dumpy wrote on Aug 16, 2013, 09:49:
The most idiotic financial move of the decade? I recognise that GFWL sucks and I'm happy they're making moves to contain it, but the ramifications of this decision seem inconceivable.

If sales are low enough then the costs of maintaining the platform make it economically sound to shut it down. Given how despised GFWL is it seems like the only correct move to me. There's no way its even remotely close to the idiotic financial move of the decade, there are far bigger blunders in MS's history like Surface RT and Vista.

NegaDeath wrote on Aug 15, 2013, 22:42:
There's some evidence GFWL is being patched out of Bioshock 2 and Arkham City. I doubt all publishers will go back and patch it out but its a potentially good sign.

I bought Arkham City and never played it for this very reason. After buying an SSD and re installing Windows, I was unable to use my old save game from Arkham Asylum (steam version with GFWL) even though I backed up all my local saves.

Upon further research it appears that GFWL inexplicably links all save data to your current setup. Even if you re install on the exact same hardware, all your progress is gone.

I hated having to log into GFWL, I hated having 5 accounts because I could never remember my hotmail passwords and getting locked out. I hated the constant updates that changed nothing and gave obscure error messages. But I put up with it to play some good games. Corrupting my save games for no good reason was the straw that broke the camels back. I can't wait for the company as a whole to go under and let smarter, customer friendly companies fill the void.

Microsoft offers nothing compelling anymore, they simply have the market share to outlast their better competition.


If you would like to communicate with me on Xbox Live you can find me at IHATEINEEDTHISACCOUNT@live.com... Seriously.

"Games for Windows Live titles published by Microsoft are no longer available for purchase from any marketplace"

The most idiotic financial move of the decade? I recognise that GFWL sucks and I'm happy they're making moves to contain it, but the ramifications of this decision seem inconceivable.

Verno wrote on Aug 16, 2013, 08:32:
Microsoft marginalizing its own platform for the sake of Ballmers living room dream is beyond absurdity.

To be fair ... this is the old dream of Bill Gates. Ballmer just follows it, simply because he has no better idea.

Prez wrote on Aug 16, 2013, 05:47:
The whole service needs to die, not just the store. It is abysmal and MS never gave enough of a damn about the PC to even attempt to make it useable or worthwhile.

Preach it brother. Microsoft marginalizing its own platform for the sake of Ballmers living room dream is beyond absurdity. You would think the billion dollar DD market on the PC would have convinced them but no, they are too stupid. Xbox is a total failure by comparison, barely profitable and it doesn't enjoy anywhere near the margins MS shareholders expect.

The whole service needs to die, not just the store. It is abysmal and MS never gave enough of a damn about the PC to even attempt to make it useable or worthwhile.

http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/PC/Games

5 days left for GFWL Marketplace, GFWL service on life support.

Cult of Steam celebrates!

GTA IV actually runs faster when you run it with xliveless.

nin wrote on Aug 15, 2013, 20:43:
Keep in mind, it's only the store. So what does that mean for people (schmucks) who bought DLC through it?

Nothing changes there. They will still be able to access their purchases and DLC. MS just isn't selling games anymore.

jacobvandy wrote on Aug 15, 2013, 22:16:
So what are the games that won't be available any longer? Just browsing through that store, seems everything is on Steam anyway.

BUT, before you celebrate too much, this doesn't mean GFWL as an online service and DRM scheme is going away... It's just the store, which nobody used. Even the desktop client will still be around so that people can access stuff they already have, just without an option to buy anything new. So this is the exact same situation as a few years back, before they launched the marketplace portion.

There's some evidence GFWL is being patched out of Bioshock 2 and Arkham City. I doubt all publishers will go back and patch it out but its a potentially good sign.

So what are the games that won't be available any longer? Just browsing through that store, seems everything is on Steam anyway.

BUT, before you celebrate too much, this doesn't mean GFWL as an online service and DRM scheme is going away... It's just the store, which nobody used. Even the desktop client will still be around so that people can access stuff they already have, just without an option to buy anything new. So this is the exact same situation as a few years back, before they launched the marketplace portion.

Bye bye, never come back!

Oh noes! Anyone else so sad to hear this news?

*crickets*

Does anyone have a wooden stake? It never hurts to be sure about these things...

Good, it can stop fucking up our games now.

No surprise. Ask an MS rep what a PC is and they'll think its an Xbox dev kit.

Yawn....I honestly didn't even know it was still around.

We told them it sucked, they said we were wrong. Ohh I see we were right. I don't know why they fight it and just could see and except it and fix it.

Keep in mind, it's only the store. So what does that mean for people (schmucks) who bought DLC through it?

Whatisnuts from Valve made a huge mistake going to MS.

HUGE!!!