Newell: Copying Apple will hasten Microsoft’s decline

Copying Apple with Windows 8 will accelerate Microsoft’s decline, Valve CEO Gabe Newell has said.

Speaking to the New York Times, Newell said he understood that Microsoft was facing a big challenge from Apple in the computing space, but it should not resort to trying to emulate its success by moving away from its own ideals.

“We would say to Microsoft, we understand all these frustrations about the challenges to your business,” he said.

“But trying to copy Apple will accelerate, not slow, Microsoft’s decline.”

Newell expressed his concerns about the potential closed nature of Windows 8, which he has previously called a “catastrophe for everyone in the PC space”.

He said that if Microsoft takes a similar approach to Apple’s App Store for Windows 8 applications, which will need to be distributed through Microsoft’s own store to make use of modern features, it could end up undermining Steam and creating a bottleneck for game updates.

Steam currently has more than 40 million users, and reportedly controls approximately 70 per cent of digital sales on PC platforms.

Windows 8 is slated for release on October 26th.