Xbox Windows to be Separate from Games for Windows Live
Your favorite built-in games will be filed under Xbox Windows with the release of Windows 8.
We're all guilty of it: wasting time playing hand after hand of Solitaire or spending hours dodging mines in Minesweeper. Microsoft understands this completely, and plans to offer rewards for playing these built-in games with the launch of Windows 8 on desktops and the Surface tablet in October.
Classic Windows freebie titles Minesweeper, Solitaire Collection and Mahjong will be three of the first games to fall under Microsoft's new Xbox Windows banner. Originally spotted on Xbox 360 Achievements, this new gaming line will be completely separate from Microsoft's other gaming service, Games for Windows Live.
For Solitaire Collection, Windows 8 users will be awarded 40 points for three achievements: Well Played (win your first match -- 10), First One's Free (flip over your first card -- 10), and Jack of All Trades (play at least 1 game of Klondike, FreeCell, Spider, TriPeaks, and Pyramid -- 20). Minesweeper will offer 50 points stretched across 4 achievements, and Mahjong will offer 25 points generated from 3 achievements.
Slated for an October 26 launch, Windows 8 will come packed with full Xbox Live integration. This service will offer access to the Games Marketplace, the user's Xbox profile, Achievements list, Avatar creation and more. Microsoft said it will also continue supporting Games for Windows Live which serves as a multiplayer platform for supporting PC games.
But as The Examiner points out, Microsoft has recently come under fire by the likes of Valve, Blizzard and Mojang who are concerned that the Redmond company is creating a "walled garden" spanning PC, console, smartphone and tablet form factors with the Windows 8 platform. There's a fear that games will eventually be forced through the Windows Store rather than allow consumers to purchase titles on Steam, Origin and other external sources.
What will be interesting to see is how Xbox Live, Games for Windows Live, and Xbox Windows will be tied together in Windows 8. For Windows-based gamers, the landscape is already looking a little confusing -- and that's before having to deal with a whole new blocky UI.
To see a whole batch of screenshots stemming from the three upcoming Xbox Windows games, head here.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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aftcomet I think MS wanted to prove that it is in fact possible to create an OS worse than Vista.Reply -
applegetsmelaid All Microsoft has to do is include support for Xbox 360 games and I would forgive them for the atrocious UI.Reply -
s3anister What's funny is that everyone is so disturbed by the GUI for Windows 8 while simultaneously overlooking all of the enhancements it has as an Operating System. Get with the program everyone, Windows 8 is a consumer OS.Reply
It's simply not for us enthusiasts. This was established a long time ago and now it just feels like Tom's users are beating a dead horse. -
Belardo s3anisterWhat's funny is that everyone is so disturbed by the GUI for Windows 8 while simultaneously overlooking all of the enhancements it has as an Operating System. Get with the program everyone, Windows 8 is a consumer OS.It's simply not for us enthusiasts. Then why the frack do we need it for?! If someone needs a basic functioning computer, a tablet running iOS or Android is all they need. And SO fracking what if we overlook the enhancements. There is nothing there that makes me piss my pants with excitement. Win8 desktop is ugly, metro -oops I mean "Windows 8 Style User Interface" is shit. So yea, we have a right to bitch about it. Some people like myself make our living off of computers/Windows. I can't sell shit to my clients. I can't sell something I wouldn't use myself. So with your comment about "enthusiasts", you are saying its time we all just move on to Linux?! You are correct. Remember, enthusiasts like NASA uses MacPro computers to land on bloody Mars... think those types would waste their time with Metro-rape?Reply -
QEFX s3anisterIt's simply not for us enthusiasts. This was established a long time ago and now it just feels like Tom's users are beating a dead horse.Reply
Windows DHE* is a great name s3anister you'd better copyright that.
* Dead Horse Edition
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pharoahhalfdead It's not like we actually need GFWL. What exactly does it do? Oh I forgot, it keeps me from saving certain games if I don't have it installed and running.Reply