GfW Live to get Games on Demand

By Ellie Gibson Published 7 December, 2009

Download titles direct to your PC.

Microsoft is adding a Games on Demand digital download service to Games for Windows Live.

As of 15th December, GfW users will be able to buy and download games direct. They'll also be able to reinstall and play games wherever they are. "With Games on Demand we didn’t just want to create a cut-and-paste version of existing digital distribution services," said Microsoft's Mike Ybarra.

"We challenged ourselves to deliver an integrated platform that takes full advantage of the unique capabilities offered by the LIVE service. Our goal has always been to create a seamless online gaming experience for the Windows community and Games on Demand is a great step toward that end." The launch line-up will include Resident Evil 5, Red Faction: Guerrilla and Battlestations: Pacific. There will also be Live-enabled versions of World of Goo and Osmos. Games can be purchased using a credit card or Microsoft Points.

The GfW Live client can be downloaded via gamesforwindows.com.

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About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (29) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • bad09 #1 2 years ago

    It will be interesting to see if MS really think they can rip with GOD pricing on PC where they have big competition.

  • StooMonster #2 2 years ago

    Microsoft's long-stranding strategy "Embrace. Extend. Extinguish." certainly seems to apply here ... watch out Steam, Ballmer and crew have you in their sights.

  • bad09 #3 2 years ago

    I don't think Steam has too much to worry about from GOD StooMonster :)

  • thesombrerokid #4 2 years ago

    @StooMonster they've not managed to extinguish anything since netscape however, and look where that got them.

  • GamerG #5 2 years ago

    I always assumed they'd end up buying steam off Valve.

    Personallky I hope this takes off as i'm a sucker for achievement points and would love to give my PC more of a work out.

  • actionfitz #6 2 years ago

    "GfW Live to get Games on Demand
    Download titles direct to your PC..."

    ...and get ripped the fuck off just like your console playing buddies :)

  • bad09 #7 2 years ago

    @ MrMarc

    Funnily enough I'm quite enjoying double achievements to at the mo as I to am replaying GTA4 (bloody hell it's pretty on PC!). It's nice that Steam has 'em as well now as I'm also replaying L4D, those don't go on my gamer tag though :(

  • bad09 #8 2 years ago

    Hey thinking about this, MS COULD give a big kick to Steam.

    GWFL means 360 pad support right? So if GOD expanded into a PC marketplace and offered older games in the way Steam does, devs, pubs might re-release many old games with proper controller support. Although I have workarounds, I'd pay a little premium to get the PC GTAs for example working properly with my wireless 360 pad.

    / knows GOD will just be overpriced PC GFW/GFWL label games

  • Murton #9 2 years ago

    I really don't get why the industry is using GFW, it causes nothing but pain for the developer in the long run. Aside from increasing the cost of development by forcing devs to include GFW features it also must go through MS certification, which devs/publishers have to pay for, it also ties the game into the limitations of the GFWL service. It would have been much better if the whole thing was optional.

    As for Games on Demand, I just don't see MS being willing to compete with Steam and its regular weekend deals. That THQ Collection that was on recently was such good value that I almost bought it despite already owning half the games that were in it.

  • StooMonster #10 2 years ago

    I don't think Steam has too much to worry about from GOD

    Think you are probably right bad09, just sayin' ;)

  • mkreku #11 2 years ago

    To all you who think PC GOD will rip off us PC users: Welcome to Steam-land then, I say. Here in Sweden Steam reckons 1$ = 1€ so everything on Steam is actually more expensive than in retail stores! I don't think GfWL GOD can beat that.. but I am sure they'll try.

  • Shakey_Jake33 #12 2 years ago

    Hopefully Microsoft will quickly realise that their service doesn't exist in a bubble, and they'll have to be price-competitive with the likes of Steam, Direct2Drive and Impulse if they want to be relevant. Of course, GfW will be the only place to buy Microsoft Game Studios titles digitally, but the likes of Resident Evil 5 can be purchased elsewhere. Both Steam and Direct2Drive have been selling the game for £15 on-and-off recently.

  • Darren #13 2 years ago

    Personally I cannot see the appeal of digital distribution at all on the PC when the prices are ridiculously high, certainly for new releases on Steam (where £34.99 and £39.99 are the norm) and going by the Xbox 360's Games on Demand store, also expensive for older releases. When PC games often drop to sub-£20 levels from online retailers within weeks of release, sometimes to as little as £15 or even £10, then why would you buy them from the likes of Steam and Microsoft in the first place? :?

  • ignatiusjreilly #14 2 years ago

    @Darren

    Retail for new releases, Steam/DD for special offers and weekend deals. Best of both worlds.

  • Darren #15 2 years ago

    Steam's weekend deals and easier access to free games demo are the only good things going for them IMO. I certainly would never buy a new release from them. For example, I bought DiRT 2 from ShopTo.net last week for £24.85 and it's £29.99 on Steam (one of their cheaper new releases), despite there being no disc, case or manual production costs attached to it.

    How do they justify selling games at those prices?

    I know the argument is that retail outlets like GAME, Amazon and Gamestation don't like the idea of digitally distributed games being cheaper but what's to stop Steam matching their prices rather than asking £5 to £10 more as they usually do?

  • ignatiusjreilly #16 2 years ago

    Well, Steam would always tell you that the publisher sets the price.

    Like anything, they don't need to justify the prices - either they think they can earn more money with higher prices, or they really are that beholden to the retailers. That's all the justification they need I suppose.

    I agree that it's a total missed opportunity to bring lower prices to the public, higher exposure of your game and a greater proportion of the revenue to the people who actually deserve it. But hey, when did big business ever pick the fair option? The indie games that aren't backed by major publishing houses always seem to have more reasonable deals.
    Edited by 1 at 07/12/09 @ 12:16

  • Xeopuppy #17 2 years ago

    I can see GfW Live games not being allowed on Steam, so you have to buy them from Microsoft...

    ...Not Good.

    But I hope they bring UNO to the PC and a lot of the XBOX 360 Live Arcade games to the PC...
    Edited by 1 at 07/12/09 @ 12:32

  • chessboxer #18 2 years ago

    @ Xeopuppy

    I can only see games published by Microsoft Game Studios not appearing on Steam, but when did they last publish a PC game, 2007?

    Two titles they had planned for release this year got cancelled and Alan Wake has been shelved.

  • sneetch #19 2 years ago

    @ignatiusjreilly
    Well, Steam would always tell you that the publisher sets the price.

    Indeed, it's the same with all these digital download services, the publisher has complete control over price. It's not like Steam, Impulse, D2D or GfW buy a boxed copy for each digital copy and sell at their own price, instead they get a percentage of the sale price that the publisher sets.

    @Xeopuppy
    I can see GfW Live games not being allowed on Steam, so you have to buy them from Microsoft...

    ...Not Good.

    There are already a number of GfW Live games on Steam (like Dawn of War II). As for if we'll see any new games then it depends on the publishers not MS, if MS push too hard then the publishers can simply go with someone else but why wouldn't MS want to import the Steam user base (which is I believe the largest PC "community";) into GfW?

  • JayG #20 2 years ago

    It is strange, if they really wanted it to be a success could release fable 2, alan wake, gear's 2, etc.

  • neems #21 2 years ago

    MS are going to have to do an awful lot of work on the front end of GFWL before I would even consider buying a game through them.

    Also - 360 controller support is not guarenteed in GFWL titles - only if the title has controller support at all.

  • bad09 #22 2 years ago

    @ Darren

    What you do set yourself a price limit (mine is £25, although Batman deservedly got £30 out of me) then teach yourself you do not need that latest game no matter how much they hype it, eventually it sinks in and you don't spend £35 a game if you wait! Steam makes it easier as there is so much quality gaming available on the cheap while you wait.

    Remember just because it's all new and shiny doesn't make it better. ;)

  • Boomerang #23 2 years ago

    Try telling that to my gf...

  • bad09 #24 2 years ago

    Amen Boomerang! :)

  • GamesConnoisseur #25 2 years ago

    People pooing MS just cos they are MS, seem to forget that more competition means better price and range of choice for consumers. I m a long time Steam user since they launched and got darned quite a few collection but I also welcome GfW and the downloadable games.

    Could be PC crowd is right that PC Market is very big and would support such developments, my take is also that MS been neglecting PC for X360? So would be great to spread their love?!

    Don't buy if you not keen on service or price, PC NEEDs more investment and quality developments for greater share of Market presence that seemed owned by consoles nowdays'

  • chiz #26 2 years ago

    Too late, steam's got the market.

  • Hexagon #27 2 years ago

    More digital distribution? Great! The convenience of digital distribution plus the competition of more and more publishers going digital make for a great gaming experience as prices fall and convenience increases.

  • Sharzam #28 2 years ago

    Sure some things microsoft has gone heavy weight into and stomped all over it however this is one area they wont be able to steam is big enourgh to resist any microsoft threat.

  • Keivz #29 2 years ago

    This is just the next step in preparation for the release of 'The Lost and the Damned' for the PC.

    Just announce it and set a release date already!