# Games for Windows Live shutting down next July



## αshɘs (Aug 19, 2013)

A couple pf days ago the news hit that the GFWL marketplace will be shutting down on the 22th of August.





> As part of the upcoming Xbox 360 system update, Microsoft Points will be retired, and the Xbox.com PC marketplace will be closed as of August 22, 2013. We encourage you to spend your Microsoft Points balance prior to this change. Although you will not be able to purchase new games, you can continue to enjoy previously purchased content by downloading them through the Games for Windows LIVE client software as usual.



Today, in an AoE Online update it got confirmed the whole service will be shutting down next year.

watch percy jackson sea of monsters online



> Games for Windows Live will be discontinued on July 1, 2014. Although it is available through Steam, Age of Empires Online requires features of the Games for Windows Live service. You can continue to enjoy all the features of Age of Empires Online as the service will remain 100% operational until July 1, 2014 when the server will shut down. Please visit the Age of Empires Online forums for additional details.



well, that's that


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## Hunted by sister (Aug 19, 2013)

While GFWL being gone is awesome, I wonder what will happen to PC games that use it? Dark Souls, Section 8, Bioshock, Batman, etc?

//HbS


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## αshɘs (Aug 19, 2013)

(The steam versions of) Bioshock 2 and the Batmans have been getting updates behind the scenes for some time now. All of them are getting steam achievements. Updates haven't gone live yet



not sure about the others, it's up to the publishers


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## αshɘs (Aug 19, 2013)

heh, they changed the text to



> Age of Empires Online is the next chapter in the best-selling Age of Empires computer game franchise. The game features some of the greatest ancient civilizations, including the Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, and Celts, with more being introduced all the time. And it offers hundreds of hours of free gameplay!


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## Zaru (Aug 19, 2013)

So

We now have one of the first instances of a major online drm system going down. The question is, how many of the affected games will be patched to continue working? Or how will they assure that (singleplayer) games can still work?


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## Naruto (Aug 21, 2013)

Oh my fucking god.

All the games on steam that rely on GFWL.

Oh my fucking god.



Cross check your games, people.

And for those who haven't heard what microsoft has to say:


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## Zaru (Aug 21, 2013)

Bulletstorm, Fallout 3, GTA 4, RF Guerilla, Dawn of War 2... plus some games I might have bought eventually. Fuck.


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## Patchouli (Aug 21, 2013)

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWLIgjB9gGw[/YOUTUBE]

I'm sure studios will release patches for games that used that shit-tier system. Fans will relentlessly bug them until they do. Worst case scenario, people have to use a crack to play their games.

Still better than Games for Windows Live's bullshit.


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## Zaru (Aug 21, 2013)

At least I wouldn't have to feel bad about cracking such a game if I already fucking paid for it


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## Naruto (Aug 21, 2013)

It's downright offensive that we can and always will be able to play games with a network model such as the old Quake/Unreal/Source engine games because they don't require a master server to work.

I can make a dedicated Quake server and people will join, direct client-to-server connection.

This generation's online DRM monstrosity disgusts me.


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## Patchouli (Aug 21, 2013)

Wonder where the legality of that falls. 

Edit: Got ninja'd by a ninja.


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## Naruto (Aug 21, 2013)

Patchouli said:


> I'm sure studios will release patches for games that used that shit-tier system.



THQ is gone. That excludes the possibility of Dawn of War 2 and Chaos Rising right there.

From Software barely did anything with the Dark Souls port. They will most likely not want to put money into steamworks integration.

Capcom  Capcom doesn't give a shit. This will probably boost sales of Ultra Street Fighter 4, since that one is confirmed to be steamworks.

This is no reason to celebrate, these are bad news. Cracking these games won't fix the lack of multiplayer, and to be honest, I'm against it on principle. I paid for this shit and now I have to crack it? Why did I bother paying for it in the first place?


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## VoodooKnight (Aug 21, 2013)

So now I can't keep filling my backlog and I actually have to play my games within a year's time?!

But more seriously, this is what's going to set the precedent, so we've got to do everything in our power to get publishers to do what's right.


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## Zaru (Aug 21, 2013)

The question is, what can we do?

We can't boycott the games because we already bought them.


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## Patchouli (Aug 21, 2013)

Naruto said:


> THQ is gone. That excludes the possibility of Dawn of War 2 and Chaos Rising right there.
> 
> From Software barely did anything with the Dark Souls port. They will most likely not want to put money into steamworks integration.
> 
> ...



My seething hatred of GFWL may be blinding me to the bigger issues here. This is a system that has been my arch-nemesis since its inception.

It's unfortunate that some games will be lost to the ether because of this. But they're tainted by the residual energy of GFWL. They chose their fates. 



Zaru said:


> The question is, what can we do?
> 
> We can't boycott the games because we already bought them.



Boycott new releases from studios that don't release patches (studios that still exist of course, for ones that don't, just crack that shit.).


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## Hunted by sister (Aug 21, 2013)

I'll just crack the non-Steam copies of GFWL games. Anyone calls me out on that - I have the fucking receipt (I am a maniac, I scan all games receipts in case shit like this happens. I am prepared!). 

//HbS


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## Naruto (Aug 21, 2013)

Zaru said:


> The question is, what can we do?
> 
> We can't boycott the games because we already bought them.



*^*



Patchouli said:


> Boycott new releases from studios that don't release patches (studios that still exist of course, for ones that don't, just crack that shit.).



Exactly.



Capcom says this:



			
				Capcom said:
			
		

> "We're currently looking into solutions. When we are 100% sure on what those solutions are, we will advise. Until then, we ask for your patience and do know that you guys haven't been forgotten."


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## Deathbringerpt (Aug 21, 2013)

The sweet taste of vindication.


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## αshɘs (Aug 21, 2013)

Naruto said:


> THQ is gone. That excludes the possibility of Dawn of War 2 and Chaos Rising right there.
> 
> From Software barely did anything with the Dark Souls port. They will most likely not want to put money into steamworks integration.
> 
> ...



DS is apparently having a major update according to steamdb. Haven't gone live yet, in beta.The first since its launch. Who knows.


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## Naruto (Aug 21, 2013)

I hope I'm wrong. I really hope these guys prove me wrong.

Because I love Dark Souls and Street Fighter :/

And the Arkham Games.


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## Patchouli (Aug 22, 2013)

Don't worry Naruto. :33



> Batman: Arkham Origins won't use Games for Windows Live to track achievements, as Arkham Asylum and Arkham City both did, IGN Australia reports. Arkham Origins' achievements and multiplayer content will be handled directly through Steam. Arkham Asylum and Arkham City used GFWL to track achievements, though they didn't have multiplayer.
> 
> Microsoft is closing the GFWL marketplace on August 22, but it says the service will remain active for customers to access previously purchased content.
> 
> Capcom's coming Ultra Street Fighter 4 is also ditching GFWL for full Steam integration. The game's predecessors, Street Fighter 4 and Super Street Fighter 4, used GFWL for multiplayer, on top of Steam.







> While Capcom offers Street Fighter 4 and Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition through Steam already, players have to register a Games For Windows Live account on top of Steam for multiplayer. Capcom's Neidel "Haunts" Crisan says Ultra Street Fighter 4 will forgo GFWL entirely for Steam.
> 
> Crisan tweeted the news earlier today, and so we followed up with Capcom. The company confirmed the news and added that Ultra Street Fighter 4 would be available on Steam and "other digital distribution partners" when it launches next year. Capcom also clarified it hasn't "made any announcements regarding our broader PC lineup."
> 
> Ultra Street Fighter 4, due for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, was announced at this year's EVO fighting game tournament. As the latest re-issue of Street Fighter 4, this entry in Capcom's flagship fighting series adds five new characters in Elena, Rolento, Hugo, Poison and a fifth, unknown character who will make his/her fighting game debut.





I'm sure these devs will go back and make the old games playable. Just gotta believe.


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## Zaru (Aug 22, 2013)

In  b4 some developer doesn't get the memo and releases a GFWL game this year


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## dream (Aug 25, 2013)

While I'm glad that GWL is being shut down I feel a bit sad that there are multiple games that will be affected this move.  Thankfully, I haven't purchased any of those games.


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## Vaeny (Aug 26, 2013)

No pls, I want to play my Street Fighter


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## Zeven (Aug 26, 2013)

Never used GFWL, only read bad things about it. Judging from what I've read, good riddance.


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## αshɘs (Aug 26, 2013)

Vae said:


> No pls, I want to play my Street Fighter



Well, you can always upgrade to Ultimate edition once it's out. It's ditching GFWL in favor of Steamworks.


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## Naruto (Aug 26, 2013)

αshɘs said:


> Well, you can always upgrade to Ultimate edition once it's out. It's ditching GFWL in favor of Steamworks.



Forced DLC. Good times.


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## Hunted by sister (Aug 26, 2013)

*Spoiler*: __ 



Batman Arkham Asylum
Batman Arkham City
Bioshock
Bioshock 2
Bulletstorm
Dark Souls Prepare to Die Edition
Dawn of War 2
Dawn of War 2 - Chaos Rising
Fallout 3
Flatout Ultimate Carnage
Gears of War
GTA IV
Lost Planet Colonies
Lost Planet 2
Osmos
Red Faction Guerrilla
Section 8
Section 8 Prejudice
The Club
Universe at War



Those are the games I have on GFWL (according to my GFWL profile, I am sure I have more, I just didn't play them yet). I can see half of it not getting a patch, simply because devs are gone, reassigned, can't afford it or don't give a darn.

Only 7 of those are Steam games, other are retail :S

//HbS


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## αshɘs (Aug 26, 2013)

Naruto said:


> Forced DLC. Good times.



either that or believe in Capcom to patch it lol


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## αshɘs (Oct 3, 2013)

Heads up, looks like the steam version of Bioshock 2 got GfWL (and SecuRom) patched out. Steam achievements are live, plus proper controller support. If you don't own it on steam, but have a retail copy, you can register it on steam with the key you got. And you get Minerva's Den for free.


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## Zaru (Oct 3, 2013)

I wish all GFWL games would get that kind of treatment


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## αshɘs (Oct 3, 2013)

yeah, let's hope so. Arkham games are the next candidates.





> Hey BioShock 2 fans!
> 
> In August, the Games For Windows LIVE service marketplace closed and some of you wondered what would happen to BioShock 2 on PC. We remain committed to supporting BioShock 2 on PC and are excited to announce that starting today the game is available via Steam. Not only that, but the Steam version of BioShock 2 includes all available multiplayer downloadable content, as well as the single player “Protector Trials” DLC!
> 
> ...


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## ice77 (Oct 14, 2013)

*Wow I really feel bad for all of those people who play these things legally online. I wonder how the publishers will deal with this situation. 

So what will they replace it with? 

Luckily there is only one game that I will play online and that is D3 when the price goes down and I will be able to afford it and that stuff runs on battlenet which doesn't seem to be shutting down anytime soon. *


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## Ae (Oct 15, 2013)

You people and your games


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## ice77 (Oct 16, 2013)

Masterpiece said:


> You people and your games




*
Wouldn't be the same without them.*


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## αshɘs (Oct 17, 2013)

regarding Capcom





> I emailed Capcom about this, this is the reply:
> 
> Hello,
> 
> ...



edit:
though from the same thread





> here's the replay i received from Capcom
> 
> Hello I am writing with concern as i have a full library of Capcom Games purchased through Steam and other media outlets,I am scared all my games will become unplayable as All Games for Windows Live (GFWL) Requires an internet connection to play and to make game saves.
> 
> ...



hmm


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## Hunted by sister (Oct 27, 2013)

Still can't activate Arkham Asylum nor City on Steam. Anyone heard stuff about other games from my post #28 ? 

//HbS


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## Zaru (Oct 27, 2013)

Shame about the lost saves, but at least they're still playable.


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## Agent of Chaos (Oct 30, 2013)

And I just bought Fallout 3 GOTY on Steam... this is BS 

I knew I should have looked around first.

Edit:

Actually I'll just look for a mod that will give the achievements.


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## Hunted by sister (Nov 2, 2013)

My Arkham City code finally worked and gave me a GOTY (generous!) version, Bioshock 2 worked and gave me B2+Minerva's Den, but none of the other non-Steam games I own worked so far. Is there a schedule, or something?

//HbS


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## Agent of Chaos (Nov 2, 2013)

Hunted by sister said:


> My Arkham City code finally worked and gave me a GOTY (generous!) version, Bioshock 2 worked and gave me B2+Minerva's Den, but none of the other non-Steam games I own worked so far. Is there a schedule, or something?
> 
> //HbS



It depends on the publisher, for instance 2K (Bioshock 2), and Rocksteady (Batman Games) both announced they were gonna put support through Steam when Microsoft announced they were cutting Live for the PC. However I really doubt someone like Bathesda would go through the "trouble" to put achievements/support through Steam.

So yea look at who makes the games, and depending on the company you can guess if their will be support on the game through Steam.


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## Hunted by sister (Nov 3, 2013)

I don't care about achievements, I just want to be able to play my game. Some games have important parts locked without GFWL, like save games!

//HbS


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## αshɘs (Dec 4, 2013)

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet got GfWL patched out today


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## Deathbringerpt (Dec 4, 2013)

αshɘs said:


> Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet got GfWL patched out today



So that's what the patch was all about. Fuck, I never finished that game. Guess this is a sign.


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## Naruto (Dec 5, 2013)

αshɘs said:


> Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet got GfWL patched out today



Wonderful news. Glad to see publishers are being awesome about this so far.

Mostly Capcom I'm worried about at this point.


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## αshɘs (Jan 17, 2014)

smh Capcom and MS


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## αshɘs (Jan 31, 2014)

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is getting it removed from the looks of it, so there's a very good chance for Dark Souls too.


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## Naruto (Jan 31, 2014)

Crapcom being crapcom.


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## αshɘs (Feb 24, 2014)

Ace Combat got updated: 

seeing as this is a Namco title, hopefully Dark Souls will recieve this treatment too


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## Hunted by sister (Feb 25, 2014)

I am pretty sure Dark Souls has been confirmed for Steamworks a long time ago

//HbS


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## αshɘs (Feb 26, 2014)

At first Namco said that, but changed their stance



> Update: Namco Bandai descriptions altered from "will update" to "exploring options."



from the joystiq article I posted earlier

still Ace Combat getting updated and DS2 being Steamworks from the get-go bodes well for its chances


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## Enclave (Feb 27, 2014)

Based on what I've read?  Fallout 3 has been patched on Steam to not require GFWL activation.  So if you purchase the game you're fine.  Though achievements are not ported to Steam as far as I know.


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## Suigetsu (Apr 3, 2014)

Hunted by sister said:


> While GFWL being gone is awesome, I wonder what will happen to PC games that use it? Dark Souls, Section 8, Bioshock, Batman, etc?
> 
> //HbS



Dawn of war 2 man... what the heck.


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## Kaitou (Apr 8, 2014)

Jesus that list looks awful. 

Especially Crapcom's.


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## αshɘs (May 22, 2014)

No official announcement yet, but it looks like SSF4:AE is getting a Steamworks patch after all.


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## Naruto (May 22, 2014)

αshɘs said:


> No official announcement yet, but it looks like SSF4:AE is getting a Steamworks patch after all.



That is incredibly good (and very surprising) news.

Now I'm crossing my fingers for Dark Souls.


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## αshɘs (May 27, 2014)

Dawn of War 2 is getting a Steamworks patch.


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## αshɘs (May 27, 2014)

Details about SSF4:AE Steamworks transition: 



> Unfortunately, both paid and free DLC will not be transferred over in this process.



not a lot of people will be happy about this...

update:



> EDIT: Unfortunately, both paid and free DLC for the GFWL version will not be transferred over in this process, but Steam should not be affected.


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## αshɘs (May 30, 2014)

SSF4 patch has gone live


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## Zaru (Jun 24, 2014)

On one hand I'm glad games aren't going to disappear, on the other hand GFWL needs to die while every game gets ported to Steam or whatever.

I fear for any plans they have with it


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## Hunted by sister (Jun 24, 2014)

More like GFWL should stop getting new titles rather than die. Too many games would become unplayable due to GFWL shutdown, without any patches to fix it.

//HbS


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## αshɘs (Sep 8, 2014)




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## αshɘs (Oct 20, 2014)

Dark Souls got  and



GFWL -> Steamworks confirmed


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## Naruto (Oct 20, 2014)

Oh this is excellent news.


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## αshɘs (Oct 21, 2014)

> We are very excited to announce that next month it will be possible for players to migrate their Dark Souls: Prepare to Die games, saves and achievements from the Games for Windows Live platform to Steam.
> 
> Games for Windows Live users will be able to redeem their Games for Windows Live Tokens on Steam to get Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition at no additional cost. (To find your Games for Windows Live Token, please head to the support webpage.)
> In the month of November, there will be a period by which Games for Windows Live Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition users will be able to transfer their Save Data (characters + progress) and Achievements over to their Steam accounts.
> ...


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## αshɘs (Dec 15, 2014)




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## αshɘs (Jan 15, 2015)

> Hi all, I know this is taking a long time and I can only apologise for the... Well let's call it what it is, massive delay. I know it seems like I've not been coming by but I can assure you I have and I want to thank you for continuing to put the pressure on us both here and on Twitter to get it sorted.
> 
> Now I still don't have a date I'm willing to give you just in case it bumps for some unknown reason (we've been down that road before) but I can tell you it will be very soon and the next time I update the first post in the thread it'll be to tell you it's available.
> 
> ...


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