Author Topic: Games For Windows Live Multiplayer Goes Free (Read 11704 times)

MCD · « **on:** July 22, 2008, 01:53:12 PM »

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3168931

Quote

At the Gamefest 2008 event on Tuesday, Microsoft announced that all Games for Windows Live multiplayer features are now free. These features -- including multiplayer achievements, matchmaking, cross-platform play with the Xbox 360, GFW voice chat, and more -- previously required a GFW Live Gold account. The change is effective immediately and across all GFW titles, both past and future.

In addition to making Games for Windows Live free, Microsoft will also be creating a brand new GFW marketplace this fall to rival the marketplace found on the Xbox 360. As with the Xbox Live Marketplace, GFW's will offer demos, videos, downloadable content, and more. The GFW interface will also receive some tech-friendly changes, lowering requirements for developers looking to make their games GFW compatible.

To cap off the news, two new games were revealed to be receiving the Games for Windows branding: Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II and Battlestations: Pacific. So PC gamers finally get the totally free service they've been asking for since Games for Windows launched, but is it too little, too late to save Microsoft's attempt at a PC gaming service? And will this make 360 owners question why they have to pay?

Mupepe · « **Reply #1 on:** July 22, 2008, 01:55:01 PM »

But MS is evil?

MCD · « **Reply #2 on:** July 22, 2008, 01:56:16 PM »

this is all part of the divine plan.

Bocsius · « **Reply #3 on:** July 22, 2008, 01:57:22 PM »

Quote from: Mupepe on July 22, 2008, 01:55:01 PM

But MS is evil?

GFW Live is floundering.

Quote from: Borys on July 22, 2008, 01:56:30 PM

$50/ year vs $0/ year

If only 360 owners weren't so stupid. I admit to being part of the problem from 2003-2006, though.

Mupepe · « **Reply #4 on:** July 22, 2008, 01:59:39 PM »

Quote from: Bocsius on July 22, 2008, 01:57:22 PM

Quote from: Mupepe on July 22, 2008, 01:55:01 PM
But MS is evil?

PC gaming is floundering.

true

Bocsius · « **Reply #5 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:00:23 PM »

Pretty much.

JustinP · « **Reply #6 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:05:34 PM »

their shitty pay service turned into a shitty free service.

steam is still the future

and you xtards still throw too much money at them to access your multiplayer modes for them to consider making xbox online free

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #7 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:13:17 PM »

Shouldn't you be Folding?

patrickula · « **Reply #8 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:27:54 PM »

Quote from: JustinP on July 22, 2008, 02:05:34 PM

and you xtards still throw too much money at them to access your multiplayer modes for them to consider making it free

I was maybe gonna stop paying... but then they had to whip out this Netflix thing and $:-\$

y2kev · « **Reply #9 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:28:48 PM »

Netflix is gold only? I thought you could have silver and a netflix account.

patrickula · « **Reply #10 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:31:51 PM »

Yup.

Quote

This movie-watching innovation will be available to Xbox LIVE® Gold members who are also Netflix subscribers, and will let those users enjoy streaming movies from Netflix on Xbox LIVE at no additional cost.

At least it's a decent reason to keep paying for live $:-\$

demi · « **Reply #11 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:32:45 PM »

"Microsoft then announced games for the PC"

just kidding

Draft · « **Reply #12 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:35:56 PM »

Uh oh.

Xfags furious that all the features of their precious Live are now free on the superior PC platform.

Sfags furious that PC gaming now has ANOTHER free online service that simply decimates the barebones and user unfriendly PSN.

Wii users ambivalent.

PC gaming wins again.

Mupepe · « **Reply #13 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:39:51 PM »

Quote from: JustinP on July 22, 2008, 02:05:34 PM

their shitty pay service turned into a shitty free service.

steam is still the future

and you xtards still throw too much money at them to access your multiplayer modes for them to consider making it free

as long as the competition is still inferior (psn), then I don't mind paying

Brehvolution · « **Reply #14 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:41:46 PM »

I just always found it insulting that GFW expected people to pay $50 to play Halo against other people on the PC.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:42:14 PM »

Good riddance, now maybe I can play Gears of War online again.

cool breeze · « **Reply #16 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:43:56 PM »

Cool that they are making it free, but Steam still fucks them in every hole they have.

Quote from: Zero Hero on July 22, 2008, 02:41:46 PM

I just always found it insulting that GFW expected people to pay $50 to play Halo against other people on the PC.

I thought online play was free, but to have features like friends list and the such cost money.

MCD · « **Reply #17 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:45:55 PM »

they are also changing the ui, guess they will use the new 360 one.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #18 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:46:50 PM »

Quote from: Zero Hero on July 22, 2008, 02:41:46 PM

I just always found it insulting that GFW expected people to pay $50 to play Halo against other people on the PC.

But this was never the case

Brehvolution · « **Reply #19 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:48:04 PM »

Maybe it was Halo 2 that only worked on Vista.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #20 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:50:02 PM »

You'd better watch out Zero Hero, dfyb is going to tear you up for that misconception.

Rman · « **Reply #21 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:51:29 PM »

Quote from: y2kev on July 22, 2008, 02:28:48 PM

Netflix is gold only? I thought you could have silver and a netflix account.

That's wack. I also thought silver member get netflix streaming if they had netflix accounts.

Brehvolution · « **Reply #22 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:54:22 PM »

Quote from: AdmiralViscen on July 22, 2008, 02:50:02 PM

You'd better watch out Zero Hero, dfyb is going to tear you up for that misconception.

THe title is GFW goes free, so are you saying there wasn't a fee?

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #23 on:** July 22, 2008, 02:55:29 PM »

Can you fucking read?

At the Gamefest 2008 event on Tuesday, Microsoft announced that all Games for Windows Live multiplayer features are now free. These features -- including multiplayer achievements, matchmaking, cross-platform play with the Xbox 360, GFW voice chat, and more -- previously required a GFW Live Gold account. The change is effective immediately and across all GFW titles, both past and future.

Brehvolution · « **Reply #24 on:** July 22, 2008, 03:02:53 PM »

Oh the FEATURES are now free. That makes it even more hilarious to me.

Jansen · « **Reply #25 on:** July 22, 2008, 03:08:20 PM »

my xbl money is getting me awesome features not found on the pathetic excuse of a service called psn. so i don't mind payin.

just think, if mgo was on xbl it wouldn't be a complete disaster.

JustinP · « **Reply #26 on:** July 22, 2008, 03:20:06 PM »

Quote from: Zero Hero on July 22, 2008, 02:41:46 PM

I just always found it insulting that GFW expected people to pay $50 to play Halo against other people on the PC.

it was free to play with PC users but it wasn't free to play with 360 users in shadowrun (the only cross platform game so far, afaik).

MCD · « **Reply #27 on:** July 22, 2008, 03:23:34 PM »

this newly promoted Chris Satchell guy is also saying "DX11 is totally compatible with DX10. There's not that 9/10 discontinuity we created before."

good news.

Fragamemnon · « **Reply #28 on:** July 22, 2008, 03:46:40 PM »

There's a lot of "Steam won, GFW Live is too late " style stuff going on, but it's pretty important to recognize that both services have some key differentiating factors between the two. Steam's strengths are still mostly in the FPS space-the networking stuff is very much client/server focused, whereas Xbox/GFW Live are peer-to-peer focused services that handle all of the terrible network buggery that particular approach entails. GFW has its skill-based matchmaking stuff in and ready to go now, Steam isn't set to really get it out the door before Left 4 Dead comes out. There's also the achivement/gamerscore issue, where I think GFW Live has an edge of Steam as well.

GFW Live as a networking and multiplayer infrastructure just fits some games better. That being said, Steam has the hardcore PC gamer mindshare and will continue to be the forefront player in the market.

JustinP · « **Reply #29 on:** July 22, 2008, 04:00:23 PM »

Quote from: Wicked Laharl on July 22, 2008, 03:08:20 PM

my xbl money is getting me awesome features

features that are now free if you happen to use the service on PC

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #30 on:** July 22, 2008, 04:05:58 PM »

Quote from: JustinP on July 22, 2008, 04:00:23 PM

Quote from: Wicked Laharl on July 22, 2008, 03:08:20 PM
my xbl money is getting me awesome features
features that are now free if you happen to use the service on PC

Wanna play some Calling All Cars with me? I'll PM you the password to my match

JustinP · « **Reply #31 on:** July 22, 2008, 04:11:38 PM »

are you guys seriously trying to defend the logic that you'd gladly pay for something that is free on another platform... because it's better than another free service on another platform?

really? are you really that fucking stupid?

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #32 on:** July 22, 2008, 04:11:52 PM »

Quote from: Fragamemnon on July 22, 2008, 03:46:40 PM

There's a lot of "Steam won, GFW Live is too late " style stuff going on, but it's pretty important to recognize that both services have some key differentiating factors between the two. Steam's strengths are still mostly in the FPS space-the networking stuff is very much client/server focused, whereas Xbox/GFW Live are peer-to-peer focused services that handle all of the terrible network buggery that particular approach entails. GFW has its skill-based matchmaking stuff in and ready to go now, Steam isn't set to really get it out the door before Left 4 Dead comes out. There's also the achivement/gamerscore issue, where I think GFW Live has an edge of Steam as well.

GFW Live as a networking and multiplayer infrastructure just fits some games better. That being said, Steam has the hardcore PC gamer mindshare and will continue to be the forefront player in the market.

My main problem with Steam is that it's still too expensive. I can often find many of its games for at least $10 cheaper when they are released.

CC and Fry's have been very consistent with selling new PC games at $39.99 or less.

I"ll be using GFW more often as long as the retail versions continue to be cheaper than Steam's.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #33 on:** July 22, 2008, 04:16:43 PM »

Quote from: JustinP on July 22, 2008, 04:11:38 PM

are you guys seriously trying to defend the logic that you'd gladly pay for something that is free on another platform... because it's better than another free service on another platform?

really? are you really that fucking stupid?

I don't have a gaming PC dumbcunt, also I don't pay full price for live cards.

Are you seriously saying that PS3 online is anything but a broken mess compared to 360 or GFW or PC online as a whole? Or do you hate your PS3's online capability?

JustinP · « **Reply #34 on:** July 22, 2008, 04:28:33 PM »

Quote from: AdmiralViscen on July 22, 2008, 04:16:43 PM

Quote from: JustinP on July 22, 2008, 04:11:38 PM
are you guys seriously trying to defend the logic that you'd gladly pay for something that is free on another platform... because it's better than another free service on another platform?

really? are you really that fucking stupid?

I don't have a gaming PC dumbcunt, also I don't pay full price for live cards.

Are you seriously saying that PS3 online is anything but a broken mess compared to 360 or GFW or PC online as a whole? Or do you hate your PS3's online capability?

i haven't said anything about PS3 online in this thread. the only people who've brought it up are you xtards.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #35 on:** July 22, 2008, 04:31:57 PM »

glass houses etc

Bocsius · « **Reply #36 on:** July 22, 2008, 04:34:21 PM »

I have to agree with the Stard this round.

PSN doesn't make paying for XBL OK.

Draft · « **Reply #37 on:** July 22, 2008, 04:34:35 PM »

Quote from: JustinP on July 22, 2008, 04:28:33 PM

Quote from: AdmiralViscen on July 22, 2008, 04:16:43 PM
Quote from: JustinP on July 22, 2008, 04:11:38 PM
are you guys seriously trying to defend the logic that you'd gladly pay for something that is free on another platform... because it's better than another free service on another platform?

really? are you really that fucking stupid?

I don't have a gaming PC dumbcunt, also I don't pay full price for live cards.

Are you seriously saying that PS3 online is anything but a broken mess compared to 360 or GFW or PC online as a whole? Or do you hate your PS3's online capability?
i haven't said anything about PS3 online in this thread. the only people who've brought it up are you xtards.

Do you have a PC? What's your favorite PC game?

JustinP · « **Reply #38 on:** July 22, 2008, 04:35:45 PM »

Quote from: AdmiralViscen on July 22, 2008, 04:31:57 PM

glass houses etc

excuse me. you're talking to a PC gamer.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #39 on:** July 22, 2008, 04:48:12 PM »

They really need to make it an optional service. The GFW Live implementation in Gears was pretty damned horrible, and was afaik even the source of lost game saves.

JustinP · « **Reply #40 on:** July 22, 2008, 05:15:16 PM »

Quote from: Draft on July 22, 2008, 04:34:35 PM

Do you have a PC? What's your favorite PC game?

i played games like quake and duke nukem when they were coming out, but what got me really hooked to online gaming was tribes. i also did the whole CAL thing with counter-strike. i've been to CPL and quakecon multiple times.

i was making custom counter-strike and source maps in highschool. i've worked on a few small indie PC game projects and i'm working on a new one now. back in highschool i also made a mod inside gmod9 using the Lua implementation (went that route because i have little history with c++ and i mainly made it to prototype game ideas i had for a class based CTF game--think tribes meets TFC). would playtest it with friends at lan parties -- was pretty fun. had an equipped item that let you heal yourself much like the syringe in bad company, but i had done it back in 2005. the mod was rough (again, it was just a prototype - had no plans to release it) but i'd say it was pretty impressive for being done by one person with no programming education over the course of a few months.

i've also played consoles all my life, but i've pretty much always been a PC gamer. i game a bit less on PC nowadays. PC gaming is in a weird period right now.

edit: my rich history with PC gaming doesn't seem to matter though. having an opinion in favor of sony just gets you called an sfag around here regardless.

Van Cruncheon · « **Reply #41 on:** July 22, 2008, 05:18:11 PM »

Quote from: Draft on July 22, 2008, 02:35:56 PM

Uh oh.

Xfags furious that all the features of their precious Live are now free on the superior PC platform.

Sfags furious that PC gaming now has ANOTHER free online service that simply decimates the barebones and user unfriendly PSN.

Wii users ambivalent.

PC gaming wins again.

draft for icon status 2008

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #42 on:** July 22, 2008, 05:22:35 PM »

So the short version is you currently play PC less than most of the people you criticize here play PS3.

Vizzys · « **Reply #43 on:** July 22, 2008, 05:28:59 PM »

justinp said the word tribes

youre still a troll though

tribes

Andowsky · « **Reply #44 on:** July 22, 2008, 05:33:42 PM »

Quote from: JustinP on July 22, 2008, 04:11:38 PM

are you guys seriously trying to defend the logic that you'd gladly pay for something that is free on another platform... because it's better than another free service on another platform?

really? are you really that fucking stupid?

You're comparing the PC gaming market to the console gaming market and calling other people fucking stupid? I have a gaming PC, but god forbid people don't want to game on the PC. Then their only choices are $50 a year for Live (which comes in at a ridiculous $4.16 a month, if you pay full price of course) or bare bones shitty PSN.

JustinP · « **Reply #45 on:** July 22, 2008, 05:49:29 PM »

Quote from: Genghis Cohen on July 22, 2008, 05:37:00 PM

why is every sony apologist a supposed superstar pc gamer

could it be that some PC gamers recognize that sony is embracing some of the best aspects of PC gaming? like open peripheral support that lets games support kb/m and the use of just about any headset. a free, [relatively] open online network. full mod support to allow not only custom maps and player models, but full conversion mods. the ability to even install another OS on your machine and use it like a PC. and the ability to upgrade your hard drive freely without having to shell out for ridiculously priced proprietary drives.

you can contrast that with microsoft, who are doing their best to take PC games and dumb them down for their console so they can charge more for their proprietary online service and proprietary accessories.

it's really not hard to see the connection.

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #46 on:** July 22, 2008, 06:11:14 PM »

Quote from: Genghis Cohen on July 22, 2008, 05:37:00 PM

why is every sony apologist a supposed superstar pc gamer

Yeah, wtf, stop stealing the gimmick of Evilore and Mickeyknox.

TVC15 · « **Reply #47 on:** July 22, 2008, 06:24:52 PM »

Quote from: JustinP on July 22, 2008, 05:49:29 PM

Quote from: Genghis Cohen on July 22, 2008, 05:37:00 PM
why is every sony apologist a supposed superstar pc gamer
could it be that some PC gamers recognize that sony is embracing some of the best aspects of PC gaming? like open peripheral support that lets games support kb/m and the use of just about any headset. a free, [relatively] open online network. full mod support to allow not only custom maps and player models, but full conversion mods. the ability to even install another OS on your machine and use it like a PC. and the ability to upgrade your hard drive freely without having to shell out for ridiculously priced proprietary drives.

you can contrast that with microsoft, who are doing their best to take PC games and dumb them down for their console so they can charge more for their proprietary online service and proprietary accessories.

it's really not hard to see the connection.

Also, Sony is emulating the PC by not having many games on its platform.

Van Cruncheon · « **Reply #48 on:** July 22, 2008, 06:30:34 PM »

Quote from: JustinP on July 22, 2008, 05:49:29 PM

Quote from: Genghis Cohen on July 22, 2008, 05:37:00 PM
why is every sony apologist a supposed superstar pc gamer
could it be that some PC gamers recognize that sony is embracing some of the best aspects of PC gaming? like open peripheral support that lets games support kb/m and the use of just about any headset. a free, [relatively] open online network. full mod support to allow not only custom maps and player models, but full conversion mods. the ability to even install another OS on your machine and use it like a PC. and the ability to upgrade your hard drive freely without having to shell out for ridiculously priced proprietary drives.

you can contrast that with microsoft, who are doing their best to take PC games and dumb them down for their console so they can charge more for their proprietary online service and proprietary accessories.

it's really not hard to see the connection.

no self-respecting pc gamer would ever settle for the ps3's sub-360 performance. on top of that, i think you've confused "embracing" with "is totally apathetic to".

Eel O'Brian · « **Reply #49 on:** July 22, 2008, 06:38:03 PM »

not seeing the bad here

demi · « **Reply #50 on:** July 22, 2008, 06:44:26 PM »

http://www.xbox360achievements.org/games/PC/

Not many games to get excited over to satisfy my NEEDS

Eel O'Brian · « **Reply #51 on:** July 22, 2008, 06:46:49 PM »

free stuff over the internet is always good

just ask my psp

Quote from: my psp

eel is correct

JustinP · « **Reply #52 on:** July 22, 2008, 06:51:58 PM »

Quote from: Professor Prole on July 22, 2008, 06:30:34 PM

no self-respecting pc gamer would ever settle for the ps3's sub-360 performance. on top of that, i think you've confused "embracing" with "is totally apathetic to".

'sub ps3 performance' only applies to mostly mediocre multiplatform titles.... which are also often on PC, thus rendering your distinguished mentally-challenged argument moot.

you seem to have the confusion with what "embrace" means -- i'll define it for you: "accept or support willingly." that's exactly what sony is doing with PS3. supporting bluetooth and usb standards just doesn't happen by accident -- it was intentional and took resources. the ps3 manual explains how to swap out your hdd and install another OS. they are absolutely embracing these things.

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #53 on:** July 22, 2008, 07:04:33 PM »

Prole know what embrace means, you dummy.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #54 on:** July 22, 2008, 07:04:46 PM »

You know your games console kicks ass when you deify its instruction manual instead of your CD wallet

Fragamemnon · « **Reply #55 on:** July 22, 2008, 07:04:53 PM »

Quote from: JustinP on July 22, 2008, 06:51:58 PM

you seem to have the confusion with what "embrace" means -- i'll define it for you: "accept or support willingly." that's exactly what sony is doing with PS3. supporting bluetooth and usb standards just doesn't happen by accident -- it was intentional and took resources. the ps3 manual explains how to swap out your hdd and install another OS. they are absolutely embracing these things.

no pc gamer installs another OS. that's what slashdot/digg refreshing penguin fuckers do when they aren't bitching about drm or writing bad perl code.

unless that os is another copy of windows.

Van Cruncheon · « **Reply #56 on:** July 22, 2008, 07:15:01 PM »

a ps3 has a dx9-class budget gpu fit for a $500 dell. in fact, a ps3 is roughly performance equivalent to a $500 dell. the 360, on the other, knows that it is a FAGGOTY CONSOLE first and foremost, and that is why true pc gamers buy one: to supplement pc gaming, not to replace it with a shitty budget model.

Fragamemnon · « **Reply #57 on:** July 22, 2008, 07:19:51 PM »

also, I'm really curious to know what games would attract a PC gamer looking for pc gamer kind of games to a PS3. I'd like to play Super Stardust HD but that has nothing to do with my pc gamer preferences.

Not that the 360 is much better in appealing to PC gamers. Both are consoles, both aren't really suited to the needs of a longtime pc gamer.

JustinP · « **Reply #58 on:** July 22, 2008, 07:25:22 PM »

Quote from: Professor Prole on July 22, 2008, 07:15:01 PM

a ps3 has a dx9-class budget gpu fit for a $500 dell. in fact, a ps3 is roughly performance equivalent to a $500 dell. the 360, on the other, knows that it is a FAGGOTY CONSOLE first and foremost, and that is why true pc gamers buy one: to supplement pc gaming, not to replace it with a shitty budget model.

when PS3 'budget' system has better looking games than 360, i guess it's a pretty good budget system. and hey, PS3 isn't a ticking timebomb.

a bunch of dumbed down PC games is not a supplement to PC gaming. PS3, with games that AREN'T typically ported to PC, is a much better candidate for being a supplement to PC gaming. having many of the same benefits as PC gaming doesn't mean PS3 will replace it--it just means it carries a lot of the same benefits, which is a good thing.

cool breeze · « **Reply #59 on:** July 22, 2008, 07:32:11 PM »

I actually do think that a PS3 is something that will compliment a PC gamer more than a 360. As someone who will bet on PC 99% of the time, I find very few exclusives on the 360 that pique my interest. I still think Dead Rising is the best game on that system. PS3 has games I wouldn't expect to find on PC, and the games that it does have that fall into a similar genre that the PC dominates, I think that they form their own niche by being incredibly arcadey and not so much on the realism aspect. An example is Warhawk. As a huge fan of the Battlefield series on PC (and not the shitty console versions), I can appreciate the game since it dumbs things down and makes everything faster for console consumption.

But I own all three consoles, both portable systems, and a PC that has only held me back from perfect when playing Crysis. I am happy with where I'm at and only speaking for those who don't have the same luxury and have to choose one or the other.

News:

Author Topic: Games For Windows Live Multiplayer Goes Free (Read 11704 times)