Brad’s thoughts for Games for Windows Live

Published on October 5, 2009 By Draginol In PC Gaming

I’m getting overexposed. I’m as narcissistic as the next guy who refers to themselves in the third person in the name of an article and even I am not that interested in my opinions.

At PAXX I gave an interview to Shacknews primarily on Elemental but we talked about all kinds of other things including my thoughts on Games for Windows Live.

It’s no secret that I’ve been an advocate for Games for Windows Live. But over time, a handful of the emerging policies have come up that came to a head when I was asked directly about it.

The particular GFWL show-stopper I have had is having to have your app go through any sort of approval process before being updated. On the console, that makes perfect sense, particularly with regards to a universal achievement system. But on the PC, where we have to make updates for reasons beyond our control, that’s a problem.

For example, on Windows Vista last week, Microsoft released an update that broke WindowBlinds on Vista. We were able to fix it and get an update out in less than 24 hours. But imagine if we had had to go through some approval process at Microsoft?

Then there is the issue of being charged for these updates. To date, Microsoft hasn’t charged anyone to do an update but it’s been made pretty clear to me that that there would be a limited number of “free updates”. I don’t want to go through an approval process with a third party to put up an update to my software.

But I do love the concept of Games for Windows Live. I like the idea of the platform owner (Microsoft) having a series of services available to be used. I’d even pay for it. I don’t want to have to worry about match making and network connectivity. Anyone who was part of the Demigod launch knows the pain it can be to work out that sort of thing. But using such services shouldn’t mean that they gain some control over my updates.

All of Stardock’s recent titles and new games use Games for Windows (not GFWL). I very much like the program of there being some standardization for game developers to adhere to and don’t mind going through an initial certification. It is the post-release update certification I object to as well as the potential of having to pay for it unless the value add was far greater than what it is today.

I wasn’t intending to “slam” GFWL. I simply could not abide by the current model of GFWL and hope/think they will change it as it evolves. Hopefully all my friends at MS won’t beat me next time I’m over visiting.

Related Articles:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/95194-Stardock-CEO-Dishes-on-Sales-Numbers-GFW-Live-and-More

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/gaming/2009/10/05/stardock-slams-games-for-windows-live/1

http://www.co-optimus.com/article/2713/Stardock_CEO_Reveals_the_Truth_of_Digital_Distribution_and_the_Industry.html

http://www.destructoid.com/brad-wardell-on-gfwl-you-can-t-do-that-on-the-pc--150639.phtml

http://www.neoseeker.com/news/11923-microsoft-charging-devs-for-games-for-windows-live-patches/

Comments (Page 1)

Kitkun

on Oct 05, 2009

Now how can I twist these words and blow them out of preportion?

Nesrie

on Oct 05, 2009

Kitkun

reply 1

Now how can I twist these words and blow them out of preportion?

Don't see how these articles "twist these words and blow them out of [pro]portion". Brad has an issue with how GFWL works at this point, and those articles pretty much state that. Or did you just read the titles of the links?

RavenX

on Oct 05, 2009

You see that. That's a clear statement that Stardock plans to boycott all Microsoft products and ban their mail system. You heard it here first folks...

j/k Brad

ZehDon

on Oct 05, 2009

So, Stardock is dropping support for all Microsoft products and operating support and is now exclusively developing for the Mac and Linux platforms?

Kitkun

on Oct 05, 2009

Nesrie

reply 2

I'm more referring to his Facebook comment that gained notoriety. As Raven X and Zehdon appear to be referring to, as well.

Nesrie

on Oct 05, 2009

Kitkun

reply 5

Quoting Nesrie,
reply 2
Don't see how these articles "twist these words and blow them out of [pro]portion". Brad has an issue with how GFWL works at this point, and those articles pretty much state that. Or did you just read the titles of the links?I'm more referring to his Facebook comment that gained notoriety. As Raven X and Zehdon appear to be referring to, as well.

Oh. Gotcha. Thanx.

Frogboy

on Oct 05, 2009

I really need to take a screenshot of what I said on facebook that instigated that whole UPS nonsense so people can see just how ridiculous it was.

ZehDon

on Oct 05, 2009

Well, it could be worse - you could've parked a red Porche 911 Turbo across two handicapped parking spaces in front of Stardock HQ and be unlucky enough that someone took a picture of it and somehow posted it on the internet.

Mellowe

on Oct 05, 2009

While I also like the concept of GFWL, it is not very popular.

Threads at Amazon, Steam, and popular gaming sites are filled with anti-GFWL sentiment. One criticism of GFWL that I find valid is the new account locking that Microsoft has implemented. GFWL is now a DRM platform of sorts, as it locks CD keys to user accounts, which in effect is a source of "double DRM" (assuming that some other sort of DRM is present, such as Steamworks, see Dawn of War II), and major no-no in pro-consumer practices.

Thus, GFWL is an additional barrier to resale, which in no way helps the PC platform (consoles will always be more attractive if they have a used game market and we are forced to buy new). With a few tweaks and the removal of the account locking requirement, I would support GFWL with far greater enthusiasm.

Rishkith

on Oct 05, 2009

ZehDon

reply 8

Oh what a Jerk that would be! Somebody would really have to be a hateful, petty, vindictive person to steal a handicapped person's spot with their ritzy car.

... unless of course is was well after hours of operation and nobody ever used the spots anyways and it was just a setup as a practical joke.

ZehDon

on Oct 05, 2009

Rishkith

reply 10

... unless of course is was well after hours of operation and nobody ever used the spots anyways and it was just a setup as a practical joke.

Should I have used the [sarcasm] tags for my post? I thought the emoticon was enough...

VarekRaith

on Oct 05, 2009

ZehDon

reply 11

Quoting Rishkith, reply 10... unless of course is was well after hours of operation and nobody ever used the spots anyways and it was just a setup as a practical joke.
Should I have used the [sarcasm] tags for my post? I thought the emoticon was enough...

Hmm, my sarc meter detected high levels of it in your post.

Rishkith

on Oct 05, 2009

ZehDon

reply 11

I don't know, but it seems like I should have!

TucoBenedicto

on Oct 06, 2009

Honestly I think GFWL sucks very badly.

Poor features, worst UI ever seen and last but not least is another way to rise in strenght Microsoft attempt to monopolize PC gaming and bind it definitely to Windows... Which, yeah, doesnt' change so much now with Windows already dominating, but it can be very bad in the future.

acare84

on Oct 06, 2009

I don't like GFWL and GFWL supported games because it only supports 26 countries in the world and my country is not one of them (Turkey). I bought GTA 4 and Dawn of War 2 but I can't play them online because my country is not supported. This is really annoying, they are selling their game in my country but I can't use all features. I won't buy any GFWL titles in future. I hope Stardock and other companies won't use that console thing in their games. I don't think but I hope Microsoft will support all around the world.

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