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Tag: Games for Windows Live

  • Xbox PC Marketplace Closing This Month

    Xbox PC Marketplace Closing This Month

    Microsoft today announced that it will be closing the Xbox.com PC Marketplace on August 22. The closure will come as part of the scheduled Xbox 360 system update that will retire Microsoft Points, converting the entire system over to real currency. Luckily for Dark Souls fans, gamers will still be able to play already-purchased PC games that use the much maligned Games for Windows Live client.

    According to a Microsoft support page update, Games for Windows Live games will cease to be for sale through Microsoft after the store closes. In fact, Games for Windows Live titles published by Microsoft will no longer be available in any online marketplace. Microsoft-published titles that use Games for Windows Live include Fable III, Gears of War, Halo 2, and Brad Muir‘s Iron Brigade. Other publishers may still offer their Games for Windows Live games through other stores, notably Steam.

    This news comes just one day after the news hit that a former Valve employee that was in charge of Steam has been hired on at Microsoft to improve its Games for Windows Live platform. Whatever is coming next for Microsoft Studios on PC, the end of the Xbox.com PC store demonstrates that the company has either given up on Games for Windows Live or is preparing for a major overhaul of the service.

  • Microsoft Hires On Former Steam Boss Jason Holtman

    Games for Windows Live was a great idea bogged down by poor execution. Microsoft attempted to bring the Xbox Live experience to PC games, but the software itself was nowhere near as convenient as Steam. A recent hire at Microsoft may indicate that the Redmond-based company may be trying to improve its Games for Windows initiative.

    Gamesindustry International reports that Jason Holtman has accepted a job at Microsoft where he’ll focus on making Windows an attractive platform for PC games. For those unfamiliar, Holtman was in charge of Valve’s Steam service for the past eight years before he mysteriously departed the company in early 2013.

    In a statement, Holtman said that he believes Microsoft can bring PC gamers back into its fold:

    “Yes, I have joined Microsoft where I will be focusing on making Windows a great platform for gaming and interactive entertainment. I think there is a lot of opportunity for Microsoft to deliver the games and entertainment customers want and to work with developers to make that happen, so I’m excited to be here.”

    Over the last few years, support for Games for Windows Live has dropped off the map. The last major release to support the platform was Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition, and that was mostly due to the developers porting over code from the Xbox 360. As for the upcoming sequel, it’s looking like it won’t be using the client.

    The above scenario is the exact problem that Holtman has to address. Steam doesn’t only sell games. It’s a set of tools for developers to integrate online play and other services into their games. Microsoft provides a similar service, but it’s just nowhere near as convenient. It’s one saving grace – being able to play with people on Xbox Live – was killed off with the critical and commercial failure that was Shadowrun.

    With the launch of Xbox One and Windows 8.1, Microsoft has another opportunity to push Games for Windows Live. It really needs to make the software client more convenient before anything else. After that, it can focus on bringing together the Xbox Live and PC gaming community into one big happy family.

    With Holtman’s help, Microsoft may just be able to turn Games for Windows Live into a service that can actually compete with Steam. As it stands, PC gamers groan when they learn that a game requires the Games for Windows Live client. Holtman’s job is to at least eradicate that groan, and maybe even turn it into a smile.