Report: Microsoft Lays Off Games For Windows Live Boss

  Games For Windows Live general manager Chris Early is reportedly among the 1,400 staff laid off in Microsoft’s recently announced round of cut backs.

According to a report from website VentureBeat, Early joins Microsoft Flight Simulator developer Aces Game Studios as the earliest victims of a planned cull of 5,000 jobs at Microsoft over the next 18 months.

As the PC equivalent of Xbox Live, Games for Windows Live has had a mixed response from its inception -- though the company dropped subscription plans for multiplayer play in mid-2008.

Even though it now requires no fee, PC gamers have still been slow to embrace the closed-system service, preferring the more open-ended online interfaces traditional in PC games. Titles such as Shadowrun, which allow both Xbox 360 and PC gamers to compete together in the same game, have also struggled to catch on.

In a separate story, VentureBeat also suggests that around 30 percent of Microsoft’s video game testers will also be made redundant. The report also suggests a restructuring for the whole game group will occur this month.

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=22009

Can't say I'm sad about GFWL's failure.

GFWL: Great idea, horrendous application.

at least no one of any importance has gone

I'm not too surprised, mainly because they were talking about laying off a Big Wig.

I just wish they could have done more with it. Like L4D 360+PC users, that would have been awesome imo.

Microsoft does not take Games for Windows Live seriously. They should just let it die, and be done with it.

it's sad that Relic/THQ is using it for Dawn of War II

btw, there's nothing worse than enforcing P2P, especially with games such as GTA IV (of course, with DoW2 it won't be an issue)

Well to be honest, I really didn't like the whole idea. Even 'games for windows' is something that should die.

Oh, how much I agree with this.

Games should be for all systems, Windows is becoming over-rated, it's sickening.  Linux and Mac need some love, seriously.

I know Linux isn't highly used outside of servers and for and everyday joe, but I can tell you this: A game that is based off the Linux system will run a HELL of a lot smoother than on any Windows PC anyday.  (No, I'm not talking about how Linux has to run games now, because honestly it sucks.  I mean if a Dev actually Developed a game for Linux OS.)

I know how a lot of gamers hate Macs, but seriously, they need some love.

Well, I am using Linux. (I don't even have windows on my comp atm.) And I have even made cross-platform 3D engine. Tests of my engine indicate that on Linux you can make games run faster than on windows(I used to have dual boot.). It would work on mac too, but I don't have one and really don't have money to buy one atm. Anyway, whatever I do I would/could port it for all those three platforms. :)

Hmm, that is interesting, I remember talking to people who played games on Linux, but they said it took more resources to run.  That's good to know (tell me how ^_~)