MS Affirms Games For Windows Commitment, Describes Windows as 'First-class Gaming Platform'

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Following the departure of Games for Windows Live manager Chris Early in the latest round of Microsoft cuts, the company has stressed its commitment to the service.

In a statement to Kotaku, Microsoft said:

Moving ahead, Microsoft will continue to invest in Windows as a first-class gaming platform through great Windows out of box experiences, our online gaming services including Games for Windows - LIVE, MSN Games, and Messenger games, and through new games for Windows developed by Microsoft Games Studios.

Ron Pessner, formerly of the Entertainment & Devices division, will now lead Microsoft's "Windows gaming service efforts" in the Interactive Entertainment Business branch. The Games for Windows Live Marketplace premiered its first paid downloadable content today, with its its first public beta download, Relic's Dawn of War II, due later today.

Meanwhile, Microsoft Game Studios manager Dave Luehmann will now oversee Microsoft's internal development and publishing for all Windows-based games, with the company saying it will not comment on any other personnel changes at this time.

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    January 27, 2009 2:54 PM

    First Class? Fantastic! Does that mean we'll be seeing more simultaneous PC/360 launches that are not poorly optimized ports? Put your money where your mouth is...

    • reply
      January 27, 2009 3:26 PM

      You know, this is a good point, even if it should be incredibly obvious.

      They keep talking about how much they love us and how much they support us, and then they have exclusive releases on 360 with nary a mention of our beloved platform. Not to even mention the fucking infuriating "PRESS 'X' TO CONTINUE" prompts on some GFWL game I've played.

      I dunno, maybe I'm just ranting. It seems like they go out of their way to ignore the consumer and piss them off enough that they just give up and go to the 36-

      OH WAIT.

      • reply
        January 28, 2009 11:53 AM

        Their failure with GFWL is so bad that I'd be inclined to agree its sabatoge.

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