Dark Souls On PC Sticks With Games for Windows Live

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
45,698
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Dark Souls On PC Sticks With Games for Windows Live


Bandai Namco is looking into other options but says the PC version of Dark Souls will continue to use Games for Windows Live for the foreseeable future.

The word on the street is that Games for Windows Live will go dark this summer [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/127001-Games-for-Windows-Live-Closing-Next-Year-Rumor], a final, merciful end to an online platform that never caught fire with gamers, largely because it was never very good. But while other publishers have taken steps to move away from GFWL, Bandai Namco says Dark Souls is hanging in there.

"With the release of Dark Souls II, many players have been asking questions about the continued support of Dark Souls I. We thoroughly appreciate the dedicated fans who are adventuring through Lordran (maybe for the first time!) and we'd like to clarify a few points:

Dark Souls will remain fully functional on GFWL for the foreseeable future.
Bandai Namco Games is currently seeking avenues to continue support and ensure the functionality of Dark Souls on other services. We will have more news and updates to share on this in the coming months."


I suppose there are two ways you can take this. You can be baffled by, and perhaps angry at, the decision to stick with Games for Windows Live; or you can take heart that the company is continuing to look into alternatives like Steamworks. If I was a cynic I might says there's a third possible reaction: Tiredly resigned to the likelihood that Bandai Namco is just stalling, in hopes that by the time Microsoft gets around to pulling the plug, nobody will care.

Fortunately, I'm not a cynic, but I do wonder why the publisher felt the need to issue a statement saying that it's going to keep doing what it's been doing all along. After all, more than two years have passed since it said it was "aware [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/116820-Dark-Souls-Publisher-May-Reconsider-Games-for-Windows-Live]" of the resistance to Dark Souls employing Games for Windows Live, and I can't believe that the demand to ditch it has grown stronger since then. On the other hand, that two-year-old statement might also provide a clue as to why Dark Souls is sticking with what doesn't work very well: Bandai Namco said at the time that it opted for GFWL because of the "ongoing partnership" it had with Microsoft through the Xbox 360 version of the game. Two years is a long time, but it's possible that those ties still bind.

Source: Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/darksouls/posts/660620424011005]


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senkus

New member
Apr 3, 2010
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Well Namco, time to get off your backside. I'm not buying a Dark Souls game until you resolve this situation.
I am itching to play it... but *I* am cynic.
 

Rad Party God

Party like it's 2010!
Feb 23, 2010
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Meh, I'll stick with the offline crack that entirely disables GFWL, thank you very much.
 

Weaver

Overcaffeinated
Apr 28, 2008
8,977
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How long are they going to "stick with it" given that GFLW shuts down in 9 weeks?
 

RealRT

New member
Feb 28, 2014
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So what we have here is an example of a good old "Fuck you" from a company to its customers.
 

VoidOfOne

New member
Aug 14, 2013
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Uggg... I was so excited to play Dark Souls on the PC when I got it, that I didn't even realize that it required GFLW to play until after I downloaded it and started it up.

Probably my most regrettable purchase ever made. Taught me an important lesson, though.
 

Olas

Hello!
Dec 24, 2011
3,226
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I don't understand, is the implication here that my copy of Dark Souls, which I'm currently playing through for the first time, will stop working soon?

I guess you can't expect GFWL to die without giving it's users one last "FUCK YOU" for old times sake.

I hope the cracked versions of this game still work with legit save files.

VoidOfOne said:
Uggg... I was so excited to play Dark Souls on the PC when I got it, that I didn't even realize that it required GFLW to play until after I downloaded it and started it up.

Probably my most regrettable purchase ever made. Taught me an important lesson, though.
What's that? It sounds like we've had pretty much the same experience. Except the only thing I feel I've learned is that the people at Microsoft are assholes, which I already knew.
 

Mahorfeus

New member
Feb 21, 2011
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To this day, I still don't understand the GFWL hate. I guess it just hasn't screwed me over like it allegedly has for other people.
 

Tiamat666

Level 80 Legendary Postlord
Dec 4, 2007
1,012
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Oh, yes! Who ever said there is no justice in the world? G4WL is dying the slow, agonizing death it deserves! Sweet retribution!
 

Tiamat666

Level 80 Legendary Postlord
Dec 4, 2007
1,012
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Mahorfeus said:
To this day, I still don't understand the GFWL hate. I guess it just hasn't screwed me over like it allegedly has for other people.
Here, Shamous was kind enough to share the pain [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/columns/experienced-points/8365-Games-for-Windows-FAIL]. Matches my experience(s) with G4WL almost to the letter.
 

Tigurus

New member
Apr 14, 2009
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Mahorfeus said:
To this day, I still don't understand the GFWL hate. I guess it just hasn't screwed me over like it allegedly has for other people.
I never had a problem if it was only GFWL but that in combination with another DRM like Steam is really a pain in the buttocks.
I had that combo with Dawn of War 2, it was nearly impossible for me to play with friends online.
 

gigastar

Insert one-liner here.
Sep 13, 2010
4,419
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Sgt. Sykes said:
It's gonna be fun when Steam goes offline one day.
By the time that happens, the only games people would care about would be Dota 2, TF2, Garrys Mod and the latest Counterstrike.
 

evilnancyreagan

New member
May 1, 2014
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Rainbow_Dashtruction said:
You can play Dark Souls 1 forever, regardless if the DRM service don't work. Hell, I forgot the information I used to buy Dark Souls 1 and cant log into that account. I play it anyway. Because its a DRM service that basically goes "Oh...would you please...I mean...please...ah...oh you don't wanna bother...that's alright then, I'm going to go cry"
Ha!

The Deities of Procrastination are appeased!
 

RicoADF

Welcome back Commander
Jun 2, 2009
3,147
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gigastar said:
By the time that happens, the only games people would care about would be Dota 2, TF2, Garrys Mod and the latest Counterstrike.
I'd hate to break this to you and you might need to sit down at this revelation but...... some of us like to play older games in our collection from time to time. It's like going back and watching a good film a few years later. Heck Command and Conquer (almost 20 years old) is often found playing on my system. I've also kept all my games and put PS1/2 games in from time to time when the mood strikes. Games are art, and like all art they don't just magically lose their revelance when a shiner one comes along (even MP games like Quake and Unreal Tournament).
 

yamy

Slayer of Hot Dogs
Aug 2, 2010
225
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Rainbow_Dashtruction said:
evilnancyreagan said:
crap.

Well, I guess I should finally play this game while I can.
You can play Dark Souls 1 forever, regardless if the DRM service don't work. Hell, I forgot the information I used to buy Dark Souls 1 and cant log into that account. I play it anyway. Because its a DRM service that basically goes "Oh...would you please...I mean...please...ah...oh you don't wanna bother...that's alright then, I'm going to go cry"
You can play the game after GfWL goes offline. However you won't be able to use any of the online content, such as summoning and invading other players.
 

KungFuJazzHands

New member
Mar 31, 2013
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I should really use this as an excuse for a refund attempt. I've never liked the PC port of Dark Souls from a technical standpoint, and honestly the gameplay isn't my thing either. It was just an ugly experience overall for me.

On the bright side, at least this news confirms that I'll know not to buy another title from Namco again. They pulled a stupid and went with a service that was known to be on creaky foundations at the time they made the deal, and they should man up and fix it ASAP. Until they do just that, they can buzz off from my platform of choice and continue pimping their cruddy products to the console crowd.