Well I was talking about GFWL retail games.

Who buys something from their online store anyway ?

Apparently, not enough people to fuss Microsoft much anymore.

But I still disagree: Microsoft would not have bothered to make GFWL if it didn't get something out of it, even for retail releases.  My guess is that they charge the publisher for the services it provides: I believe Steam does something similar.  I have not heard any authority to the contrary, although if anyone can produce such I'll cheerfully admit that I'm wrong.

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=19521

"We have a new UI that's consistent with the way Windows gamers want to interact. It's free to you as a developer, and we're reducing the technical requirements."

Though that wasn't the source I was trying to find. Well maybe I'm just mixing it up with GFW...

Anyway why had Fallout 3 GFWL in the first place ? I mean they could have easily made it a GFW title.

there's nothing wrong about being a valve fanboy....

same would go for bliz

My guess is that Microsoft was trying to set up a rival to Steam (Valve's making bank off that service), and securing big exclusives to your service is a great way to go about doing that.   So Microsoft probably offered Bethesday incentives to secure Fallout 3 for their service.

It's all just conjecture on my part, though.

I'd like to point out that while this is overblown, there is no reason to call a service that is such a bucket of shit as LIVE good. That's just uncalled for. I was also unaware that Steam was ever competing with LIVE at all in any way shape or form. The PC already has ways for achievements, talking to friends in game, chatting, even voice chat. If you want it, it's there, if you don't then don't whine about it. LIVE being universlly forced down everyonoe's throat has never been a good thing.

Square Enix are doing the same with Kane & Lynch. Hopefully, this is the start of a trend away from this utter turd of a system.

Good, and Shio great job on this thread. Ÿ

Two outcomes-

1. Microsoft drops it after publishers desert it completely. *yay*

2. Microsoft makes it better and takes more of an interest in PC gaming. *yay*

Win- win.

it makes much more sense to use Steam for updates,  not only it's easier for the players but also for the devs that don't need to go through a PAID certification process (unless that has changed, but I haven't heard any news about that). I wonder if we will be able to use FOSE and still get the achievements too.