This just in: Games for Windows — LIVE is now free. Cross-platform multiplayer? Free. Matchmaking? Free. Voice chat? Free. Friends list? You betcha. And there’s more GFW functionality on the way.
When we look back on Microsoft’s Games for Windows — LIVE initiative, we typically envision a smoldering wreck. Though Microsoft has managed to slap the GFW label on a number of quality games (BioShock, Crysis and The Witcher come to mind) it means little when you can practically count the number of titles that actually support LIVE functionality on one hand. Those games that do support LIVE charge their users $50 a year to get anything beyond basic PC-to-PC multiplayer. Promises of a service that would gloriously interconnect PCs, Xbox 360s and mobile phones seem long forgotten.
But today, Microsoft has taken a bold step forward — at their 2008 Gamefest event in Seattle, they announced that everything included in the previously $49.99 a year Games for Windows — LIVE Gold account (including achievements, cross-platform multiplayer, TrueSkill matchmaking and more) is now free of charge… and there’s more just waiting in the wings.
1UP.com reports that this fall, Games for Windows — LIVE will see the addition of a brand new GFW Marketplace to mirror the Xbox 360 experience. Demos, trailers and DLC are all on the way.
Gamasutra reports that the service will have a new user interface, quoting newly-minted CTO of Interactive Entertainment Chris Satchell:
The first UI was good but it was too console-centric. It wasn’t really what Windows gamers wanted. We have a new UI that’s consistent with the way Windows gamers want to interact.
No matter the price of these features, Microsoft will still have to attract developers to make greater use of these features — but Develop Mag reports that Redmond is making strides there as well:
As well as free multiplayer, Microsoft has reduced the technical requirements for those developers looking to utilise Live – such as removing playlist servers, allowing studios to use the Microsoft matchmaking servers instead – and will be adding a new Marketplace to the PC version of Live later this year.
Commented Satchell: “It’s completely free to consumers and free to you as developer to exploit it – that’s the barrier to adoption removed. I think the adoption will take off – it’s a great component to improve your games.”
Since this announcement arrived the same day Microsoft revealed pricing and details for XNA Community Games on Xbox 360, and considering XNA Game Studio has supported both Xbox LIVE and GFW Live for some time, it may not be too much of a stretch to suggest that we might see Community Games on the new GFW Marketplace sometime soon.
Microsoft was unavailable for comment at time of publication.
Update: GameDaily reports that for the time being, the hypothetical situation I devised in the comments below will not come to pass.
July 22nd, 2008 at 1:27 pm
So… GFW Live Gold is now free, but what about Xbox Live Gold? Will I have a Live account where the Xbox half is Silver but the GFW half is Gold?
July 22nd, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Sure sounds like it, though I don’t think they’re using any precious metallic designations for GFW Live anymore.
It’s certainly a touchy issue, especially since the addition of cross-platform play to free GFW means that paying customers and freeloaders will be playing on the same servers, and I doubt the Xbox 360 side will want to foot the bill.
I have requested an interview with a representative for GFW to ask this along with a variety of other questions but have not heard back yet. I’ll try again tomorrow.
I tell ya one thing — if Microsoft drops the monthly 360 live fee as well (using part of their digital distribution cut to fund the servers) they’re going to make a whole lot of friends.