Slashdot Mirror
How 'Games for Windows' Will Change PC Gaming
Joystiq has a short piece up talking with Windows (GFW) Marketing Director Kevin Unangst and PR Manager Michael Wolf about the future of the 'Games for Windows' initiative. With the launch of Vista, Microsoft is making a big push to turn PC games into a 'console-like' cohesive brand. Instead of relying on the good name of individual publishers to sell titles, Redmond is requiring that all titles use similar packaging and a distinctive logo. Along with the new gamer-centric features in Vista, and the tie-in to Xbox 360 with 'Live Anywhere', this is meant to reinvigorate the PC games market for the sometimes not-so-savvy consumer. From the article: "By making gaming a priority in the Vista experience, Microsoft is molding a powerful pairing of the Games for Windows and Xbox 360 brands. To some extent, this is based on a hope that Live Anywhere will be embraced by GFW developers and publishers, pulling Xbox Live (and your Gamertag) outside of the 'Box, in turn encouraging an unrivaled virtual community. But there are simpler touches that also spark our interest. For example, start up Vista's Minesweeper, connect your 360 controller, and enjoy a subtle rumble each time you slip up. It's the melding with the familiar that will drive new and lost consumers to the Games for Windows brand."
The BSOD is my favorite Game for Windows!
It would be quite rude to read Slashdot while your in game charachter has the bomb your team is supposed to plant, or fiddle with Quicken while other players are waiting for you to make your move in Civilization.
If you're playing with someone else in the same mood, like a slow chess game where you check and see if the other guy has moved, that's cool. If not, you owe it to the other players to keep your focus on the game.
Microsoft wants game publishers to pay a windows logo fee. and license their product for use on windows vista.
This is nothing more than a scam; an ill-fated attempt to force publishers out of the pc business and into the xbox360 business.
PC game publishers (I hope) will have the courage to tell MS to stick it up their ass.
activision, ubisoft, atari, vivendi, ea, take2, square, eidos. unite and tell MS to STUFF it.
I'm sure with the collective power you weild, you could create your own operating system specifically for the games you make.
or you could all just switch to linux
make the games into a linux live DVD and download device drivers on the fly. and the live DVD boots up and plays your game.
we wouldn't need windows any more. or a ginormous hard drive either.
we could save on flash memory.
if you unite, (which normally I wouldn't advocate for) you have more power than MS.
They're using their grammar skills there.