Grim Dawn: Definitive Edition now available on Xbox!

[Toxophilix]

I rather suspect this, or that they are choosing to interpret the regulation in a particularly unhelpful way, which Steam and GOG are not.

[Bas]

@Pally_Blogger

It’s much more likely that Microsoft is just being stupid and/or monopolistic.

Maybe, but the EU isn’t much better in their regulations. They say:

The DSA protects consumers and their fundamental rights online by setting clear and proportionate rules.

but if Microsoft managed to misinterpret it, it probably wasn’t all that clear. They’re also not great at reinforcing these kind of things, so just because steam and GoG do sell it doesn’t mean too much.

Remember, the EU also wanted to scan all private digital communications for illegal content, while at the same time not violating your privacy. (That’s impossible)

Either way, I don’t know the details of this specific law, but I wouldn’t at all be surprised if everyone involved is making a mess of it. Both the EU making illogical rules and Microsoft interpreting in the worst possible way (probably to minimize any risk on their side).

[Gnomish_Inquisition]

since it’s something that seems like it was partially made/intended for mobile app stores, it’s possible MS treats Xbox “platform” like it’s an iphone with apps and not a console with games (assuming there would even be a distinction in the DSA)
Where the same then “doesn’t” apply to Steam/GoG/Epic/and digital retailers selling keys for them, or they interpreted they weren’t “like an app store”

either way, def partial usual bs on the EU side atleast for sure (aside from MS potentially)

[Spraynerb]

Minimizing risk makes sense considering that the EU routinely levies multi billion dollar fines against tech companies. Routinely.

[Pally_Blogger]

Microsoft could have very easily have decided to minimize other games on their platform. This is a company with multiple antitrust convictions in the past. Who has recently bought up a lot of video game companies.

I took a quick look through the DSA law. The relevant section in question is:
"Providers of online platforms allowing consumers to conclude distance contracts with traders shall ensure that traders can only use those online platforms to promote messages on or to offer products or services to consumers located in the Union if, prior to the use of their services for those purposes, they have obtained the following information, where applicable to the trader:

(a) the name, address, telephone number and email address of the trader;"

Seems pretty boilerplate; Know Your Customer is incredibly common in business. Contact info for a company is a normal thing to have.

If I were to guess, Microsoft is taking a very narrow reading of address and/or very broad reading of “applicable”.

The usual process is to clarify a scenario like this with your government contact; a quick email like “Are PO boxes fine for indie devs for video games on the Xbox store?” is fine. Indie devs are an incredibly common scenario, and a baseline competent project manager should ask about it.

We have a few obvious scenarios:
Somehow Microsoft got a different answer from Steam, GOG, etc.
Or their PMs/Legal team are awful.
Or they’re just jerks.

(And while I agree on the privacy/scan thing being stupid, that’s also off-topic. FWIW, the DSA specifies there’s no affirmative obligation for hosting providers to scan.)

[Bas]

@Pally_Blogger

Seems pretty boilerplate; Know Your Customer is incredibly common in business. Contact info for a company is a normal thing to have.

Yes, but often it’s not much more than an email address these days. I can’t even find any address or contact details on the US Microsoft site
Requiring a (physical) address is a bit outdated imho.

@Pally_Blogger

And while I agree on the privacy/scan thing being stupid, that’s also off-topic.

It was meant as an example of the EU not always thinking through what they want to do.

[eisprinzessin]

You find some articles about this, but none I read explained what is happening.

@Zantai

We simply do not have that. We don’t even have a central office. We could not add them, so the game got delisted.

However one of them linked Company account verification requirements - Windows apps | Microsoft Learn and this page states:

What if a developer does not want their address to be public?

Due to regulatory requirements and Microsoft’s commitment to customer experience, a phone number, physical address and email are required. We understand that you might not necessarily maintain all of these methods for the purposes of customer contact. Some developers have created post office (P.O.) boxes for physical addresses, a phone number with a voice mail, and/or an email alias with an automated response directing a customer to the preferred form of communication. Microsoft also accepts addresses for registered agents.

Does this help?

[Valentin]

Bonjours la communauté je souhaite acheter grim dawn malheureusement j’arrive trop tard car le jeu est indisponible en Europe , je voulais savoir si la situation allait se débloquer ou pas. Merci par avance