Games for Windows – Live
Games for Windows – Live or GFWL 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, 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, 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, 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.On May 29, 2007, Games for Windows – Live officially released, alongside its first title, Shadowrun. Halo 2 for Windows Vista, which was intended to be the first GFWL game, was released on June 8, 2007, after significant delays. The game supports all the standard Live features, 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.
The service was open to third-party developers, but they had to meet certain Technical Certification Requirements, which included : 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 TCRs. The same developer support infrastructure as the Xbox 360 was also available. Assistance to developers was provided through the Microsoft XNA Developer Connection.
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. 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".
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.
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. 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. 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.
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.
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. 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.
Deprecation
On March 26, 2012, Microsoft Studios announced the arrival of Age of Empires Online on Steam. Age of Empires Online was released on Steam on March 27, 2012. On April 3, 2012, Microsoft Flight was released on Steam. 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. 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. 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. On November 28, 2012, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon became the first retail Games for Windows – LIVE title announced for 2013.
On January 31, 2013, Microsoft Studios said that they "have nothing to share on the future of Games for Windows Live". On March 7, 2013, Microsoft Studios announced Age of Empires II: HD Edition + The Conquerors would be released exclusively on Steam. 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.
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.
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. 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". 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.
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. 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, 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 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.