Games On Demand Coming To Games For Windows Live


Recommended Posts

Link

Microsoft has announced that on December 15th, Games on Demand comes to Games for Windows Live, which is a very fancy way of saying it's going to start digitally distributing PC games.

It's really the next natural step in Games for Windows Live development. The Xbox 360 Games on Demand program has been doing well enough, and services like Stardock's Impulse and Steam have already proven the viability of the digital download store model, so now we're getting Games on Demand for Games for Windows Live.

With Games on Demand, we didn't just want to create a cut-and-paste version of existing digital distribution services," said Mike Ybarra, general manager of LIVE Engagement Services. "We challenged ourselves to deliver an integrated platform that takes full advantage of the unique capabilities offered by the LIVE service. Our goal has always been to create a seamless online gaming experience for the Windows community, and Games on Demand is a great step toward that end."

From the initial announcement, the main difference between Games on Demand and something like Steam is the use of Microsoft points to purchase games along with actual cash money, but it's certainly a start. If they can keep prices competitive, they could be on to something.

Speaking of starts, the service's launch lineup will include Resident Evil 5, Red Faction: Guerrilla, and Battlestations: Pacific, along with Live-enabled versions of popular downloadable titles like World of Goo and Osmos. If those aren't enticing enough, there's also a free Live-enabled version of Tinker, the Windows Vista Ultimate Extra exclusive for those willing to download the Games for Windows Live client when the service goes live on the 15th.

You can download the Games for Windows Live client at Microsoft's official website.

Can't wait! :laugh:

I wonder how it will compare to Steams way of doing things. It's out there for Microsoft to look at but I imagine it will be terrible given GFWL track record. They could seriously do with a name change as well. How can management go into work every day and be happy with GFWL. It can't be that hard to get it right. Only excuse I can think of is Xbox being the focus but when they harp on about Windows having the biggest gaming community, use it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hate these new services coming out... keeping track of them is going to become as a big a pain in the rear as

looking for your CDs is now. I already use STEAM and bought a couple of games through D2D before they hit

STEAM. Also have a game from EA's Digital Store. Arg. I wany my ONE service to rule them all, dammit!

Or at the very least, if I purchase from one service and hate it... let me consolidate my games to a different service.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Frankly I think they'll have a hard time getting anyone to care, unless they grow their offered games impressively fast.

Microsoft doesn't have any exclusives. They don't publish PC games anymore, that I've noticed. They're a powerful force, to be sure, but their power has been focused elsewhere for so long that they'll need to prove themselves to a lot of people before anyone is interested.

We'll see. Count me a cynic for now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Frankly I think they'll have a hard time getting anyone to care, unless they grow their offered games impressively fast.

Microsoft doesn't have any exclusives. They don't publish PC games anymore, that I've noticed. They're a powerful force, to be sure, but their power has been focused elsewhere for so long that they'll need to prove themselves to a lot of people before anyone is interested.

We'll see. Count me a cynic for now.

I think ure right, it will be VERY hard for M$ to even make a dent in what Steam can offer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Frankly I think they'll have a hard time getting anyone to care, unless they grow their offered games impressively fast.

Microsoft doesn't have any exclusives. They don't publish PC games anymore, that I've noticed. They're a powerful force, to be sure, but their power has been focused elsewhere for so long that they'll need to prove themselves to a lot of people before anyone is interested.

We'll see. Count me a cynic for now.

Really now? I guess Forza, Halo, Fable, Gears of war were all published by someone else then.

http://www.microsoft.com/games/mgsgamecatalog/default.aspx

Yes they're not as big as Activision or EA, but they're do publish a decent amount of games.

Here's a more detailed list of games they've made/published/making: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Game_Studios

I think ure right, it will be VERY hard for M$ to even make a dent in what Steam can offer.

Using $ instead of S instantly gets rid of any credibility your post would have had.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I said in the stardock topic, unfortunately on a personal level I hate having multiple application front ends all running with different logins.

I'd rather publishers/developers just all went through Steam and had their own store fronts - Dream scenario though, as it requires everyone to be happy working with Valve, which is not always going to be possible.

And MS that's a fail if you still use the spacebucks on the PC, people are used to proper currency.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really now? I guess Forza, Halo, Fable, Gears of war were all published by someone else then.

Yes they're not as big as Activision or EA, but they're do publish a decent amount of games.

I said PC games. Where's Fable 2? Forza 1, 2, or 3? Gears of War 2? Halo 3, Halo Wars or ODST?

I know they publish a lot of games for the 360, but we're not talking about the 360 here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really now? I guess Forza, Halo, Fable, Gears of war were all published by someone else then.

http://www.microsoft.com/games/mgsgamecatalog/default.aspx

Yes they're not as big as Activision or EA, but they're do publish a decent amount of games.

Here's a more detailed list of games they've made/published/making: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Game_Studios

Read his post again. He said "PC games", not console games.

Anyway, I don't think Microsoft will even make a splash in the PC digital distribution market. It's dominated by Steam and Microsoft hasn't given much love to Games for Windows ?b> Live. It had so much potential to bgood i>too. I guess they paid a little too much attention to its older sibling, Xbox Live.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unless MS is going to make their stuff REALLY cheap, I don't see this being a massive hit.

+1

They are(or were) charging far too much for old games, on the Xbox Games on Demand.

People must have been really desperate to buy one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I said PC games. Where's Fable 2? Forza 1, 2, or 3? Gears of War 2? Halo 3, Halo Wars or ODST?

I know they publish a lot of games for the 360, but we're not talking about the 360 here.

What if their plan is to publish all of those as games on demand? Along with Halo 3 it will be a decently sized splash.

There hasn't been a game published for the PC by Microsoft since 2007 according to Wikipedia, if they published 2 years worth of games that haven't been available for the PC previously it would be huge.

Although, chances are we'd probably already have leaks about that if that were the case,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is absolutely no possibility of Mars crashing into Earth tomorrow, there is a slight possibility that they might start to publish those games for Windows though. There was a reason why I posted

Although, chances are we'd probably already have leaks about that if that were the case,

at the end as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, there isn't. This late in the game they'd get barely any sales, making paying a team to port the games pointless.

Hence why I said it wouldn't make any sense...I never said it was impossible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.