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Games for Windows LIVE Closing July 2014?

By - Source: Blue's News | B 25 comments

Microsoft has removed the comment, but it appears that the company's PC gaming platform may shut down next summer.

In addition to shutting down the Marketplace on Xbox.com and within the PC client, it appears that Microsoft has plans to shut down the Games for Windows LIVE platform itself. Currently, the company has not commented on the reported closing, but did provide the time of death on the Age of Empires Online support page which has since been edited to remove the closure date.

The news arrives after Warner Bros. confirmed that Batman: Arkham Origins will not use Games for Windows LIVE, but Steamworks instead for achievements and multiplayer support. There was no multiplayer in the first two installments, but they did use Games for Windows LIVE to track achievements. Capcom is also supposedly dropping Games for Windows LIVE for Ultra Street Fighter IV in favor of Steamworks after using Microsoft's platform in previous PC games like Super Street Fighter IV, Dead Rising 2, Resident Evil 5 and more.

IGN points out that Microsoft has not made any significant updates to the Games for Windows LIVE platform since Barack Obama took his position in the Oval Office back in 2008. As it stands now, only a handful of recent PC games have used the platform including Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition, Iron Brigade, Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, and Ms. Splosion Man. The list of series that have dropped Games for Windows LIVE support include BioShock, Fallout, Red Faction and more.

According to the previous Age of Empires Online support page, Games for Windows LIVE will be discontinued on July 1, 2014. "Although it is available through Steam, Age of Empires Online requires features of the Games for Windows Live service," the company previously stated. "You can continue to enjoy all the features of Age of Empires Online as the service will remain 100% operational until July 1, 2014 when the server will shut down."

With the statement now offline and Microsoft shutting down the platform's Marketplace, there seems to be no question that the company plans to take the service offline. The company even stated in a recent FAQ that it will no longer sell Games for Windows LIVE titles published by Microsoft from any marketplace. For other titles, Microsoft directs gamers to the third-party publishers. In-game purchases and other downloadable content purchase availability will vary based on the particular game.

Polygon contacted Capcom to find out what a Games for Windows LIVE closing will mean to current PC games that support the Microsoft platform. "We do not have details to share yet," the rep said.

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Top Comments
  • 12 Hide
    ShadyHamster , August 20, 2013 9:49 PM
    I've always hated GFWL, i will be glad to see it go, i just hope every game that uses it gets some kind of update or something so they are still playable.
Other Comments
  • 12 Hide
    ShadyHamster , August 20, 2013 9:49 PM
    I've always hated GFWL, i will be glad to see it go, i just hope every game that uses it gets some kind of update or something so they are still playable.
  • 3 Hide
    billgatez , August 20, 2013 9:53 PM
    I wounder what will happen to all the games like GTA and Bioshock 2 that use Windows live for online play?
    Also more evidence that shows that MS no longer cares about PC gamers.
  • Display all 25 comments.
  • 1 Hide
    Raid3r , August 20, 2013 10:05 PM
    Good.
  • 3 Hide
    digiex , August 20, 2013 10:37 PM
    The online model is broker, bring back the LAN model. The reason why ageless games like the old Counter Strike, Generals, Red Alert 2, old Starcraft, Warcraft have a cult following is because of LAN.
  • -2 Hide
    back_by_demand , August 20, 2013 10:45 PM
    Shutting GFWL does not mean an end to the games you own, doomsayers, prepare for a cross platform integrated game service, one where you can buy Xbox games and play on the PC too
  • 1 Hide
    lpedraja2002 , August 20, 2013 10:59 PM
    Pfft Microsoft was full of empty promises when they announced GFWL. Cross-platform play anyone? How many games did we get with that feature? Yeah that ONE GAME who no one remembers.

    I just hopes Dark Souls 2 doesn't use the damn thing and what will happen to Age of Empires Online players? Way to rekill Age of Empires AGAIN! Microsoft! Yeez... its like they hate RTS games with a passion.
  • 2 Hide
    JOSHSKORN , August 20, 2013 11:41 PM
    So in otherwords, they're finally (sort of) acknowledging that they royally screwed up with Windows 8 and are giving up completely on the PC market, and now are focusing on XBOX ONE and that's that?
  • 2 Hide
    radiovan , August 20, 2013 11:53 PM
    Oh yah, GFWL, now I remember...Bioshock 2...almost got an aneurism trying to install that game through Steam and then activated it through GFWL [burn it with fire, please]. Made only one play-through of Bioshock 2, unlike the first Bioshock, of which I made many. MS got a really polite/tempered complaint from me at that time, plus I said I would never buy another GFWL game ever again or any future Bioshock games (too bad though, Bioshock Infinite looks like fun) . I vote with my wallet not with my keyboard.
  • 1 Hide
    Aoyagi , August 21, 2013 3:07 AM
    Quote:
    I wounder what will happen to all the games like GTA and Bioshock 2 that use Windows live for online play?
    Also more evidence that shows that MS no longer cares about PC gamers.


    I'm quite sure GTA 4 doesn't actually use GFWL for multiplayer. That's what the Communist Club is for.

    Then again, I really wonder what happens to the games that use GFWL as a DRM.
  • 0 Hide
    bustapr , August 21, 2013 4:24 AM
    though I love that the thing called GFWL is going to die soon, I fear that something worse may come after. I just hope I dont have to go through the nightmare that is creating a new account of anything after buying my games on steam like I had to do with bioshock 2 and splinter cell(ubisofts worse drm). I like logging in to steam and not having to worry about other assholes thinking I stole my steam game -_-
  • 0 Hide
    back_by_demand , August 21, 2013 5:01 AM
    lpedraja2002, right there, you are exactly what is wrong with the world - not looking forwards, only complaining about things in the past.
    Previous cross-compatability was doomed to failure due to the architecture and coding requirements - now we have a totally new console which is basically a PC, with and OS that is basically Windows 8 - cross-compatability has never been more possible and a rebrand/relaunch to take advantage of the hype around Xbox One is more likely than just a shutdown.
  • -1 Hide
    danielmunhato , August 21, 2013 5:21 AM
    thank god, this is the best News i´ve received today. it´s about time that s.... died.
  • 1 Hide
    goodevil , August 21, 2013 5:43 AM
    Quote:
    (too bad though, Bioshock Infinite looks like fun).

    Bioshock Infinite doesn't use GFWL, google first.
  • 2 Hide
    bloodroses , August 21, 2013 6:12 AM
    I seriously hope they plan on doing something about the games that are already released for GFWL as some of them will not save or do any other necessary features without an active account. Street Fighter X Tekken is one of them.
  • 1 Hide
    drwho1 , August 21, 2013 7:44 AM
    everyone!
    nanana nanana hey hey goodbye nanana nanana hey hey goodbye
    nanana nanana hey hey goodbye nanana nanana hey hey goodbye
  • 1 Hide
    eklipz330 , August 21, 2013 7:46 AM
    no doubt they will release an updated client, one that's deemed more competitive. if anyone is capable, it's microsoft.

    pc gamers are one of the more demanding markets. we know what we want, and we know what we like. all they have to do is listen
  • 3 Hide
    stevejnb , August 21, 2013 8:12 AM
    Quote:
    no doubt they will release an updated client, one that's deemed more competitive. if anyone is capable, it's microsoft.

    pc gamers are one of the more demanding markets. we know what we want, and we know what we like. all they have to do is listen


    "All they have to do is listen"? you mean like the people who released the original Humble Indie Bundle? They listened to years of PC gamers saying "Oh, the only reason we pirate is because things are overpriced by big megacorporations just out to milk us for a buck - if games were reasonably priced, we wouldn't pirate!" So, they released a bundle which a lot of people were interested in at a completely flexible price - as little as a one cent donation to get the whole bundle.

    So, what do you figure the PC gaming community that "knows what it wants" did to a group that "listened? Read for yourself.

    http://blog.wolfire.com/2010/05/Saving-a-penny----pirating-the-Humble-Indie-Bundle

    Of the 100,000+ tough-to-please-but-reasonable-if-listened-to PC gamers who downloaded the Humble Indie Bundle, over 25,000 pirated it - didn't donate one single cent to keep a bunch of indie game devs offering a great deal in business. That's not even including torrent sources too, so you can bet the piracy numbers were significantly higher than listed in that blog.

    This "the PC gaming community is just such a reasonable group that knows what it wants and is making it so easy for game sellers" stuff is total BS. PC gamers want to b*tch, piss, moan, whine, and complain about every little thing that isn't perfect, blaming the companies for *everything*, and then pirate it anyways when someone does listen. They are the definition of entitled, spoiled brats who will throw a tantrum if they don't have their ice cream before supper served to them on a silver platter.

    Games for Windows Live was a problematic service but, stop pretending like all the blame is on the shoulders of the gaming companies - not just MS, but across the board. The PC gaming community repeatedly proves that gaming companies bending over backwards for them oftentimes do not get a whit of appreciation and just more complaints and piracy. Is it a wonder they're trying to DRM us up the bung hole after the debacle of the 90's where every major release that cost companies millions of dollars to produce was pirated up the wazoo? PC gamers have, time and again, proven to be the whiniest group of entitled brats out there, and also the first to pat themselves on the back for being such great and reasonable customers - an utter joke.
  • 1 Hide
    smeghead4269 , August 21, 2013 9:15 AM
    And nothing of value was lost.
  • -2 Hide
    ubercake , August 21, 2013 9:17 AM
    They just up and shut down everything at some point. Don't put too much on your Skydrive!
  • 1 Hide
    back_by_demand , August 21, 2013 10:29 AM
    The 1 cent donation bundle is a stupid and extreme example, Steam have already proved that bundle packs and time limited special sales can drive vast numbers. If that 100,000 had to pay $1 instead of 1 cent, the number of downloaders would have to be 100 times less to make the same money. A dollar is nothing to some people, they could have made 10 times as much and if they had properly distributed it like Steam there would have been almost no passing on or piracy. Good principle, idiot moneymen.
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