Windows 8 Will Be a "Real New Push Into PC Gaming"

[nipsen]

All they've done so far is sabotaged PC gaming in every way they could.

And, as their obnoxiously annoying fans point out - "it works, so more power to them".

Anyway. "PC gaming", in the sense of having the latest tech, and games built on the edge to support new things - that is something we'll never see again. It's over. Done.

 

[Woodsey]

They said the same thing about Vista, and I'm pretty sure they said it about 7.

Color me uninformed, but what exactly is all this hate towards Games for Windows Live stemming from?

To me the Games for Windows client is just a crappy digital download service, but the GFWL elements implemented in the games is actually a good thing to me.

I would LOVE to have this being part of the entire gaming environment on PC, a-la Xbox Live, rather than the way it is now (game dependant).

Am I alone on this?

*ahem*

(read in the style of that dreams song)

STEEEEEE-EEEEE-EEEAAAM, STEAM STEAM STEEEAM, STEEEEE-EEEE-EEEAAAM!

GFWL does it's best to prevent people from actually playing their games, and it tries to treats PCs like they were consoles.

 

[twm1709]

If I had a nickel every time I heard microsoft promise this crap to pc gamers whenever they launch a new product they want us to buy, and they never deliver. This is beyond insulting, by now it's almost like they're making fun of us.

 

[Mercurio128]

Color me uninformed, but what exactly is all this hate towards Games for Windows Live stemming from?

To me the Games for Windows client is just a crappy digital download service, but the GFWL elements implemented in the games is actually a good thing to me.

I would LOVE to have this being part of the entire gaming environment on PC, a-la Xbox Live, rather than the way it is now (game dependant).

Am I alone on this?

Yes, yes you are.

The only time I'm even remotely aware of GFWL is when it pops up to tell me why I can't play Dawn of War 2, or that I need to re-log in for the hundredth time.

Besides, the PC already has Steam, which is basically what GFWL wants to be. And isn't shit.

Edit: put it this way, in the time it takes GFWL to sign in properly and stop wasting my time with it's point-based purchasing system I can start up steam, buy a game in a huge sale (which apparently Microsoft are allergic to) and have it nearly downloaded.

 

[beema]

Ha! Like anyone buys that load.

Also, as someone said previously, every-other Windows OS is a complete fail. No way 8 breaks this cycle. Also, I'm not sure how you would make 3rd party games an integral part of your OS. If MS can't even release their own goddamn games on PC in a reasonable amount of time, why should anyone believe them.

 

[dochmbi]

Oh look at us how committed we are to PC gaming, at the same time we pay Remedy to kill the PC version of Alan Wake and make it Xbox 360 exclusive.

 

[Jumwa]

I think that you are mistaking Microsoft for a rational individual that acts on one long term play. If you give people control of a relatively small and unsuccessful part of the business like xbox and tell them to make it work then they are going to take this sort of decision. They almost act like a competing company inside Microsoft, some even say that Microsoft should be split up because of this sort of thing.

You're quite right in that Microsoft is not functioning as a cohesive entity on this. However, overall they've sunk a great deal of investment to hammer the Xbox to "success" at pretty much any cost. It wasn't just their games division that could allow such heavy (and until very recently) unprofitable investment. So their actions were at least tacitly approved, if by mere fact of their being allowed to continue for years.

And stacked against the very real actions and investment of their Xbox division, all Microsoft has done to help PC gaming in recent years has been to promise to "revive" PC gaming time and again. The only material act they've taken is the universally hated Games for Windows Live platform (I am not judging GFWL personally, but we can at least agree that most gamers think it a blight at least, I think).

So stacked against their very real actions against PC gaming, we have some PR talk and a buggy, disliked games platform. So yes, you are likely right in that in the depths of Microsoft's massive corporate bureaucracy there is a desire to see PC gaming do better, and to their advantage of course. However, the extent of that desire, or the weight it carries within their corporate framework, obviously pales in comparison to the desires to keep it down to benefit the Xbox.

 

[LawlessSquirrel]

Well, they love to stall don't they? No matter how many times the claim is made, nothing's been shown for it, and anything seeming like progress is poorly received and poorly implemented.

Perhaps Microsoft just isn't good at any gaming-oriented developments, and has simply become a marketing behemoth. They've done nothing to keep their word to gamers (< generalising) in years, and I doubt now/years from now will be the start of it. They're just good at milking money from people and using their brand-power, not at serving the gaming community; third-party companies aside.

Go ahead, prove me wrong, Microsoft. I could use the surprise.

 

[Thedutchjelle]

It will probably contain some DX version for better graphics that no one wants. This DX version cannot be ported by the Microsoft engineers to previous Windows versions due to multiple reasons, the biggest one being greed.

Other than that, I don't know what the hell they could do. I don't want them to pre-install community crap software or download services. Look, I'm an Apple user. I already got to deal with Apple sneaking in the iStore in iTunes, but atleast I can turn that off.

 

[crazypsyko666]

I'll tell you why I've stopped laughing about Microsoft making PC games legitimate, and it's because they still have Xbox 360 exclusives, not MICROSOFT exclusives. That would be something I could do. Why is any non-exclusive or Xbox exclusive game NOT on PC? It's just more money for the developers, regardless of cost and time. This has been proven over and over again.


So here's the deal, Microsoft, if you want to show us that PC gaming is in your best interests, start now. Not in another two years, because I'm not waiting for you.

 

[Delusibeta]

What's everyone's beef with GFWL? I've used it for Fallout 3 and haven't had any problems with it. I just use it to keep track of my achievements.

It's prone to not working. Also, the shopping interface is notoriously rubbish. Did you know that there's an Achievement Remover mod for Fallout 3?

 

[LoganN]

Valve does, though. Valve has a huge majority of the digital distrubition market when it comes to games. Estimates are in the high eighty percent. Plus, Valve's software is bundled with games, and required to be installed and used to play those games.

I don't see why they couldn't bundle their own software with their own software.

Because Steam isn't a requirement to run your PC, or play video games. Windows is. And if MS integrates a digital distribution system with their Operating System, which is used by over 90% of PC users, you can argue that that's an unfair use of their Operating System's vast marketshare to take over another market. Because how can Valve compete with a product directly integrated into the Windows operating system?

On certain games Steam IS a requirement. You can't install some games without it and an account, and you can't play them if you remove Steam later. You can install GFWL without an account, but you still can't remove it later and expect to play. Microsoft is going to have a full app store with the next version of Windows, so things will get interesting. I can't see Valve sueing them while they have the majority of the market, and I don't see their market shrinking any. So, unless Valve goes out of buisness, Microsoft will be able to impliment it by default in Windows 8, or they will just add it in a service pack all the same.

 

[Togusa09]

They've been saying they're making a push back into PC gaming for years... Failing each time... Well, except direct X, but the games for windows live initiative is going badly.

If they want to to encourage people back to PC gaming, they should try and open up the platform. Make it so the games pabe windows can interface with multiple online services like media player can, and get rid of the month it takes to deploy patches.

 

[RobfromtheGulag]

How? By making new games require windows 8 via Directx restrictions?

If their idea of 'for games & gamers' is anything like GFWL then I really wish they'd spare us the effort.

 

[feather240]

It better not be an integrated GFWL. Desura is better then it, and it wasn't even made my a real corporation.

 

[samsonguy920]

Anonymous source, hmmm? I wouldn't put too much credence into this.

They aren't going to make GFWL part of the OS are they? Please tell me they aren't.

That would be expected. No doubt they would incorporate ways to hobble or even outright restrict how Steam and other DL services would work on Win 8. But that's okay. By then Google and others will have their OS's out. Probably buggy as all belief but will still present the opportunity for Microsoft to finally commit suicide.

But while the Marketplace may be a good first step, I'm still not playing Alan Wake [http://www.amazon.com/Alan-Wake-Xbox-360/dp/B0010AYJXI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293040650&sr=8-1] with my keyboard and mouse. I have no doubt that Microsoft can have a huge impact on the state of PC gaming, but whether or not it actually will? That I'm not so sure of.

Microsoft had its chance with titles like Freelancer and Halo. The first never got continued regardless that it had plenty to build on. The second remains to be seen what they do with that without Bungie around, but I have strong doubts it will be any good. And Andy, you can use a 360 gamepad on the PC if you are too crippled for a mouse and keyboard. It's okay. PC players accept handicapped people in our world.

Spoiler: Cue flame war music while I put my troll hat on. It's a good hat, mon. +3 Stam

 

[samsonguy920]

What's everyone's beef with GFWL? I've used it for Fallout 3 and haven't had any problems with it. I just use it to keep track of my achievements.

If that is all you want it for then you must like a lot of bread on your sandwich. As in a whole loaf with only two slices of bologna.

They said the same thing about Vista, and I'm pretty sure they said it about 7.

Color me uninformed, but what exactly is all this hate towards Games for Windows Live stemming from?

To me the Games for Windows client is just a crappy digital download service, but the GFWL elements implemented in the games is actually a good thing to me.

I would LOVE to have this being part of the entire gaming environment on PC, a-la Xbox Live, rather than the way it is now (game dependant).

Am I alone on this?

*ahem*

(read in the style of that dreams song)

STEEEEEE-EEEEE-EEEAAAM, STEAM STEAM STEEEAM, STEEEEE-EEEE-EEEAAAM!

GFWL does it's best to prevent people from actually playing their games, and it tries to treat PCs like they were consoles.

You are offkey. Out of practice?
GFWL hobbles both the games I play on PC that use it, Fallout 3 and GTA4. I am not too experienced with today's consoles (read: zippitydoodah) But if how GFWL affects PC games is to let it feel how it would feel on a console, then I feel sorry for console players having to wait FOREVER to get their game loaded.