Microsoft has started warning developers to adhere to a new age rating system in the Windows Store. The company announced it would change the rating system earlier in this year. Developers were shocked when Microsoft said it would remove apps lacking the new ratings. The deadline to get existing apps in line with the new age system is September 30, 2016.
That’s now under one month away. Microsoft is making sure developers are well aware of the impending changes. Neowin has found a couple of emails warning developers to comply with the ratings or risk being unpublished.
In the email, the company says “non-compliant” apps will be removed. It seems that Microsoft is only sending these emails to developers who have still not changed their age ratings. Microsoft is pushing those developers to “remedy the failures” and re-submit the app.
“As part of our continuing efforts to improve the Store experience for our joint customers, we notified you several times to complete the Dev Center age rating questionnaire for your apps that did not have ratings based on the questionnaire.”
“If you do not act by the deadline of September 30, 2016, we will need to unpublish your app for failure to comply with policy 11.11, Age Ratings.” – Microsoft email to Windows Store developer.
We are a little surprised by how strong Microsoft’s language is. The company is going straight for the developers and telling them to sort it out. At least these dev’s will not be able to say they were not explicitly warned.
New Age Rating
In case you don’t know, Microsoft has actually been using a new age system since the start of the year. The IARC system allows developers to create a more streamlined path to app publication. The company gave developers plenty of time to get their house in order. The aim is to create apps that users know if they are age appropriate.
Why some developers are holding out is a mystery. All they need to do is answer a brief questionnaire that takes about five minutes to complete.
