Microsoft Closes Xbox.com PC Marketplace

SmartAboutThings writes "Microsoft is definitely changing things in its gaming department: it has now announced in a support note on the Xbox site that it will be shutting down the Xbox.com PC Marketplace on August 22nd. This comes shortly after news that Microsoft hired former Steam boss Jason Holtman, whose mission at Redmond is to 'make Windows great for gaming.' The Microsoft Points system will be retired on August 22nd as well. The Games for Windows Live client software will not be affected, at least initially, letting you play previously purchased games."

Comments

"letting you play previously purchased games."

[Anonymous Coward]

Oh, thank you! Thank you so much! I feel so special, so lucky! Thank you so much again for letting me continue to play my previously purchased games!

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[josephtd]

I believe the summary misspelled rented.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[TWX]

And people wonder why I don't get rid of my movie collection in favor of netflix or some other streaming service...

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[mlk]

The two are not the same.
Netflix you are renting X files for the next 30 days. You know this. No expectations that you can stop playing the £Y and movies will still magic onto your tellybox.

"Buy" a game from Steam/Xbox/Origin/what evs and you pay just the once and expect it to continue working.

One you are getting a service, the other you are getting a product.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[0123456]

Think yourself lucky that they let you do so. I almost lost GTA4 when I discovered I'd forgotten the GFWL login after not playing it for a couple of years. Others on the Steam forums have said they lost their GFWL account completely after not logging in for a long time.

Not that it would have been a big loss given how bad GTA4 is, but the experience was bad enough that I've never bought another GFWL game since.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[spire3661]

You wouldn't have lost access to GTA 4, just your save games. All of which can be avoided if you make a LOCAL PROFILE on GFWL.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[0123456]

You wouldn't have lost access to GTA 4, just your save games. All of which can be avoided if you make a LOCAL PROFILE on GFWL.

You can't play GTA4 without logging into GFWL.

Well, you can, but it runs in some kind of demo mode that won't let you save.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[0123456]

Until GoG closes and you have to reformat and can't actually download the game from them again.

There's thing thing called 'backups', dude. You see, Gog actually give you an installer file that installs the game, you don't have to download it from them every time you want to install it.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[gl4ss]

local mode has you logged in... in the no save gfwl mode you're not logged in as local, if you are logged in then the saves do work in gfwl.

it's sort of tricky to get it to that mode, some.. ehm.. unauthorized games copied from the net need you to run through some hoops to install older gfwl client. but it works and then you can make local saves.

that's to say that it's a pretty shitty drm in the end.

one of the problems of ms is that they keep changing this shit around every fucking 12 months. but why have another store if they have a games store for metro shit games? they really fucked up their digital distribution over the past couple of years(and of course for other tools they have yet another download/pay service).

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[khellendros1984]

GOG is the only e-tailor where you really BUY games.

That's not strictly true. Desura itself is DRM-agnostic (they don't impose their own DRM, although game makers are free to sell their games with it). Humble Indie Bundle sells games DRM-free (although they don't have regular availability of specific titles). Indie Royale works similarly to HIB. ShinyLoot sells DRM-free games (although they allow one-time key authentication).
That being said, GOG is an incredible site, and they most assuredly have my business!

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[0123456]

And this is the kind of crap people love having to deal with when they just want to play a game that's installed on their PC, on their PC.

GFWL is the DRM scheme that makes other DRM schemes look good.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[Wookact]

You can backup and install steam games off line as well.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[spire3661]

You can make and log in with LOCAL PROFILEs in GFWL, that never ever go out to the internet. All my GFWL games log in with 'player 1'

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[retchdog]

Coffee beans don't turn rancid for a long while, it's more that the volatile oils will evaporate, losing flavor. Keeping them in the fridge is actually terrible because of the moisture. Use the freezer if you must or, preferably, grind small amounts and use it quickly.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[0123456]

You can backup and install steam games off line as well.

But you can't run the games if Steam has gone away. I've also seen a few people say that they used the Steam backup software and the file it generated wouldn't reinstall.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[Zemran]

I bought a Nokia N95 and bought some games for it several years ago (about 6 years ago). The phone was still working fine when they closed nGage store and after having to reboot my phone to factory setting I could not play those games, that I had bought, ever again. I will never be that stupid again. I want to make sure that I own what I buy. I am happy to buy a .iso on line and download it but I want that installer. I do not buy from iTunes or Android stores.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[GrumpySteen]

Because the game publishers would send you replacement software after they've gone out of business if you had just bought it on CD instead of downloading it?

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[lgw]

That very likely depends on the game. Some Steam games have no DRM, some have Steam DRM, some have ridiculous root kits (likely on top of Steam DRM, just for maximum abuse).

If Steam ever shuts down a patch for Steam DRM will be available, one way or another.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[Applekid]

As opposed to buying a physical disc, where you can just email the developer and they will happily send you a replacement if you lose that disc, right?

Actually, the EULA will state that you didn't purchase the game, you purchased a license to run it. So it should then follow that you're permitted to run it even if you happen to lose the media.

Maybe phone calls about this will get popular instead of "do you have Battletoads?"

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[Wookact]

You CAN run the games if Steam goes away. They have promised to release patches to remove DRM if they ever go out of business. Please inform yourself of the facts before you spread your gut feeling as the truth.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[TWX]

Actually, Starbucks provides a service as all food service businesses do. Back in school a teacher in an economics class brought up a case where a man sued a restaurant that refused to provide him with any containers to take his leftovers home. The court ruled that restaurants provide a service, not a good, and that there was no requirement for them to provide him with any means by which to take unconsumed food home.

Assuming that precedent actually exists, you're paying for the service provided to you by Starbucks. Mind you, they intentionally provide the means by which to take the fruits of their service out of the facility as it makes a lot more sense business-wise, but you're buying being-served-coffee moreso than you're buying coffee.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[TWX]

Netflix you are renting X files for the next 30 days.

No I'm not! I already said, I have a collection, including many of Chris Carter's TV shows!

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[rastoboy29]

Yeees.  But it doesn't work that way, does it?   That's kinda the poster's point, I think.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[vux984]

Wrong. It still has an EULA that states you are getting a license to play the game and you do not own it.

However, you are PURCHASING the license. The license once purchased, does in point of fact, belong to you.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[Somebody Is Using My]

Not to mention, it's debatable whether Valve has the authority to release patches for games they don't actually publish. Sure, they can do what they want as regards the DRM in Half Life 2 or Left 4 Dead, but I'd be highly suspicious as to any claim that they have the right to remove DRM from games developed by other publishers.

And despite fans trotting out the "Valve promised" line everytime the discussion comes out, I've never seen a citation to where Valve has clearly stated this intent; the closest I've seen was some messageboard article. If Valve truly does intend to protect its customers' rights this way, you would think they would have a statement on their website somewhere. That lack is telling.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[Chaos Incarnate]

I'll believe in those patches when I see them, and not a minute before. Promises made by an active company mean nothing once they're in bankruptcy.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[Darinbob]

First step in all Fallout 3 installation and tweak guides is to download the Games For Windows Live disabler. This essentially pretends to be GFWL so that the game is unaware that it's missing. And absolutely nothing of any value is lost by not having GFWL in the game, you just don't see achievements which are a joke anyway.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[Lisandro]

Not being a dick here, but if you plan your purchases on company promises you don't get to whine when they aren't kept.

Re:"letting you play previously purchased games."

[MyHair]

You CAN run the games if Steam goes away. They have promised to release patches to remove DRM if they ever go out of business.
Please inform yourself of the facts before you spread your gut feeling as the truth.

Let me run a thought experiment. Valve files for chapter 7 or 11 bankruptcy. The trustee will do which of the following?

A. Release the patch so all customers can play their games for free.
B. See control of the DRM as an asset to be sold to pay off creditors.

Games for Windows

[Anonymous Coward]

Now, please shut down GFWL and we can all celebrate.

Hopefully the ex-Steam guy can do an Elop on Microsoft, to make them Valve's biatch.

Re: Games for Windows

[Mabhatter]

That was my first thought as well.

The problem with Games on Windows is that Microsoft keeps redeciding that Windows gaming is "second class" to Xbox gaming. The only keep it alive because certain PC games just don't work in a console setup yet. Steam does everything better and isn't "demon spawn incarnate". The founders are all ex-microsofties and the company on the beginning was run just like a "baby Microsoft".

If this guy had business sense at all he'd just close down Microsoft's pitiful attempt and move all their PC games to Steam. Microsoft has way to much NIH Syndrome to let that happen... I guess some lucky guy can happily take their money until they decide to grow up. PC gaming on Windows is a niche product.. They have no intention of ever supporting it properly, but just cannot let it go. Microsoft was almost as laughable trying to deal with outing their software on iPads via the Apple App Store...

Future of Microsoft?!?

[ackthpt]

"and let's see if we can whip of a decent clone of Space Invaders."

Really, to make Windows more game friendly kick all that cruft out of it which pre-loads into memory just in case I want to fire up Excel, which I don't have installed and foolishness like that. To be game friendly it needs to be lean, not bloated.

Re:Future of Microsoft?!?

[lgw]

I've just never had that problem on my gaming rig - and it even runs the consumer OS (currently Win7) and not Server (which I prefer for real work). If you install Office, and don't turn off the "quick start" thingy that's a pig, but why would you do that? I have the "Excel reader" on my gaming box, since there's sometimes interesting stuff about a game that someone has put in a spreadsheet, but other than that I don't have Office or anything else really on my gaming rig other than games.

People still complain about the services that start by default as "bloat", of course, but they're collectively tiny by modern standards. Anyone really still care that some service takes 1.5 MB of memory?

Keep away from heavyweight virus scanners and Windows is pretty slim these days (mostly because memory got cheap), unless you install a bunch of crap yourself.

Re:Future of Microsoft?!?

[Bearhouse]

http://thepiratebay.sx/torrent/4206516/TinyXP_Rev09_-_eXPerience

Or roll your own...

Re:Future of Microsoft?!?

[Sockatume]

As far as your games are concerned, that memory is empty; Windows lets apps that need memory simply march right over the cache as though it wasn't there. Same in every other OS worth a damn.

"letting us play"

[Qzukk]

I'm thankful I'm being permitted to play the game I bought. Fortunately I only bought one game with that "windows live" abomination strapped onto it.

Joys of DRM.

Re:"letting us play"

[Dins]

Simple. Just buy the game you want, then download a cracked version of it and play to your heart's content.

Re:"letting us play"

[0123456]

I'm thankful I'm being permitted to play the game I bought. Fortunately I only bought one game with that "windows live" abomination strapped onto it.

I heard they're going to rename it 'GamesForSure'.

Re:"letting us play"

[Samantha Wright]

The work you described is generally small compared to the amount of time you might otherwise spend researching a game to purchase—and it definitely can't make up for the whole price of the game. Moreover, most game torrents come with cracks anyway, and sometimes even patches pre-applied, so I rather question the reality of the arduous labours you describe. (I'm not saying necessarily that the publishers deserve the money, just that your cracking time/effort calculus is suspect.)

Re:"letting us play"

[Anonymous Coward]

The submitter / slashdot editors intentionally worded the summary that way to get a rise out of you. Don't rise to the troll bait.

The article itself is worded differently and implies that you of course have access to your previously purchased content which was obviously never in question. The summary here however is worded inflammatorily as "at least for now" and "letting you".

Don't make it so easy for people to treat you as a monkey.

Re:"letting us play"

[0123456]

The summary here however is worded inflammatorily as "at least for now" and "letting you".

You really think that Microsoft -- a company with a proven history of pushing DRM schemes and then turning them off -- are going to keep GFWL running forever when it's so universally reviled that few, if any, new games are using it?

Re:"letting us play"

[Hatta]

That only rewards their wacky DRM schemes. Pirate it and play it, or don't play it at all. Just don't pay for DRM. Ever.

Re:"letting us play"

[citizenr]

I do exactly that with DRMed games, except I skip the buy part.

Re:"letting us play"

[Darinbob]

Some of them make it a bit harder than that. Ie, you need GFWL just to install the game in the first place. Or if GFWL is disabled there are stability issues. Ie, Bioshock 2 apparently has save game corruption problems without GFWL.

Re:"letting us play"

[The_Revelation]

Why would you want to spend good money in order to double-handle a download? "For the mere price of the actual game, and twice the space and bandwidth requirements, you can now own the broken-game AND a working copy!"

This is why Microsoft will never generate any trust from consumers. They break their platforms prior to the consumer's vision of the end of their lifetime. And apparently we've all been earning MS points for nothing.

It makes it difficult as well when you have to support MS technologies. As a dev, its hard for me to fully get on board with tech like Powershell, knowing that it will just be retired in 4 years, where as C++, VB or Bash scripting tends to remain relevant for generations. Anyone remember widgets?

Re:"letting us play"

[nhat11]

You know you can make a offline account for most games right?

I dont think they ever really wanted to until Win8

[Voyager529]

See, The Xbox PC marketplace, the once or twice I used it, was never really a desirable means of doing anything. Every time I tried something, it would only be available on Xbox...because apparently hiding things that can't be used on a PC was an insurmountable task. It didn't seem to do cool things like let you play PC versions of Xbox games you own or save my game of Batman Arkham Asylum that was a GFWL title such that I could pick up where I left off after a format...

It surprises me that Microsoft has traditionally done such a piss poor job of integrating ANYTHING involving gaming or software purchasing into the OS. Maybe now with Win8 they'll take it a bit more seriously, but I'm still shocked they didn't partner with EA years ago and make a windows-integrated service that precluded the necessity of Origin in the first place.

Re:How to make windows great for gaming

[Beamboom]

Dude, that made as much sense as saying, "How to make a car fly: Exit the car and enter a plane". :D

Re:I dont think they ever really wanted to until W

[Sockatume]

Microsoft's various divisions were pitched against each other as internal competitors; all of the gaming talent was in the Xbox console division, but internal politics likely meant that the Windows team could never, ever ask them for help.

chasing ghosts.

[nimbius]

Redmonds day late and dollar short approach to rectifying its inevitable downfall in gaming is cure for the symptom and not for the cause. While Steam announced a radically new direction in gaming thats been clammoured about for ages, Microsoft basically fashioned the next generation console into a prison yard for publishers and a land mine for customers. Damage control be damned, the XBox likely will not play a huge part of 2014's next generation consoles seeing as Sony has not only achieved architectural parity but actually vocalized sympathy and support for gamers in the face of Redmond. Nintendo can make hardware mistakes but its hard to escape the notion that almost every game in their lineup is about fun and rewarding gameplay first.
If gabe is worried about the success of his shift to linux, all he has to do is utter the magic words, "Half Life 3." I'll gladly spend the next 2 days fervently compiling and patching to ensure Gentoo can run it.

Re:chasing ghosts.

[intermodal]

That was me when I found out TF2 was free to play for Linux. It takes a lot to pull me away from more important things like baking bread and playing guitar to go play a game, but as an old TFC player, I couldn't pass up the chance to try out a game that had interested me since I first heard about it (though not enough to deal with Microsoft).

Re:chasing ghosts.

[filthpickle]

The only shooter that I have fun with every single time I play it. Hell...maybe the only video game altogether that is like that. I do get distracted by new shininess more and more lately though...haven't been playing it much.

Re:chasing ghosts.

[intermodal]

I mostly haven't been playing lately because I'm almost exclusively on a laptop at home, which means everything gets really chunky as soon as the map gets even remotely crowded.

Re:I dont think they ever really wanted to until W

[mjr167]

Microsoft partnering with EA would be like Bubba partnering with Ray Ray to chase you down in the woods.

Don't worry...

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sure they won't do this to the Windows 8 Marketplace.

Re:Don't worry...

[ackthpt]

I'm sure they won't do this to the Windows 8 Marketplace.

That's like telling a cat to stay away from the curtains and expecting it to listen.

Re:Don't worry...

[roc97007]

I'm sure they won't do this to the Windows 8 Marketplace.

Wow. Good point.

Lessee... The first thing that would go would be the RT marketplace. Followed a year later by abandonment of the metro api.

Re:Don't worry...

[Anonymous Coward]

The Metro API will not go away. Metro is a really solid, amazing piece of technology that they're going to keep for a long time.

What is going way very soon are the Windows RT and Windows Phone 8 operating systems, to be replaced by a new integrated operating system that works on both phones and tablets. And shortly after, they'll get rid of that OS as well, and come out with a new OS with more "cloud" integration. After they throw that one away, they'll come out with an OS with applications that works on phones, tablets, XBox and with applets downloaded into IE. Then they'll throw that away, and come out with a new OS that also works with televisions and home automation systems. Eventually, in 15 or 20 years, they'll eventually realize their dream of having one version of Windows with a suite of applications that works with every computer in your house. At that point, they'll start to break up the company.

Re:Don't worry...

[roc97007]

You had me for a minute there.

Re:I dont think they ever really wanted to until W

[UnknowingFool]

It surprises me that Microsoft has traditionally done such a piss poor job of integrating ANYTHING involving gaming or software purchasing into the OS. Maybe now with Win8 they'll take it a bit more seriously, but I'm still shocked they didn't partner with EA years ago and make a windows-integrated service that precluded the necessity of Origin in the first place.

Why does that surprise you? Their history is full of examples of how products that are not traditional Windows or Office are poorly done. For example, Windows Mobile came out years before the iPhone. I was issued one for work, and it was buggy as hell. All the employees just had to deal with the daily and random resets. Some employees purchased their own phones (mostly Blackberries until the iPhone came out) just so they could do email.

Microsoft does this ever couple of years

[Anonymous Coward]

Microsoft has ZERO internal commitment to gaming on the PC (which obviously doesn't impact third-party games sales), but every few years some optimistic loser manages to persuade the higher management to allow him/her to 'push' PC gaming from an official Microsoft position once again. This frequently coincides with the new console launch, when the PC may get one or two titles that Microsoft is also publishing on said console.

Of course, third party game companies that make PC games are FAR FAR FAR better of ignoring all Microsoft initiatives, and making their code as Microsoft independent as possible (essentially using DirectX and nothing else). Using newer Microsoft APIs beyond DirectX ensures massive incompatibilities between different operating systems (done by MS on purpose to strong-arm upgrades to the latest version of Windows).

Since Microsoft actively began preventing the porting of the Xbox's best exclusives (Halo and Gears of War) to the PC, PC gamers became fully clued in as to Microsoft's true agenda. Microsoft itself has formally PROMISED to prevent its own AAA Xbox One games from appearing as PC versions, and stated that the PC exists only for casual gaming (go Google if you don't believe me).

As for Live in its existing PC game activation form, please stop the FUD- that's going nowhere. Microsoft has clearly promised to ensure every game sold that needs a live connection will get a live connection. Maybe ten years after the last such game is sold, there may be an issue, but no-one is going to have issues using their games in the near future.

PC gaming has never depended on Microsoft, and never will. DirectX was a contribution, but if it had never existed, we would be using a just as good open-standard alternate universe version of something based on Open GL today, just as Open GL ES now exists for the tablets. If Microsoft had EVER been clued in, it would be responsible for the service provided by Valve that we know as 'Steam'. Initially Valve only began the Steam project in frustration that no-one else was doing anything similar in the PC space.

Thankfully, the fact that PC owners will be getting games like GTA V and The Witcher 3 has nothing to do with Microsoft whatsoever.

Re:Microsoft does this ever couple of years

[0123456]

As for Live in its existing PC game activation form, please stop the FUD- that's going nowhere.

As for PlaysForSure in its existing form, please stop the FUD - that's going nowhere.

Re:Microsoft does this ever couple of years

[UnknownSoldier]

> PC gamers became fully clued in as to Microsoft's true agenda. Microsoft itself has formally PROMISED to prevent its own AAA Xbox One games from appearing as PC versions,

This doesn't make (financial) sense. Why wouldn't Microsoft want to sell to _more_ customers?

Re:Microsoft does this ever couple of years

[0123456]

This doesn't make (financial) sense. Why wouldn't Microsoft want to sell to _more_ customers?

It makes perfect financial sense to the Xbox division.

You're assuming that anyone is checking whether the decisions make financial sense to the company as a whole. If they worried about little things like that, they'd never have released a console when gaming is one of the few remaining reasons to buy a Windows PC.

Re:I dont think they ever really wanted to until W

[Kaenneth]

Which is essential really.

If MS did integrate a gaming marketplace into Windows that took noticable marketshare from Steam, Origin, etc. they would get sued, just like for IE, WMP, Messenger...

Re:How to make windows great for gaming

[ackthpt]

1) Remove Windows
2) Install Ubuntu
3) Install Steam

You do know you can use those old Windows install CDs/DVDs to play with like a Frisbee or ring toss and such.

even the old 3.1 discs can be stacked like Jenga!

Re:Now you see it, now you don't

[ackthpt]

Typical Microsoft.
Closing something down at little or no notice.

The next incarnation will cost everyone $$$$ just to join.

Thank you sir, may I have another?!?

It's all about the re-org, consolidation, maintaining a revenue stream and keeping shareholders.

When have Microsoft ever told you that you are Number 1 in their book?

Re:How to make windows great for gaming

[0123456]

Valve need an alternative to Windows now Microsoft are trying to kill their business model with their own 'app store'. So they're convincing more and more game developers to start releasing Linux versions of their games.

I hope that if MS trys to go metro only with win 9

[Joe_Dragon]

They get sued by EA, Valve, GOG, Apogee and others for app store lock in.

Re:How to make windows great for gaming

[Beamboom]

I was trying to be funny. To "install Ubuntu" is just not an answer to the question "how to make WINDOWS great for gaming", just like "enter a plane" is not the answer to the questions "how to make a car fly". I am a Linux user myself and the day Steam came to Linux was a fantastic day. A majority of the games I currently own on Steam today runs on Linux.

Always complainers

[Ravaldy]

The way I see it, MS could write everybody on /. a $10 000 cheque and slashdotters would turn around and say it wasn't done right. Just cause it's MS.

Re:Always complainers

[interval1066]

There is that. But really, any large corp that offers you a service with an implied "oh, your stuff is safe with us" and then shuts down the service is begging for redicule, if an indictment. To big to fail, to big to follow the law, I guess. Yeah, I'm complaining.

Re:Always complainers

[guttentag]

No, we would say it wasn't done right because because the check would be drawn on the Windows Xbox Developers Kinect Connection Development Bank and made out for $10.00 in Windows 8 Xbox Windows Gamerscore points, which would only be redeemable through the "Windows RT Xbox Games Bing Banking -- Live app" that is easy to to use once you find it on your Windows RT Pro Home Edition that no one bought even at below-cost prices. Because that's what Microsoft does. It has some serious fragmentation and naming convention issues... which is what happens when people have to stand in meetings because the CEO broke all the chairs.

Seriously... "Xbox.com PC Marketplace?" Does that sell PCs or Xboxes? Is that on the Xbox or a Web site?

Re:Always complainers

[Nyder]

The way I see it, MS could write everybody on /. a $10 000 cheque and slashdotters would turn around and say it wasn't done right. Just cause it's MS.

You must be new, oh yes, I can see by your 2.6 Million UID that you are. Let me give you a clue. MS has been making products and dropping support for those products for quite awhile. See, MS had ADHD. They can't pay attention, so they miss the trends until they are already happening. Then they try to play catch up, but since they can't focus worth shit, they lose interest again.

You know how many times they have had a PC Gaming Initiative? About every 5 years. How long do they last? One set of games being released, if that. And even that is to promote something else. Halo & Shadowrun? Remember those? Had to have Vista to run them because they required Direct X 10? MS was pushing Vista & Direct X 10, telling peeps they were there for PC gaming. And yet those 2 games, with a small hack, could run just fine on XP because they didn't use DX 10, they used DX 9.

I'm not even going to into the features that MS always promises for new OS's that never make it. Or how they will focus to take over a market, then let it sit (Web Browsers is a good example of this. They fought tooth and nail to beat Netscape, then once they did, sat on IE6 for years without updates.

No, I don't like MS. They have a history of being twats and most of us know it.

Re:Always complainers

[roc97007]

The way I see it, MS could write everybody on /. a $10 000 cheque and slashdotters would turn around and say it wasn't done right. Just cause it's MS.

I dunno, $10K would be just about right.

Re:Always complainers

[roc97007]

Agree agree agree. But I'd still take the check.

Re:I dont think they ever really wanted to until W

[Voyager529]

Which is essential really.

If MS did integrate a gaming marketplace into Windows that took noticable marketshare from Steam, Origin, etc. they would get sued, just like for IE, WMP, Messenger...

I'm not completely convinced of that, depending on how they actually went about it. If they did some sort of exclusivity situation where Xbox Marketplace games couldn't be released on Steam as well, THEN that would be an issue. If Microsoft prohibited Steam from being installed, or using DirectX APIs, THEN there would be solid ground for a lawsuit.

Microsoft simply having a competing product isn't grounds for a lawsuit, even if it's integrated - so far, no lawsuits for Windows Defender or Zip Folders, despite them competing with Symantec and WinRAR, respectively.

Re:I dont think they ever really wanted to until W

[Voyager529]

Microsoft partnering with EA would be like Bubba partnering with Ray Ray to chase you down in the woods.

Exactly why I'm surprised it never happened.

Re:How to make windows great for gaming

[Ravaldy]

That's just not happening on PC. If you think supporting games on Windows is a nightmare, can't wait to see the whore story that is games on Linux.

Re:How to make windows great for gaming

[captainpanic]

Dude, that made as much sense as saying, "How to make a car fly: Exit the car and enter a plane". :D

And I would say that's fantastic advice... I wonder if a car is check-in or cabin baggage...

Re:How to make windows great for gaming

[0123456]

That's just not happening on PC. If you think supporting games on Windows is a nightmare, can't wait to see the whore story that is games on Linux.

Steam, I believe, only supports the Ubuntu LTS release, so there's only one version to worry about. Though games may break when the next LTS comes out.

Current GfWL Steam

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually, nearly anything beats Steam, that would include uPlay and Origin. Seriously, all 3 clients are superior. Steam is the only one not playing ball by not letting you integrate all your friends lists (though MS is partially at fault for this, PSN friends should be available too).

Unless you really think achievements are the one and only consideration resulting in "good" (and MS is still beating Steam's implementation of those) Steam has the absolute worst client on the market.

Steam doesn't even have the best sales anymore, the various indie bundles and Amazon regularly destroy them. Exactly what has Steam done right in the last few years besides their token Linux efforts (which are still laughable, unless they start cranking out first party titles at a good clip again)?

Finally, MS has never taken PC gaming seriously? Really? They owned Ensemble studios and a bunch of others that have cranked out some of the most important games in PC gaming histroy, (e.g. Age of Empires, AOK, Mechwarrior IV, etc.).

Microsoft always abandons everything

[kbg]

I always thought games relying on Games for Windows Live was stupid, because it is unavoidable that Microsoft will abandon that like all products and services that they create, and then what will happen with all the games that use that? They will no longer work.

Re:Microsoft always abandons everything

[Nyder]

I always thought games relying on Games for Windows Live was stupid, because it is unavoidable that Microsoft will abandon that like all products and services that they create, and then what will happen with all the games that use that? They will no longer work.

Then thank your god(s) for the pirate scene, preserving games for the long haul.

 

Re:Microsoft always abandons everything

[Darinbob]

They don't care because only irrelevant people like slashdotters would ever want to play a game that is more than a month old.

Is this the game portal used by Windows 8?

[msobkow]

If this is the game portal used by Windows 8, then MicroSquishy really hasn't got a clue. That was the one feature of WIndows 8 that my folks liked.

Windows is already great

[Stan92057]

Windows is already great for gaming in fact better then great so what are they really trying to do?

Re:Windows is already great

[roc97007]

Windows 8 (OEM) is $89...FUD.

Which as you well know is historically a very unusual price point for a Windows operating system. Windows 7 Pro is still $265 (Amazon) after Win8 has been out for some time.

I think the unusually low price (for Microsoft) of Windows 8 is an indication that they knew it would be a hard sell. I bought one. Installed it. Tried to use it. I agree, it's really a hard sell.

Re:Microsoft DAS FIN

[ackthpt]

...

There is not much Microsoft can do but change it's business models to believe in the customer and quit treating them similar to criminals.

They're following the business models of Hollywood and the Music industry - customers are all potential criminals, stupid and must be told what they want and what is good entertainment, would be completely lost without us and must be utterly crushed it we even suspect they are violating anything we view as being with our rights (or just for the heck of it to scare everyone else and keep them in line.)

Even dear old George Lucas took his sweet time releasing Star Wars on DVD until he figured his point, whatever the heck it was, had been made. Then the rotter still made money off them by the deathstarload.

Re:How to make windows great for gaming

[oreiasecaman]

Hey wine runs Diablo 3 flawlessly!!

...

well, it had to be said

stupid microsoft

[Cammi]

Shut it down with no replacement... stupid microsoft.

The EULA can say what the hell it likes.

[Anonymous Coward]

The GoG'd EULA cannot enforce the decision of "you cannot install" without a court to enforce it.

Meanwhile the EULA of Steam CAN enforce the EULA, EVEN IF IT IS ILLEGAL TO DO SO.

ANY phone-home-to-install software can ignore the courts and become judge, jury and executioner. The only reason why EULA bullshit is accepted is because clicking "I Agree" to them used to mean fuck all: they had to pursue you through the court to enforce it.

Now, not so much: if your account has been banned because they DECIDED you were abusive on some other game needing that account, then all your other games are gone too.

And note: having more than one Steam account is against the EULA. If there was a way to connect them to your actual identity, or if you mistakenly admit it, then they can ban ALL your accounts. Its in the EULA. And even if you can prove that the law does not allow this, you CANNOT change it.

Re:I don't know whether to laugh at MS or congratu

[Omestes]

Second: Like other posters above have noted - install Ubuntu, install Steam, and game to your hearts content...

...But not really.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that Linux (or at least Ubuntu) is gaining (har har) steam in the gaming arena, but they still have miles and miles to go before they even rank as mildly competitive with Windows. Looking through the games available from Steam on Linux, not a single game in my library is represented, and there aren't any that I really want to play. Of the games I'm currently playing, only one is available (might be available, will be available?) on Linux, Shadowrun Returns. It is nice that I can play Valve titles, but I really don't want to. I'm burnt out of TF2, and I really can't bring myself to play Half Life 2 yet again.

If I was still running Linux, I'd still want a Windows partition for gaming right now. This isn't going to change until more big devs and triple A titles show up on Linux. Right now, ignoring Source titles, there are none.

Yes, the race gets closer with Wine. But the reason I migrated AWAY from Linux in the first place was having to mess with janky, temperamental, arcane solutions to very simple problems that are quickly fixed in the big two OSs. I don't want to have to waste time getting one game working, reading forums full of trolls and idiots for one post that give one correct value, in one semi-hidden config files, just to do something that I can do in one click on Windows. For a lark, I poked around on getting the two games I play the most right now to work on Linux (Rift and Civ 5), and it is a very hit-or-miss affair from the looks of it.

Again, I'm not bashing Linux, or "shilling" for MS (god I hate that internet bullshit meme), go with what works for you. If you want your OS choice to be a political statement, good on ya. If you really just like Linux, fine. If you hate MS and Apple, fine. If you love them, equally fine. Don't care. But it is disingenuous to promote Linux as a Windows replacement in gaming. It isn't even close. Perhaps it will be, someday. Perhaps that day is coming sooner than later. But it isn't even close yet.

Also...

MS is about to lose it's hold on the only thing keeping Windows relevant.

How? This news has nothing to do with Windows gaming, only with MS's own gaming for Windows. My games will all work fine after this. If not for Slashdot, I'd never of even noticed, so great is its effect on my being.

Further I haven't actually found myself saying "Man, I wish I was using Linux, this would be so much easier" on my day to day tasks. Actually Linux would hurt my workflow right now, since I would lose my number one tools (Lightroom/Photoshop). The only time I yearn for Linux is on my girlfriends crappy netbook running Win 7 Starter (she doesn't want Linux, so Windows it is), and on my weak HTPC. But sadly there isn't a media program that is easy enough for drunk friends to use, that can also handle 30k songs without dying (the objectively terrible and bloated iTunes can, for some reason even with Win 7's overhead). Linux isn't the be-all-end-all. Windows is fine for me. I actually like it, and prefer it to Linux. For now at least, perhaps things will change in the near future, one can never tell.

Also, Windows major advantage is its mediocrity. Its good enough. Its easy enough. Its powerful enough. Its ubiquity also helps, since EVERYTHING runs on Windows, and everything is compatible with it. You never really have to worry about it. I'm happy with this, since, as I age, I value being a "nerd" less and less. I don't really relish in having to dig around and tweak things. I want to click a button and have things happen. Sure, there is no glory in it, no /. cred, but I don't give a shit anymore. Life is too short to have to muck around with config files.

Re:How to make windows great for gaming

[Dishevel]

"How to make a car fly: Exit the car and enter a plane". :D

Let me get this straight. You are suggesting that people use the thing that does what they want it to do the best?

That is excellent advice!

Re:How to make windows great for gaming

[DrGamez]

Epic lulz burns #wrecked LMAOing hard IRL reblogtweetfacelike this!

Re:How to make windows great for gaming

[DrGamez]

Sounds like you've never played Just Cause 2.

No market power

[tepples]

Such a suit against Apple would likely fail because Apple lacks market power over smartphones. Microsoft has about 90 percent share of operating systems for new laptop and desktop PCs.

Xbox One. Steam box when?

[tepples]

The only keep it alive because certain PC games just don't work in a console setup yet. Steam does everything better

On the other hand, certain console games just don't work in a PC setup yet. For a fighting game or a cooperative platformer, sure you can plug four Xbox 360 controllers or HID joysticks into a USB hub, but it's hard to gather four people around one desktop or laptop monitor. Steam's Big Picture Mode is a step toward that, but Valve doesn't yet have an affordable, attractive, pre-made box designed to sit next to a TV. Come December, it'll be Xbox One, Steam box zero.

When you lack the money for both

[tepples]

You are suggesting that people use the thing that does what they want it to do the best?

That is excellent advice!

I agree, if money is no object. But a lot of people can afford either a gaming PC or a console. So they have to choose either the thing that does "console" things best or the thing that does "PC gaming" things best, not both.

Microsoft Games

[Snospar]

Microsoft did games on Windows? And people played them? And they were popular? No, thought not.

Re:I dont think they ever really wanted to until W

[Patch86]

I don't think so. Integrating is fine, as long as it's optional and non-default.

The IE bundling thing was a big deal because every Windows user had it installed prominently by default, and there was no way of removing it without breaking core functionality. If Microsoft had released a digital marketplace (like Steam), but made it not installed by default, not a dependency for any core Windows functionality, and not a requirement for playing games on an XBox, I don't think they would have had any trouble.

Whether it would have had any takers is a whole different matter, of course. Microsoft products only seem to get marketshare by using the bundle-and-dependency route; I don't think many of their efforts (XBox itself not withstanding) have managed to make a go of it on their own.

Re:How to make windows great for gaming

[Beamboom]

*rimshot* If I had some votes available I'd slap'em all on your post for "funny". :)

Re:I dont think they ever really wanted to until W

[Sockatume]

I don't just mean they operated independently, I mean they actively undermined each other's work. There's no legal impediment to the Windows and Office divisions having the same relationship as Libreoffice and Linux, but they had the kind of relationship Holmes and Moriarty had instead.