Microsoft Integrates Games For Windows Into Xbox.com
Microsoft is making another step forward killing the PC gaming: the Redmond giant announced that all the services offered byGames for Windows will migrate, then will be integrated, starting July 11, 2011, by the Xbox.com website. Thus, according to Microsoft officials, all the games offer of the company will be unified under “one roof,” in an attempt to ease the access to the Microsoft games released for both their platforms – Xbox 360 and Windows.
The rumor has it that Microsoft can’t stand up and fight anymore with the competition coming from Steam (Valve) and Origin (Electronic Arts), two services Games for Windows simply can’t cope with. So, by associating Games for Windows with a more successful service – Xbox Live – Microsoft tries to save the image of their Windows service.
The problems appeared when Microsoft decided to include the Galems for Windows – LIVE routines in their PC games, as a response to Xbox Live integration underpinning the Xbox 360 titles. So, in the first phase, theGears of War and Halo 2 PC owners had to pay a monthly fee in order to be able to play the games online, an idea Microsoft eventually abandoned. Then, in Shadowrun, using the Games for Windows – LIVE, the PC users were able to fight against Xbox 360 gamers in direct battles. This move was reconsidered, too, as the mouse’s precision was giving PC users an obvious advantage over the ones using a controller.
Least but not last, the instability of the initial version of Games for Windows – LIVE brought a bad reputation for the service (just look at the Gears of War, Juiced 2 or Grand Theft Auto IV integration), which haven’t eve helped Games for Windows Marketplace, the digital distribution services, wanted to be a rival for Steam. Last fall, Games for Windoes – LIVE received an update which was limiting your access to some areas of the game if it wasn’t activated.
Anyway, we will see how the PC users will receive the news, because we thing that Microsoft will not return over the decision.
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