The Store is many things, but apparently, reliable is not one of them

Microsoft Corporation’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) message to gamers with Windows 10 was to show accentuated support, to finally treat PC gaming seriously. DirectX 12, being the new API, was promised to improve performance, bringing new level of efficiency to the Windows platform. Microsoft’s plan took motion when Xbox One exclusives began turning up on the PC as well, and since Killer Instinct and Dead Rising 3, many exclusives have embraced Windows including the Forza franchise.

A key component in Microsoft’s road to success was Windows Store. The Store that no one really cared about until Microsoft decided to distribute its published games exclusively through the Windows Store. It stands that if gamers want to play games like Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, ReCore, Forza Horizon 3, they must sign up for Windows 10 and effectively use Microsoft’s own distribution platform. It’s a smart way to drive more people in to using the new OS and make Windows Store stand out in times when Steam is the dominant distribution platform. Since such key games in Microsoft’s umbrella are only available through Windows Store making it such a pivotal component, they must have made sure their platform is reliable, right? Turns out that Windows Store is anything but that.

Gears of War 4 is out now and like many people I had it preordered days before. I love the Gears of War franchise and I was genuinely excited to play the next installment for the first time in 60fps on the kind of visuals only PC can provide. I was happy to preorder it once performance of the game was confirmed to be rock-solid. Everything seemed only a matter of installing the game from then on, but I was actually in for a roller coaster of a disappointment. I had heard about the horror stories of Windows Store which had me cautious but since Microsoft released an update for Windows 10 right when Gears of War 4’s preload began; I was optimistic that my experience with Windows Store will not be like the others. But oh boy was I dead wrong. It is now past Gears of War 4’s launch and I still haven’t been able to download the game. Not because of the humongous 73GB file size but because of the Windows Store download system that is apparently kind of someone who holds a map upside down and then doesn’t understand where to go.

I have downloaded nearly 30GBs THRICE before the download management decided that starting from scratch after I resume is a fun game we can play. I do not have a fast internet connection that would allow me to download the game within hours and I have exceeded the 100GB mark in just trying to download it. I have now reached the peak of my patience and I’m simply not willing to deal with the broken store anymore.

I am not the only one, folks around various forums such as NeoGAF and Reddit have similar stories to share. The download issues that plague Windows Store have given traffic to a “Fiddler” method that allows you to download the file using your browser or download manager. On top of the dreadful download management in place, the monumental courage of Windows Store can be realized from the fact that if you decide to apply a simply patch, it asks you to have as much EXTRA space available as the game takes up in that drive. So if I was to update Gears of War 4, I would be required to have 80GB of storage space available on top of the 80GB the game already consumes. And did I mention you will lose download progress in case of a power interruption?

Such issues have blocked users from downloading the biggest Microsoft exclusive of the year. These are the kind of experiences that alienate consumers from a product. Even with meaningful updates such as choosing which directory to install apps in (which should have been there from the start), Microsoft is clearly not building a compelling case for their Store. It’s unfortunate that after Microsoft has made significant improvements with recent UWP titles the Windows Store remains a thorn in the whole experience. I will applaud Microsoft for the Xbox Play Anywhere program though, it will be my savior when I buy an Xbox One as a last resort to play Gears of War 4.