MIcrosoft Enters PC Digital Distrubtion

Looks like microsoft is finally starting to get smart.

Earlier today Microsoft announced that all Games for Windows Live features will now be made totally free, in addition to revealing an online marketplace that will launch this fall that will feature digitally distributed PC gaming content.

http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=946

Too little too late IMO. Valve has already taken the PC as its own platform and there is nothing MS can do about it. If this ends up as bad as the Xbox Live Marketplace then it'll probably be useless anyway.
If it's like XBL then we'll get dlc we need to pay for, Demos (And most likely only demos of games using GFWL, so y'know hardly any) and some trailers.

Although I must admit GFWL isn't as terrible now that gold membership is free. I would still rather use Steam for my games though.

yes but in some cases you can't say I'll use Steam over GFWL because some games only run on GFWL... so yeah.simardbrad

Hopefully they won't start basing all of their new releases on their PC Marketplace platform. The last thing I want is have 2 seperate digital distribution programs running 24/7 for whenever I switch off games.

yes but in some cases you can't say I'll use Steam over GFWL because some games only run on GFWL... so yeah.simardbrad

Unless Microsoft finds a way of locking out STEAM Community, I doubt this will be the case.

[QUOTE="simardbrad"]yes but in some cases you can't say I'll use Steam over GFWL because some games only run on GFWL... so yeah.Gammit10

Unless Microsoft finds a way of locking out STEAM Community, I doubt this will be the case.

Microsoft doesn't have to lock anyone out. It's up to Microsoft if Valve can sell Microsoft's games on Steam. Hence the part where you can't say "I'll be using Steam over GFWL" unless you will be ignoring all future Microsoft titles. And since Microsoft has the money, they'll likely get more companies on their side so you'll have to use GFWL if you plan to play certain games and then Steam for others.

Just join steam, instead of having all these different ones, unify it, microsoft are evil, evil nazi's Valve are the Allies.

[QUOTE="Gammit10"]

[QUOTE="simardbrad"]yes but in some cases you can't say I'll use Steam over GFWL because some games only run on GFWL... so yeah.GodLovesDead

Unless Microsoft finds a way of locking out STEAM Community, I doubt this will be the case.

Microsoft doesn't have to lock anyone out. It's up to Microsoft if Valve can sell Microsoft's games on Steam. Hence the part where you can't say "I'll be using Steam over GFWL" unless you will be ignoring all future Microsoft titles. And since Microsoft has the money, they'll likely get more companies on their side so you'll have to use GFWL if you plan to play certain games and then Steam for others.

Firstly, I highly doubt MS will be using this marketplace as a way to actually distribute games.

Secondly, Steam Community is usable in almost every game. MS would need to lock out Steam somehow to make sure people didn't use Steam with their games.

And saying MS will get more companies on their side is stupid, there are under 10 GFWL games at the moment so if MS was going to use money to do this they would have by now.

Just join steam, instead of having all these different ones, unify it, microsoft are evil, evil nazi's Valve are the Allies.

Kez1984

This is more comparable to the colonization of America than WWII. Valve took the PC as theirs. MS are like the natives, fighting back to try reclaim what arguabley should be theres.
:)

[QUOTE="Kez1984"]

Just join steam, instead of having all these different ones, unify it, microsoft are evil, evil nazi's Valve are the Allies.

kieranb2000

This is more comparable to the colonization of America than WWII. Valve took the PC as theirs. MS are like the natives, fighting back to try reclaim what arguabley should be theres.
:)

Quite right!

I think it's a good move. I would like to see Microsoft doing more for the PC. Personally, I don't like Steam a whole lot. I use Xfire instead. But it would be good see more of GFW in the future.

If we get XBLA games on PC, I will sacrifice my firstborn to Microsoft.

Playing Castlevania Symphony of the Night on a PC would just be.... ohhhhohh ohh yeah.

I need a tissue.

It's becoming to get a pain in the ass. I love steam because I can shortcut all my games there that arn't steam. And buy a few off their too.

BUT if MSoft bring out their own, and then theres gametap, and all these other apps. We're going to have to use like 4 different things to keep track of all our games :(.

I'm sure alot of you won't mind since you accsess all your games through desktop or start menu but currently for me I use steam to organise all my games and just keep that running all the time. Be a pain in the ass if I need to keep like 4 diff apps open.

[QUOTE="GodLovesDead"][QUOTE="Gammit10"]

[QUOTE="simardbrad"]yes but in some cases you can't say I'll use Steam over GFWL because some games only run on GFWL... so yeah.kieranb2000

Unless Microsoft finds a way of locking out STEAM Community, I doubt this will be the case.

Microsoft doesn't have to lock anyone out. It's up to Microsoft if Valve can sell Microsoft's games on Steam. Hence the part where you can't say "I'll be using Steam over GFWL" unless you will be ignoring all future Microsoft titles. And since Microsoft has the money, they'll likely get more companies on their side so you'll have to use GFWL if you plan to play certain games and then Steam for others.

Firstly, I highly doubt MS will be using this marketplace as a way to actually distribute games.

Secondly, Steam Community is usable in almost every game. MS would need to lock out Steam somehow to make sure people didn't use Steam with their games.

And saying MS will get more companies on their side is stupid, there are under 10 GFWL games at the moment so if MS was going to use money to do this they would have by now.

Well, MS is always slow to act on good ideas but they are notorious for spending the big bucks just to get a big piece of the market share.

I want to see how it does against Valve's Steam service.
Good news though, I suppose.Doom_HellKnight

Are there any games outside of Valve games that use Steam for anything but game distribution? I can't think of any. It takes too damn long to launch steam games.

Are there any games outside of Valve games that use Steam for anything but game distribution? I can't think of any. It takes too damn long to launch steam games.

chronic189

Audiosurf...

Shack: Do you see Steam as a director competitor to Games for Windows?

Kevin Unangst: I think what Steam and Valve are doing is great for the PC, and I think they've been successful so far. I think there are areas in which we believe we will offer more value, not only to gamers but to publishers. So in some areas we will compete. But overall that's what's great about Windows--publishers and consumers get to choose. So there's plenty of room for more than one system on the platform.

Interesting

I'd rather stick with Steam.thusaha

I do love Steam

I'll use it. I don't think this is a bad thing. Mircrosoft is finally getting smart

GFW definitly has it's benifits:

- A service that stretches across windows, xbox live, messanger, etc etc with a single account

- Cross platform gaming

With this change GFW is actually pretty cool. All we need now is for big titles like halo to make an appearance on the PC before everyone gets tired of it. A little more competition is never a bad thing.

Just remember...steam sucked at first too! cut m$ some slack