Microsoft: Games For Windows 'Wasn't The Right Approach'

Microsoft's senior director for PC gaming says that Games For Windows wasn't the right approach. Ya think?

"Games for Windows was a prior approach where it was more, at that time, like 'how do we take things?'" he said, "We knew we wanted to help make great multiplayer, we knew we wanted to bring things over... but it wasn't the right approach. It was the approach of 'let's just take those things and transplant them'."

It was such a wrong approach Microsoft abandoned making PC games because of it!

/sarcasm off

I still think it was (and is) a fine idea. The problem is that they took that idea and made it a front for DRM and an awful store.
A gaming front end with communication options, friend lists, etc. isn't a bad concept in itself.

Domingo said:

I still think it was (and is) a fine idea. The problem is that they took that idea and made it a front for DRM and an awful store.
A gaming front end with communication options, friend lists, etc. isn't a bad concept in itself.

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Agreed. It was pitched as basically "Xbox Live for Windows." What it turned out to be was a metric fuckton of DRM attached to an awfully run store that was barely functional. I don't know if it was a great idea initially that the games companies hijacked and made into the abomination it was, or if it was Microsoft that created it specifically to calm the fears of games companies in hope that they would produce more content for Windows. But in any case, it was real bad.

If it became what was pitched? It would have been great. I, for one, would love to see a Microsoft version of Steam.

I'm not totally convinced that "Xbox Games" for Windows 10 isn't just a repeat of "Games for Windows Live" They're pretty similar.

Quix said:

I'm not totally convinced that "Xbox Games" for Windows 10 isn't just a repeat of "Games for Windows Live" They're pretty similar.

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I'm not convinced either... We will see...

Microsoft: We need to find more effective ways to funnel customers into an environment we control.

Try giving your customers what they want instead of forcing what you want on your customers.

Steam has never charged a yearly fee. When I think Xbox multiplayer I think Xbox = fees. Then I think, no thanks. I'm not so sure Xbox is the right brand to bring to PCs.

The only time we hear anything from Microsoft about PC gaming is when they release a new OS. What about the rest of the life cycle of the product?

Would be nice if MS would not allow or encourage via marketing dollars, console exclusives, encourage or even enforce quality ports. How about not developing for the lowest common denominator, the console. At least encourage developers to make an effort with their console to PC ports.

That would be a start.

Its not about approach its about execution, and MS had garbage execution. Almost anything even communism can work if it is executed well. The problem with MS is they never get that they need to fix the execution and listen to customer complaints as well as keep up with the curve. Xbox live will be no different if they don't execute well. And more importantly why would anyone want to use it if steam is already well established.

I had nothing but bad experiences with GFWL and don't expect any better out of Xbox live. I had a name that was extremely unique and I couldn't even register it on GFWL then I tried another name also taken. Its like someone just went onto GFWL and copied every name they could ever find in gaming. What is more disturbing was that the stupid service then automatically assigned me a name which was my name plus a random word, the word happened to be taboo. WTF? Seriously. And then I tried to change it and they wanted to freaking charge me money. I didn't even pick this gd name and now you want me to pay money to change it?

After being screwed I played few games over the years on GFWL crap updated. The crap was just annoying on top of steam and offered me no value. Then like so many projects MS closes it down.

Sometimes MS needs to learn not to quit on projects or just rename them IE vs Edge, mesh to onedrive, msn messenger etc.... They need to just fix it, make it fair, make it work well and let the good performance show.

rudedog said:

The only time we hear anything from Microsoft about PC gaming is when they release a new OS. What about the rest of the life cycle of the product?

Would be nice if MS would not allow or encourage via marketing dollars, console exclusives, encourage or even enforce quality ports. How about not developing for the lowest common denominator, the console. At least encourage developers to make an effort with their console to PC ports.

That would be a start.

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Quoted for truth.

In my eyes, they're really too late to create a meaningful iteration for me. They had a chance when I was say... under 100 games in Steam. Now at approaching 300, and only going outside Steam in extreme examples (like a few items on GOG now and then, and one game in Origin that I couldn't get on Steam that I only install Origin to play, then remove it again,) there's no chance I'd use it.

Some of the peripheral features, like streaming from XBOne are kind of cool, which would allow my son to play his XB games in the living-room. Otherwise, zero interest from me.

They should allow you to play xbox games on the PC. No XBONE needed. It's not like it's a licencing thing! PLUS it would open up 2 communities of games to playing nice. Want to charge for Soft xbox in windows sure, but lets face it. Our hardware laughs at consoles, why not let the game makers see what real hardware can do... AGAIN.

It's not like they make a ton of cash on the consoles.
http://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-squeezes-little-profit-out-of-each-xbox-one/

CompMage said:

They should allow you to play xbox games on the PC. No XBONE needed. It's not like it's a licencing thing! PLUS it would open up 2 communities of games to playing nice. Want to charge for Soft xbox in windows sure, but lets face it. Our hardware laughs at consoles, why not let the game makers see what real hardware can do... AGAIN.

It's not like they make a ton of cash on the consoles.
http://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-squeezes-little-profit-out-of-each-xbox-one/

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I agree with the sentiment, but it would disrupt their closed ecosystem, tight licensing controls, overall perception that the XBOne is a console instead of a PC which is the segment they worked so hard to get into in the first place with the whole XB series/platform.

If they can trickle things in, integrate features, and not cannibalize their current platform, they'll probably end up ahead. (not from our perspective, but from the markets they've separated into)

However, they could more easily go after Steam that way. I still wouldn't jump though.

MS just need to stick to direct x iterations as its obvious that pc gaming takes a distant second place to their 70's vcr.

Chris_B said:

MS just need to stick to direct x iterations as its obvious that pc gaming takes a distant second place to their 70's vcr.

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They need to release a wired remote control for it.

"Xbox Games for Windows 10 was not the right approach"- MS executive in 2020

rudedog said:

The only time we hear anything from Microsoft about PC gaming is when they release a new OS. What about the rest of the life cycle of the product?

Would be nice if MS would not allow or encourage via marketing dollars, console exclusives, encourage or even enforce quality ports. How about not developing for the lowest common denominator, the console. At least encourage developers to make an effort with their console to PC ports.

That would be a start.

Click to expand...

Great post.