Games for Windows – Live — BrandWiki

Games for Windows – Live

Overview

developer	Microsoft
released	Games for Windows – Live: May 29, 2007 Games on Demand: December 15, 2009
version	3.5.95.0
update	February 20, 2014
operating system	Windows XP and above
platform	Microsoft Windows
status	Digital distribution store closed; online services still available
type	Content delivery Digital rights management (DRM) Cross-platform play Social networking
website	www.gfwl.com

Games for Windows – Live or GFWL[1] is a deprecated online gaming service used by Games for Windows–branded PC titles that originally enabled Windows PCs to connect to Microsoft's Live service. Users, each with a unique Gamertag (the Microsoft username service for gaming that began on Xbox Live), were able to play online, keep track of their friends' status, send and receive messages, gain and keep track of Achievements and associated Gamerscore, voice chat across platforms (removed in 2010), and more. Some games allowed for cross-platform play, such as Shadowrun, pitting Windows players against Xbox 360 players. The successor to Games for Windows – Live is the Xbox network,[2] which allows players on a PC to use online functionality and play various Xbox games without having a console.

History

Development

On March 14, 2007, Microsoft announced Games for Windows – Live through a press release on their website. The service intended to connect Games for Windows with existing Xbox Live features, including gamertags, achievements, and friend lists. GFWL would also provide new features, including cross-platform play between Windows Vista and Xbox 360 players. It was set to release on May 8, 2007, alongside its first game, Halo 2 for Windows Vista. The first game to utilize GFWL cross-platform play, Shadowrun, was set to release in June 2007.[3]

On May 29, 2007, Games for Windows – Live officially released, alongside its first title, Shadowrun.[4] Halo 2 for Windows Vista, which was intended to be the first GFWL game,[3] was released on June 8, 2007, after significant delays.[5] The game supports all the standard Live features (such as achievements, voice chat, messages, etc.), but does not offer cross-platform play with Xbox players.

Initially, Games for Windows – Live launched with its multiplayer features locked behind an Xbox LIVE Gold subscription, priced at $49.95. In 2008, Microsoft removed the paid tier from GFWL, making all Xbox Live multiplayer services free on PC.[6]

The service was open to third-party developers, but they had to meet certain Technical Certification Requirements (TCRs), which included (but were not limited to): game ratings, total number of Gamerscore points, content, game profiles, and Live connectivity. Games for Windows – Live games also had to meet standard Games for Windows (games that do not have Live support) TCRs. The same developer support infrastructure as the Xbox 360 was also available. Assistance to developers was provided through the Microsoft XNA Developer Connection.[7]

Sega, Eidos, and THQ signed on to include Games for Windows – Live in their upcoming games. Epic Games also included this service in their game engine Unreal Engine 3.[8] Universe at War: Earth Assault from Sega and Lost Planet: Colonies Edition from Capcom include cross-platform play between Xbox 360 and Windows over Live.

On July 22, 2008, Microsoft's Chris Satchell, CTO of the company's Entertainment devices division, announced that Games For Windows – Live would be free to developers. Previously, select publishers and developers used the system and had to pay for it. Additionally, all Games For Windows – Live features became free for gamers, such as matchmaking and cross-platform play. Satchell added that the move was a "way to improve Windows gaming".[9]

Microsoft reduced the technical requirements for developers looking to utilize Live such as removing playlist servers, and allowing studios to use the Microsoft matchmaking servers instead. The new Marketplace was made available for Games for Windows – Live on December 5, 2008. Microsoft also released the newly designed User Interface, on November 12, 2008.[10]

On January 7, 2010, it was announced at CES that the upcoming Xbox Game Room would be made available on both the Xbox Live and Games for Windows Live services.[11] However, games purchased with 240 Microsoft Points will only be playable on one of the platforms; either Xbox 360 or PC. A dual-platform license will cost 400 Microsoft Points.[12] As the Game Room was available to Gold and Silver Xbox members, the service was free to use on Games for Windows Live. Arcade games will feature achievements and online leaderboards.[13]

Microsoft revealed on May 21, 2010, that Fable III would be released on Windows as well as the Xbox 360, and would feature Games for Windows – Live. The downloadable version will be a Games on Demand exclusive.[14]

On August 17, 2010, Microsoft unveiled two new games at Gamescom 2010 that used Games for Windows – LIVE, Age of Empires Online and Microsoft Flight. Age of Empires was free-to-play through LIVE.[15] On September 24, 2010, Microsoft Game Studios' general manager Dave Luehmann said in an interview the studio's renewed focus will start with three big titles—Fable III, Age of Empires Online and Microsoft Flight—which will use Games for Windows – LIVE. Luehmann reassured PC gamers that more big titles were on the way, however the studio plans to test new ideas.

On September 13, 2011, Major Nelson confirmed what Microsoft is bringing Xbox Live to Windows 8, being called Xbox Live on Windows.[16]

Deprecation

On March 26, 2012, Microsoft Studios announced the arrival of Age of Empires Online on Steam.[17] Age of Empires Online was released on Steam on March 27, 2012. On April 3, 2012, Microsoft Flight was released on Steam.[18] Microsoft Studios release Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet on April 17, 2012, and Toy Soldiers on April 27, 2012, in Games for Windows – LIVE. On April 17, 2012, Microsoft said that they continued to support the Games for Windows platform, to the rumors of the discontinuation of Games for Windows – LIVE in favor of Xbox Live on Windows.[19] On April 13, 2012, Microsoft Studios release Iron Brigade, and is the first Microsoft Studios title available only on Steam.

On August 31, 2012, Gotham City Impostors became free-to-play and dropped Games for Windows – LIVE in favor of Steamworks. On October 10, 2012, the Steam version of Toy Soldiers was updated to fully use Steamworks, although it still gives the option to use the original service.[20] On October 16, 2012, Mark of the Ninja was the first title of Microsoft Studios to use Steamworks exclusively, instead of GfWL. On October 25, 2012, Deadlight became the second title of Microsoft Studios to use Steamworks exclusively.[21] On November 28, 2012, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon became the first (and only) retail Games for Windows – LIVE title announced for 2013.[22]

On January 31, 2013, Microsoft Studios said that they "have nothing to share on the future of Games for Windows Live".[23] On March 7, 2013, Microsoft Studios announced Age of Empires II: HD Edition + The Conquerors would be released exclusively on Steam.[24] On April 3, 2013, Ms. Splosion Man was released by Microsoft Studios on both platforms. On August 9, 2013, Microsoft announced the removal of one of the most criticized limitations for the LIVE platform, the inability of simultaneously logging in on both the Xbox One and Games for Windows LIVE.[25]

On August 16, 2013, Microsoft announced that the Xbox.com PC Marketplace was going to be closed on August 22, 2013, alongside the Xbox 360 update that retired Microsoft Points in favour of local currency purchases. The service would otherwise continue to operate normally.[26]

In August 2013, a since-deleted support article for Age of Empires Online announced that the Games for Windows – Live service would be discontinued on July 1, 2014.[27] Microsoft issued a statement in June 2014 denying they were closing Games for Windows Live, stating "We remain committed to investing in PC gaming in the years ahead, and look forward to sharing more in the future".[28][29][30] After the initial August 2013 support article, some game publishers announced that they would be removing GFWL from their games, but in most cases this did not happen until several years later or at all.[31][32][33]

In 2020, Microsoft removed the Games for Windows – Live client download page and the Windows Live Sign-in Assistant was removed from their servers, and therefore the Games for Windows – Live online installer fails to install. It became only possible to install via the offline installer since then.

From 2022, users are unable to login to Games for Windows – Live through the Games for Windows Marketplace client.[34] The in-game overlay, however, still works fully on all games already owned either digitally or retail, with long login times ranging from 1 to 5 minutes.

Features

Some features of the service include the following:

Achievements earned during gameplay
Gamerscores amounting the total of a user's achievement points
Reputation voted by other users preferring or avoiding the user. Rep defaults to five stars over time after the user has been preferred by at least one other user
Friends list displaying the user's chosen friends of up to 100
Recent players list displaying the last 50 players the user has met
Complaint system allowing users to file reports of other users that have broken Live Terms of Use
Games for Windows Marketplace offered Games on Demand, downloadable content, music and movies until its closure in 2013
Public and private chat via Voice and text. The voice feature worked between Xbox 360 and Windows until 2010, when Microsoft updated the voice codec for Xbox Live. Games, such as Shadowrun,[35] now only support the text portion of this feature
Multiplayer gameplay via Games for Windows – Live
Matchmaking depending on the user's cumulative gamerscore, rep, location, language and gamer zone
Family settings controlling younger users' exposure to other users
Game Room virtual arcade space offering a library of classic retro games
Cross-platform gameplay with Xbox 360

Gamertag

A Gamertag is the universal name for a player's username on Games for Windows – Live, as well as Xbox Live, Zune, and XNA Creators Club. A Gamertag used online must be unique and can be up to 15 characters in length, including numbers, letters, and spaces.

A player's Gamertag account status can be checked using a variety of online tools, which is useful especially when looking for a new Gamertag, or confirming that a Gamertag exists. Using a valid Gamertag, any player can be located and messaged from within Live. There are also several websites which allow users of Gamertags to upload photos and information about themselves.

Gamerscore

The Gamerscore (G) is an achievements system that measures the number of achievement points accumulated by a user with a Live profile. These Achievement points are awarded for the completion of game-specific challenges, such as beating a level or amassing a specified number of wins against other players in online matches.

All regular disc-based games must have 1,000 Gamerscore points in the base game; the title can ship with fewer than 1,000 points, but anything added later must be free. Game developers also have the option of adding up to 250 points via downloadable content every three months after the first year of release (for a total of 1,750 points).

On May 26, 2007, Halo 2 was the first Games for Windows – Live title to feature Achievements, which counted towards a player's Gamerscore.

Digital distribution

Marketplace

The Games for Windows Marketplace client was officially released on December 4, 2009. It initially launched with demos and trailers of games available on the Live service.[37] Full titles were later added in the form of Games on Demand.

With version 3.0 of the Games for Windows – Live service, an in-game marketplace was included; in addition to new account management tools, such as the ability to change a Gamertag for 800 Microsoft Points.[38] The in-game marketplace enables users to purchase DLC without exiting, as it installs the content directly from within the game.[7]

Games on Demand

On December 15, 2009, Microsoft launched Games on Demand, a digital distribution service offering titles such as Resident Evil 5 and Battlestations: Pacific. Also available were arcade games such as a free version of Microsoft Tinker, a former exclusive to Windows Vista Ultimate, as well as World of Goo and Osmos.[39][40][41][42]

Some titles bought on Games on Demand include Server Side Authentication. This is a Games for Windows – Live 3.0 feature that automatically ties the game to a Windows Live ID and the Gamertag associated to it. These games have no activation limits and can be re-installed multiple times. The majority of the other titles on the service use a SecuROM DRM that lets the user activate the game up to five times each month on any hardware.[43]

On June 8, 2010, some games which were previously not Games for Windows titles were added for download. Microsoft had claimed that new titles would be added every week and that there would be over 100 games by the end of 2010.[44]

On October 22, 2010, Microsoft announced a revamp of Games On Demand under the "Games for Windows Marketplace" branding.[45][46] However, this was met with low expectations from reviewers, considering the history of Games for Windows Live on PC.[41][45][47] On July 22, 2011, less than a year after the revamp, Microsoft announced that it would merge the Games for Windows Marketplace into the Xbox website.

Store discontinuation

On July 22, 2011, Microsoft announced that they would be scrapping the newly revamped Games for Windows Marketplace website and merged the content with the Xbox website.[48] The Games for Windows Marketplace client, which was another way for users to purchase games, was also reduced to simply opening up the Windows section of Xbox.com. On August 15, 2013, Microsoft announced that the marketplace would be closed on August 22 of the same year.[49][50][51]

The Marketplace became non-functional in 2018 with purchased games no longer displaying and instead presenting an error saying "There was an error retrieving your purchase history. Please sign out and try again later" despite existing purchases being supposed to still be available to download.[52]

The Games for Windows Marketplace client stopped logging in entirely in 2022 due to TLS

Games for Windows – Live

History

Development

Deprecation

Features

Gamertag

Gamerscore

In-game client

Digital distribution

Marketplace

Games on Demand

Store discontinuation

Availability

Controversies

See also

References

Gamercard

TrueSkill