MS: "Windows still a first-class gaming platform"

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 28th January 2009
Comments (29) Stumble
MS: "Windows still a first-class gaming platform"

Microsoft may not have got Games for Windows Live right yet, but is still standing by PC gaming.

Although Microsoft has made some rather substantial cut-backs in their gaming divisions, terminating the entire Flight Simulator studio in the process, the company says that it still believes that Windows is a first-class gaming platform.

The comments come at the same time as Microsoft appoints a new general manager for the controversial Games for Windows Live division which has been met with scorn from many gamers. Chris Early is apparently being replaced with Ron Pessner, who is being taken from Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices division, according to Kotaku.

“Moving ahead, Microsoft will continue to invest in Windows as a first–class gaming platform through great Windows out of box experiences, our online gaming services including Games for Windows – LIVE, MSN Games, and Messenger games, and through new games for Windows developed by Microsoft Games Studios," an MS spokesperson said in a statement.

"Our Windows gaming service efforts will be led by General Manager Ron Pessner, who is joining Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business. He comes from within Microsoft’s Entertainment & Devices Division."

While Microsoft has refused to comment on further personnel changes, it is rumoured that there will be further high-level lay-offs as the company tries to consolidate some management positions.

Games for Windows Live has faced some pretty fierce criticism from gamers, especially when it comes to GTA IV on the PC, which uses multiple logon systems.

Have you had any troubles with Games for Windows Live? What do you think of the PC as a gaming platform? Let us know in the forums.
Quote Gunsmith 28th January 2009, 10:15
games for windows live:
Quote:
enjoy our poorly design interface that gets in your face with big chunky kiddy friendly graphics and with about as much functionality as a 2 legged chair, you too can fight the good fight like your xbox bretherin.

world:
Quote:
but we dont want that.

Steam <interrupting>
Quote:
oh harro! :D
Quote Blademrk 28th January 2009, 10:15
tbh, I still haven't used GFWL (although I've left my PC on to download the beta for DOW2 while I'm in work).

I still think it would have been better to have integrated Live into MS Messenger, so that you can see which of your friends are playing on 360 or PC (GFWL) without having to have a game running on the PC.
Quote clx 28th January 2009, 10:19
GGAAHH give up Microsoft! Steam has this one covered!

DoW2 is my latest exposure to GfWL, and i can put up with all the game bugs at the moment, but i CANT stand GfWL.
I wish there was some way to get a response from the Devs regarding their decision to use GfWL instead of steam... :(
Quote Tim S 28th January 2009, 10:40
GFWL - Games For Windows = Lose? :o
Quote Hamish 28th January 2009, 10:44
having used GFW properly for the first time in the dow2 beta its not as bad as i expected
however its just not in the same class as steam

i've mostly been using steam to co-ordinate games, then getting on TS for comms and only actually using GFW to join the same game :\
Quote Paradigm Shifter 28th January 2009, 11:26
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim S
GFWL - Games For Windows = Lose? :o

That about sums it up, yes.

What little experience I've had of GfW(L) has been sufficiently negative to make me dislike the idea entirely. I realise that the XBox Live service had teething troubles at the start and is now rather decent... but once bitten, twice shy. Particularly on a platform which already has diversity and competent competition available - a console is a closed system so there isn't much choice... Live or nothing, sort of thing.
Quote Mankz 28th January 2009, 11:31
Windows Live was what ruined GTA:IV for me. I've got a disk, I've registerd the game, beaten it, but still can't save my f'ing game when I'm on the school network.
Quote Zut 28th January 2009, 11:32
I've never been a big fan of steam, but even I prefer it to frickin GFWL.

Having a common patch downloading interface is a good idea, but with the restrictions they put on games with GFWL and the clunky broken interface even that minimal benefit is cancelled out.
Quote Psytek 28th January 2009, 11:56
I'm an avid PC gamer, and I've never even experienced GFWL. I think to most people its just a bunch of words written on the game box.
Quote UncertainGod 28th January 2009, 12:01
GFWL is what has ruined GTA VI and what is doing it's damnedest to stop me playing DoW 2.
Quote phuzz 28th January 2009, 12:19
MS: "Windows still a first-class gaming platform"
Yes, provided you don't use GFWL it is...
Quote bowman 28th January 2009, 12:39
Quote:
Originally Posted by Psytek
I'm an avid PC gamer, and I've never even experienced GFWL. I think to most people its just a bunch of words written on the game box.

You mean GFW. GFWL is Microsoft's online 'service', and it sucks just about as much as.. all their other services.

By now I'm pretty much convinced that they're shitting up all the A-rate PC games on purpose just to get people to buy their console instead.
Quote UrbanMarine 28th January 2009, 12:47
GFWL is a console feature not a PC game feature. Real PC gamers don't need all this side crap. There is VOIP, IMs, Steam etc. Keep you speciality to consoles stay out of the PC world please.

I'm starting to think Microsoft hired EA staff members into their ranks.
Quote chrisb2e9 28th January 2009, 13:13
wait, no more flight sims? crap.
Quote Volund 28th January 2009, 13:17
Quote:
Originally Posted by UrbanMarine
I'm starting to think Microsoft hired EA staff members into their ranks.

rofl

I honestly never even thought about using this system
Quote wuyanxu 28th January 2009, 13:21
GTA4's GFWL is so crap, i've decided to cancel DoW2 preroder JUST because it uses GFWL.

i will go as far as say i will NEVER buy any game with GFWL implemented. i cannot share savedgames for Fallout3 or GTA4, it put me right off.

only solution for GTA4 is to get a specificity made xlive wrapper, but it's not available for every game. :(
Quote naokaji 28th January 2009, 13:59
GFWL is just annoying, it doesnt serve any purpose, increases the amount of crap on your pc and increases the amount of logins.

Simply put, it does nothing to increase the success of games.

It is not necessary, it is bloated, it is pointless.
Quote azrael- 28th January 2009, 14:15
Stop talking up Steam too much! If Microsoft gets a whiff of it, it'll end up buying VALVe. And we don't really want that, do we...? :)
Quote wafflesomd 28th January 2009, 14:44
Microsoft, just use steam.
Quote yazooo 28th January 2009, 14:58
wow....while I understand it to be immensely popular to dis MS at every turn, but to all the people who say use Steam...do you guys actually remember what it was like when it first was released, and how the community were not greeting it with open arms? I remember, using it from the first day, when the simplest of features didn't work, or were absent as they had to be removed because they were buggy...Now for GFWL, ok probably don't need it, but at least understand it is also in its infancy, and at least they are not ignoring the PC side of things.
Quote UrbanMarine 28th January 2009, 15:16
I hated Steam with a passion the first few years.

There are too many forms of communication for PC gaming and forcing any of them into a game is annoying. ex. DOW2 why the hell do i need 4 forms of ingame communication? Steam, Chat, GFWL and built it VOIP.

I also hate installs now: I just want to install the damn game, no i don't want to register, no i don't need AGEIA, no i don't need a communicator (I forget the name of it), my damn Direct X is up to date and no i don't need to install it.
Quote BlackDiamond 28th January 2009, 15:36
I didn't want to get it but I HAD to install GFWL last night to get the Fallout 3: Operation Anchorage DLC. What a piece of cr*p!
I had to reboot 3 times just to get the client installed, and the integration with Fallout 3 is just plain bad.
It was also the first time I had to use the Microsoft point system for buying the DLC and I find it simply annoying. Why do I have to buy more points than what I need?
I work as a developer and I have the outmost respect for Microsoft in regards of their development tools and their vision for enterprise products, but IMHO they do not understand the consumer market.
Quote stoff3r 28th January 2009, 17:08
I read this news-topic as:

Microsoft: Despite our efforts, people can still play games on Windows.
Quote cyrilthefish 28th January 2009, 17:15
Quote:
Originally Posted by UncertainGod
GFWL is what has ruined GTA VI and what is doing it's damnedest to stop me playing DoW 2.
IMHO it's the rockstar social club that broke GTA4, not GFWL.

i actually quite like the GFWL on the PC, even if i mainly only use it to check my xbox online friends list while playing fallout 3

If they can only sort out that 'mouse clicks are registered 20-30 pixels above the mouse cursor' silly interface bug, it'd be okay
Quote Idryss 28th January 2009, 22:35
Unfortunately GFWL is still only half baked. There is just nothing there. It has the potential to be one awesome platform if M$ would just LEARN from what others are doing that works, listen to gamers for what they want AND stop bloating each and every install with everything except the kitchen sink!

Games need to STOP being bundled with shite. No, every game should NOT install DX9! Every game should NOT try and install other crapware! GFWL should be trying to lead the way, but, well.... I open up the GFWL - Marketplace and it has 9 items..... 5 games but 9 items only. Wtf?
Quote [USRF]Obiwan 29th January 2009, 06:05
I don't want to go live, I want to play a game alone on my own not being disturbed by some kiddo ruining my one hour of evening relaxation.
Quote [USRF]Obiwan 29th January 2009, 06:08
Quote:
Originally Posted by cyrilthefish
[

If they can only sort out that 'mouse clicks are registered 20-30 pixels above the mouse cursor' silly interface bug, it'd be okay

<sarcastic>
Thats probably a console port left over, because with a joypad it's such a joy trying to touch a 1pixel zone.
</sarcastic>

Mice rule....
Quote notatoad 29th January 2009, 06:20
they're absolutely right, windows is a first-class gaming platform. windows the operating system that is, not the steaming pile of turd that is all the other stuff they try to stuff on top of windows.
Quote notatoad 29th January 2009, 06:23
Quote:
Originally Posted by yazooo
wow....while I understand it to be immensely popular to dis MS at every turn, but to all the people who say use Steam...do you guys actually remember what it was like when it first was released, and how the community were not greeting it with open arms? I remember, using it from the first day, when the simplest of features didn't work, or were absent as they had to be removed because they were buggy...Now for GFWL, ok probably don't need it, but at least understand it is also in its infancy, and at least they are not ignoring the PC side of things.

the difference is that when steam was in its infancy it wasn't competing with a fully functional service. if there was no steam, i would be willing to give G4WL a chance. but when there is such an excellent alternative, microsofts fumbles are inexcusable.
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