Games for Windows Live Adds Anti-piracy Solution, In-game Marketplace

by Nick Breckon, Mar 24, 2009 6:00am PDT

Related Topics – Games for Windows Live, PC Gaming, PC, Piracy, GDC 09

Microsoft today announced new features coming soon to the Games for Windows Live service, including an anti-piracy solution and in-game marketplace.

Few details were revealed of the server-side, "zero-day" anti-piracy solution. However, Microsoft did note that Games for Windows Live will now require authentication for online play.

In-game marketplace capability has also been added, allowing developers to sell content through their own store fronts through customized APIs. Games for Windows Live will now save users' settings in the cloud, allowing access to the settings regardless of the PC used.

"This update and other features currently in development represent a tipping point in the evolution of Games for Windows Live as a leading online PC gaming network," said general manager of Games for Windows Live Ron Pessner. "In the coming months, we will continue to deliver on our promise to provide gamers and publishers with the industry's best connected gaming experiences through the Live service."

We'll have more details on the updates following a briefing with Microsoft later today.

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16 Threads* | 57 Comments

#59

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By: Lightzout x Show Full Post

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What about anti-cheat systems?

Mar 25, 2009 12:44am PDT

What about anti-cheat systems? : Lightzout

#6

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By: flasher 907 x Show Full Post

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Am i not understanding GFWLive...I expected it to be a standalone app like say MSN messenger Steam but when I fired up GFWLive standalone it was a stupid webpage like app that didn't show me anything about my games, nothing about my friends, etc. I don't even know why it wanted me to sign in. Sign in to what??? There was no content to speak of. The only time GFWLiev becomes functional is when fired up within a context of a game, i.e. GTA4, and then by pressing HOME key I can see friends, messages, achievements, etc. That part is cool. But the standalone part should be the same.

Mar 24, 2009 6:52am PDT

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Am i not understanding GFWLive...I expected it to be a standalone app like say MSN messenger Steam but wh... : flasher 907
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 8 replies.
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  I agree. It's no Steam. I still don't know how to use it -- it doesn't even update my games for me. It... : Jobos
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    YES! That's the thing. You still have 2 other programs, if you buy it on steam. Rockstar Socialclub (whic... : Johnnsen
    - That blows. : Jobos
    - GTA IV on Steam is a nightmare - the whole GFW and R* Socialclub thing simply did not work. : Lukiopimp
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  The first announcement of it sounded awesome. Everyone pictured it as some kind of external running appli... : PointlesS76
  - I don't think they care what customers want. MS wants control and to look like a big dog. : destroy.all.monsters
  - Games for Windows Live head Chris Early WAS fired, back in January. Jan 26, 2009: Games for Windows Li : the archvile

#57

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By: bob3578 x Show Full Post

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Yep, another waste of money courtesy of Microsoft. Well, I don't know about anyone else but i'm not buying anything that has GWL on it.

Mar 24, 2009 7:16pm PDT

Yep, another waste of money courtesy of Microsoft. Well, I don't know about anyone else but i'm not buyin... : bob3578

#15

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By: GenBanks x Show Full Post

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I was hostile to GFW at first, but I think the in-game interface is slick and I like the way that my DoW 2 achievements are visible through my xbox. I think Steam is more functional, but what I'm saying is that I don't mind the fact that we're seeing improvements in both.

Mar 24, 2009 7:09am PDT

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I was hostile to GFW at first, but I think the in-game interface is slick and I like the way that my DoW ... : GenBanks
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 5 replies.

#55

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By: MeestaNob x Show Full Post

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Why haven't any companies tried doing a dual digital/retail release where the RETAIL release was significantly after the online one. It's a well known fact that most piracy starts from employees at replication facilities pinching copies of master discs and within 24 hours cracked copies are everywhere.

If the game didn't even go for duplication before the digitally distributed version had already been out for a week, I'd bet you hundreds of thousands of sales that there would be a remarkable improvement in a developers bottom line.

Mar 24, 2009 5:15pm PDT

Why haven't any companies tried doing a dual digital/retail release where the RETAIL release was signific... : MeestaNob

#1

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By: The_Archon x Show Full Post

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And pirates won't be able to defeat it? Okay.

Mar 24, 2009 6:06am PDT

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And pirates won't be able to defeat it? Okay. : The_Archon
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  Well, no, because they won't have the .exe to crack until launch day. That's the point, not stopping pira... : node
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    Woop de doo. So people can only download it 2 hours later. Have a medal. Therefor every legit customer ha... : Johnnsen
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    I don't think they can do that method of control. What about the people not connected to the internet?... : WTHInac
    - You think mind control chips on everyone working with printing, packaging, delivering and selling of boxe... : SilverSnake

#4

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By: tehboosh x Show Full Post

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Wahey!

Not content with making DoW2's multiplayer a slow painful lagfest, now they're really hungry to screw up your day!

Please, someone stop them

Mar 24, 2009 6:50am PDT

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Wahey! Not content with making DoW2's multiplayer a slow painful lagfest, now they're really hungry to... : tehboosh
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- Only pirates can unfortunately. : destroy.all.monsters

#41

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By: dsdfdjf x Show Full Post

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Already on steam - >, "zero-day" anti-piracy solution (using the exact terminology that valve uses)

Implmented on steam already - > In-game marketplace through customized APIs.

Implemeneted by valve a year ago -> Games for Windows Live will now save users' settings in the cloud, allowing access to the settings regardless of the PC used.

Are they allowed to blatantly copy ideas like that?

Mar 24, 2009 9:59am PDT

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Already on steam - >, "zero-day" anti-piracy solution (using the exact terminology that valve uses) I... : dsdfdjf
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#3

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By: Funeraldirge x Show Full Post

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GFW has been nothing but unnecessary garbage and it's developers should be mauled in their faces by mirelurks. This will only change things for the suckers that install this crap on their PC.

Mar 24, 2009 6:41am PDT

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GFW has been nothing but unnecessary garbage and it's developers should be mauled in their faces by mire... : Funeraldirge
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  so your comment is kinda retarded..the service is pretty great to me..a friends list that lets you know w... : knights543
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    no, it's a horrible piece of crap that needs to go away. The interface seems like it was designed for the... : Modulus
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      Some of the stuff that's been done for consoles should come to the PC. It will help pc gaming. : matrixneo42
      
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      ^says the guy with a shitty PC. : Pneum0
      
      Nope. Says the IT guy who spent 15 years and a crapload of money on PCs to eventually get annoyed with p... : matrixneo42
    - Have you used it lately? The latest incarnation works very well. When they tried to bring the "blades" in... : beanman101283

#19

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By: Pneum0 x Show Full Post

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Ok, so this wonderful MS idea is going to make us pay to play online like xbox users? I hope not.

Mar 24, 2009 7:27am PDT

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Ok, so this wonderful MS idea is going to make us pay to play online like xbox users? I hope not. : Pneum0
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  I doubt it, It was that way originally. Then they axed it. I can't see any reason why they would bring it... : f4lln
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    They axed it because it wasn't popular, if it becomes popular things could change. All they need is one ... : Pneum0
    - No, MS would never do that. They're all about the love of gaming right? God help us if GFWL ever overtake... : jtthe2nd

#2

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By: Turin Turambar x Show Full Post

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The mention of "zero day" anti-piracy solution and the fact GfW Live is an online system means that this system works downloading a critical file (a .exe?) from their servers after the online validation, that's how you can beat the zero day piracy.

Other thing it's the one day piracy.

Mar 24, 2009 6:16am PDT

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The mention of "zero day" anti-piracy solution and the fact GfW Live is an online system means that this ... : Turin Turambar
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  Games do most of their sales in the first week, and loads the same weekend. So beating zero day with this... : node
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    I figured this was the case, and it makes sense. GTA4 was hard for people to crack, and it was kind of f... : Jobos
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      Wasn't the spamming on 1-star rating more about the fact that it was horribly broken for a lot of people ... : SilverSnake
      
      I read a lot of them, the game was given a 1-star mostly by people that issues with the DRM, unfortunatel... : Jobos

#25

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By: SeraphielX x Show Full Post

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I do like this idea of saving settings (or at least a backup of those settings) online.

Why can't they do something similar with Xbox profiles and savegames? Most save files on 360 games don't take up much space at all; keeping a backup of such things online should be trivial.

Mar 24, 2009 7:48am PDT

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I do like this idea of saving settings (or at least a backup of those settings) online. Why can't they... : SeraphielX
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- Yes, it needs to happen, especially when the 360 is the only console where you can't copy your saves to s... : nudel

#10

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By: node x Show Full Post

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Sounds good. I quite like GFW these days, it's fairly unintrusive and useful. In-game DLC is overdue (what a pig it was before for Fallout 3...) and storing settings ala Steam Cloud is nifty too. Hurray for competition.

Mar 24, 2009 6:55am PDT

Sounds good. I quite like GFW these days, it's fairly unintrusive and useful. In-game DLC is overdue (wha... : node

#7

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By: Johnnsen x Show Full Post

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Make it even more crap. This software is totally unnecessary and retarded bloatware that does nothing more than spam your harddrive.

Make it even more uncomfortable for me to use something I don't want, need or requested. Thanks.

Pff, stick it up your... Seriously.

Mar 24, 2009 6:53am PDT

Make it even more crap. This software is totally unnecessary and retarded bloatware that does nothing mor... : Johnnsen

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