If we think losing an exclusive games title will affect wp adoption, I guess we are just too pessimistic. Wp is a gem, people will adopt it once they learn more about it, not watching someone playing wordament on it.
  • This is odd..
    When WP7 came out one of the main selling points and stand out features was the Xbox integration which was not on any other mobile device.
    Slowly this selling point is vanishing, first Kinectimals, then Smartglass & now Xbox games & integration.
    I'm all for maximising the user base of Xbox etc but it will really cancel out one of WP major features and user attraction points.
     
  • Soon Office will also be on iOS and when that happens there is absolutely no point of Windows Phone for the enterprise. iOS will have Xbox Smart Glass, Xbox Music, Xbox Video, Xbox Live Games with Achievments and Office 2013. So MS can you please tell me what the incentive is for someone to move from iOS to WP? a platform with a smaller install base, fewer apps and mostly the worst version. I'm afraid to admit it but Microsoft may be becoming the next IBM, don't show a lot of faith in their own platform.
  • I don't really get all the complaints. Im a convert from iOS and I assure u the exclusive apps didn't even come into it. Wp doesn't have enough users to tout the exclusive apps. The main apps I used on iOS, skygo, iplayer and cydia :p
  • Personally, I see this as a good thing for Windows Phone.  There might me a lot of iPhone users out there who don't even realize that we can get achievements on our phones.  As stupid as it may be, that is actually incentive for a lot of people.  This could be a good way to get the WP brand out there.  And with the way people have been flocking to WP lately, I don't think we have a lot to worry about.  My only concern is that there is going to be way more competition when playing Wordament; ranking high is already hard enough as it is.
  • im really confused by the comments, ms is a services company and this means more service users.  wordament is small time title comprated to the iphone apps that get talked about in my office.
  • I lol at some of these comments. I doubt MS has any intentions of abandoning the new mobile phone platform given that it shares so much with Windows RT and Windows 8 and not to mention the solid start it has had. I think maybe they are enticing users to switch IDK. But keep in mind this is Microsoft, a company that tries to get their products out to as many customers as possible. That is quite apparent in Office, Xbox, and Windows machines, etc.
  • Big thumbs down ms
  • Just to say while I dont play games on my smart phone much I will turn one on and say "oh that's cool" and dismiss it quickly. I dont care for them never really have. Words with friends was like the most used. Beside this point Microsoft knows good and well that games accounts for something like 70% of their app revenue. While this is a free one they should know better being in the gaming business themselves this is akin to them putting halo on PS3 and inexcusable anyway you look at it. However I purchased my windows phone two reasons. 1. the grid interface on my iPhone never changed on the device even after five years of use the WP UI is refreshing with large tiles I can see while driving. 2. I think Samsung hardware is cheap in contrast I didn't like HTCs sense or I just didn't want to pull the trigger on a titan while a solid device it just didn't compel me. I have always loved Nokia highend hardware as a N95 user and that was the point of the switch for me. I now have a distinct device and laugh at apple trendies leaving them bewildered at the marvels that is photobeamer. I have sold like five windows phones with that app alone hehe. I love my windows phone for these purposes alone and sorry to see MS making stupid moves like this as an owner, but it doesn't affect my experience in the least. If Nokia goes android though i would likely move back to iOS unless MS releases a surface phone. If it were there actual hardware I assure you, you will not see this sort of thing happening. Forgive my grammar I typed this on my didn't care to scroll up and look. ^^
  • Man I am pissed at MS for doing this. Why not have Xbox live on a PS3? I was wanting a Nokia Lumia 920 here in the next few months but maybe I should just go back to iPhone.
  • Not trying to suggest anything, but since the game became available on iOS, my percentage ranking improved dramatically, but point score only marginally.
  • I'm tired of seeing these moves from Microsoft. If it's all about the bottom line then port Halo 4 and Gears of War to the PlayStation. There needs to be exclusivity on the platform to make it unique. Earning achievements should have been the one thing that stayed exclusive.
  • Exclusive apps are never good for the consumer, companies play on your desire to feel special by you having somethin haveg else that no one else has. Multiplatform software is good for developers which is good for the consumer. MS has made software for other platforms for a long time, since Office for Macs, it is thier strength. Would you like to use Skype? which you can contact anybody on a PC/MAC or any other smartphone, or something like facetime that's only on one platform.
     
    And I still don't know why someone having access to what you already have would make anyone upset, your phone is exactly the same as before.
  • Windows Phone actually has one less selling point than before - that is the point. It's not about enjoying our phones less, it's about the phones becoming less attractive to new users and thus getting less new apps and games in the future, etc.
  • Just one year ago i bought a Lumia 800 and still had only an old AMD 3200+ with Windows 98.
    2 weeks ago there came an XBOX and now its day 2 with my new intel I5 with windows 8.
    Everything falls into pieces there no better  way too enjoy Xbox live as under MS.
    I,m very statisfied
  • Its actually genius to put versions of your apps on other platforms in small doses of course it shows the quality that's on windows phone in a much more integrated fashion if you put a couple Xbox games on ios getting a few achievements it'll make people want all there games with achievements thus making windows phone an appealing choice
  • "A new report indicates that Microsoft's Windows Phone Store has reached 125,000 apps, just ahead of Windows Phone 8's launch"
    And after Windows Phone 8 its seems even better:
    http://www.phonearena.com/news/After-Windows-Phone-8-launch-Microsoft-says-app-downloads-and-developer-revenue-have-doubled_id37226
     
    Instagram will probably come to:
    http://www.redmondpie.com/instagram-for-windows-phone-reportedly-coming-by-the-end-of-this-year/
    And there are other options to:
    http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/metrogram/5dec28da-2857-4b28-95fc-d436ed50f7da
     
    So why go away from Windows Phone? I think its looks good for the platform.
    Nokia got some great and exclusive apps on their Windows Phones to.  
  • People saying they're going to leave WP8 because of this really need to check their medication.  One exclusive goes and now all of a sudden WP8 is crap?  I was a 4 year iOS user and just switched over to WP with the Lumia 920 and couldn't be happier.  But if you're looking for a reason for a move like this, allow me to run through a list of Microsoft products: Server techs (Win, SharePoint, SQL), Cloud stuff (Azure, SkyDrive), Windows, Office, Xbox.  These are all bigger money makers and a higher priority than WP8.  It only makes sense to throw a bone to other platforms in the hope that it will bring people to Xbox, and maybe possibly WP8.  I think this is more of an Xbox move than phone OS move.
  • There is no correlation between Wordament coming to iOS and more people wanting to pick up Windows Phone. And really, it's not just about Wordament. This game is part of a trend, and the same thing will continue to happen in the future.
  • I just don't see a problem here.  Windows 8 users use iOS devices - they are already playing Wordament on Windows 8.
    So what if they can now play the game on their device.  They are in the Microsoft ecosystem with Windows and a Live ID...I don't see this as a bad thing for Microsoft, and certainly not WP.  If they do decide to toss their iOS device for a WP, the transition will be that much smoother for them.
  • Is this really as bad as people make it to be? Perhaps Microsoft are just testing new ideas and approaches. So, Wordament is no longer a Windows Phone exclusive. Big deal. I HIGHLY doubt that this ONE game, alone, would make someone say, "wow, this game is amazing. I MUST have a Windows Phone!". My point: it's fun, but it's not a system seller or KILLER APP.
  • You've got it all wrong. This isn't about losing an exclusive title. While you do make a valid point about exclusivity, we're talking about Wordament, not Halo or Forza. What this *does* mean is that Microsoft is opening up the XBOX Live service to non-Microsoft platforms, which will encourage developers to create games that are cross-platform...as in iOS, Android, AND Windows Phone. What's the point of developing a title for just Windows Phone when you have millions more users on the two competing platforms? There isn't one. But, if you can develop a title for all three, and allow your players to all use the same service (XBL) without building out your own...well, that makes Windows Phone a heck of a lot more appealing as a target platform.
  • I don't think that counters all the negatives, but cross-platform multiplayer is indeed appealing.
  • This is similar to the problem with Blackberry and BBM. I certainly understand the appeal behind cross platforming content, but on the other hand, you HAVE to give consumers a reason to want to buy a WP8 handset. If you are going to offer Skydrive, Office, Onenote, and XBox Live games on Android and iOS, then it makes being on Windows Phone less attractive because Apple and Google ain't doing Windows Phone any favors. Google just very publicly dissed MSFT and gave Windows Phone the bird. And Apple has been openly hostile to MSFT for decades.
    MSFT, keep the crown jewels to yourself and develop a mobile experience that people can't get anywhere else.
    I
  • Well said. Also, nice username! :)
  • Perhaps I am on the minority here. I am an iDevice user who has been planning to get a change of mood by trying out WP8 (possibly L 920), and I have been addicted to Wordament. To be honest, Wordament is an additional reason for me to get a WP8 device. I bet it will feel more like home playing this in its origin.
  • ¿Why always iO.S. before Android? Android is way more popular and not supporting iO.S. will only secure a #2 position for Windows Phone and strip Apple of its most powerful O.S.