Games for Windows certification streamlined for Windows 7 launch
by Ben Gilbert 
{ Sep 17th 2009 at 9:30PM } 
By opening up a website that advertises the various marketing benefits of bringing titles to the GFW label, it appears that Microsoft is putting forth at least a minimal effort to keep its PC gaming business running. We've reached out to Microsoft for more information on the new self certification process and will update this post when we know more.
[Via Big Download]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Premature ejaculation man @ Sep 17th 2009 9:33PM
Well, at least they keep trying?
Though I think this is about their 5th revamp though.
Bradwart @ Sep 17th 2009 9:42PM
I'm sure the fact that they can just copy and paste from the PC to the 360 has nothing to do with it being popular.
CzAr @ Sep 17th 2009 9:48PM
When people come in to buy PC games, we ask them if their computer meets the game's requirements.
They always say the same thing... "I have Windows Vista". Great... enjoy your game....
ZaxCG2 @ Sep 17th 2009 11:00PM
Sweet! I'm going to get Windows 7 on my Eee PC and become GOD TIER.
Ballistic H @ Sep 17th 2009 9:50PM
Microsoft doesn't even want to release 360 games they publish on GfW (Gears of War 2, etc). Why should 3rd party support it if Microsoft doesn't even support their own PC label?
AoE @ Sep 17th 2009 10:08PM
They do... somewhat, with PC games. It's absurd to think that they'd want to port their console exclusive titles to Windows. After all, the entire reason they have exclusives is to move consoles. All of the development monies they spend on games like Gears or War 2 are to ensure there are great titles exclusive to the 360. You'll note that they DO eventually port them over, but only once there's no "threat" to the console to do so. You'll also note that they release games exclusive to Windows too. I don't know if they have anything in the pipeline right now beside the Age of Empires III Complete or Gold or whatever it's called, but I can assure you that is one franchise at least that isn't available on any console.
RKN @ Sep 17th 2009 10:12PM
Some will disagree with me when I say that the PC isn't directly involved in the console war. There's so many 360 games on the PC and the 360 sales are not hurting. Microsoft is selling enough consoles, they really shouldn't be shooting the PC in the foot.
Please MS, let some of your 360 games come to the PC like Gears 2, Fable 2, GTA4 DLC, its been almost a year now, come on! Better late than never!
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 17th 2009 10:14PM
If they would have released Gears 2 or Fable 2 on PC I would NOT have a 360 right now....real fuckin talk...
RKN @ Sep 17th 2009 10:26PM
Come on MS, let me play them on my PC with higher resolution, settings, mods, etc. please?
Microsoft wouldn't lose too many sales of the 360 if these games were on the PC. PC gamers are much more likely to go to the console than vice versa.
Unknown @ Sep 18th 2009 7:38AM
@AoE
Microsoft has shown no effort at putting good titles on the GfW platform. Remember Alan Wake and how MS ripped that away from the PC to put in exclusively on the 360? Only the most hardened MS defender would be unable to accept the favoritism MS has for the 360 over the PC. The GfW platform is nothing more than a cheap effort from MS. They simply wanted to dipped their hand in yet an other market.
Of course MS will port over any old 360 exclusives to the PC, its just their lazy way of trying to make more profit. But old games are old games, and most often those games become meaningless to the gaming population in general by the time they do come out on the PC. The only reason MS doesn't make titles release at the same time for both platform is becase they care more about the 360. They do get more money from 360 sales, that I can not denide, and it just goes to show that MS view PC as second class when compare against the 360.
Age of Empires III is a poor example of MS making PC exclusive titles. That game was made before titles were developed to be multiplatfrom. Maybe that game can't even be ported to the 360. But if something like Halo Wars can sell well, it wouldn't be a surprising if AoE IV, if there is one, will appear on the 360 as well. What recent games is MS going to develop or publish that is exclusively on the PC? Nothing.
Special Agent Steve @ Sep 17th 2009 9:51PM
Good thing Windows 7 is awesome.
Rhamsey @ Sep 17th 2009 9:53PM
I absolutely love Windows 7. As soon as the beta came out I started using that as my main os and same with the rc. My laptop which was running vista runs 100% faster, smoother, and has less problems with the same hardware. I love it.
PeterF @ Sep 17th 2009 10:10PM
@Rhamsey thats either a lie or you didn't have your computer set up correctly. I do not notice much of a speed difference on my computer. Windows 7 is nicer, but not as much as people say.
Special Agent Steve @ Sep 17th 2009 10:40PM
@ Peter F.
YOU must have it set up incorrectly. I'm currently running Windows 7 RC as my main OS, and I noticed a HUGE difference (especially in startup times) compared to Vista. Also, very snappy, and it uses 1/2 the ram (700mbs now) compared to Vista.
boltu222 @ Sep 18th 2009 7:02AM
My brothers the one with a Vista PC and when I gotta do some PC related things and use his month old machine which works like a BBC computer I just don't...
I did install Vista on my imac and though it ran better it was no leap however Windows 7 on my imac runs perfectly and I find myself starting up in Windows more often then Snow Leopard...
tomlinson731 @ Sep 18th 2009 11:02AM
Agreed. I love Win7. I've got a dual boot with Windows 7 and Linux Mint 7 and I couldn't be happier with my OS setup.
Rhamsey @ Sep 17th 2009 9:51PM
Games for windows isnt bad, I can link my gamer card and gain achievements and such, but steam works so much better and has a better system. At least they are trying for those of us who use it.
Breakerchase @ Sep 17th 2009 9:52PM
GFWL was the worse thing they did for Fallout 3. It made mods like DarnUI and save games a giant hassle.
Aurailious @ Sep 17th 2009 11:09PM
http://fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=1086
If you haven't done so already. Plus the Nexus is the best place for TES and Fallout mods.
Flo @ Sep 17th 2009 9:52PM
Since noone wants to give Linux love I can't wait till they perfect wine.
Bradwart @ Sep 18th 2009 2:20AM
Linux sucks. Use a real OS!
Moustafa @ Sep 18th 2009 2:30AM
I second the Linux loving.
Anybody who thinks Linux sucks is either a n00b or is brainwashed.
MowDownJoe @ Sep 18th 2009 11:13AM
The problem with that assessment is that this is a gaming website. Name some games that run natively in Linux.
...I thought so.
BigD145 @ Sep 17th 2009 10:01PM
Game designers haven't been running away from computers or even from Windows, so I'm not sure what MS is trying to do other than force a couple more labels of their own brand on everything they can.
Tetsuo @ Sep 17th 2009 10:11PM
Yo, windows 7. I'm real happy for ya, and I'mma let you finish, but Windows 98 was the best OS of all time!
RKN @ Sep 17th 2009 10:13PM
Hell no, Windows ME FTW, I miss you frequent blue screens!
Bradwart @ Sep 17th 2009 10:15PM
First, that's old now. Second, XP is the greatest OS of all time.
kthxbai
Tetsuo @ Sep 17th 2009 10:22PM
Whoa.. yeah.. I loved ME and it's blue screens. Lets see if I can find the REAL best os of all time.
*searching*
WHEW! FOUND IT! Took me a while, but here it is. Enjoy!
http://www.deanliou.com/WinRG/WinRG2.htm
ZaxCG2 @ Sep 17th 2009 11:02PM
KANEEEDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Sly (PSN: SniperChameleon) @ Sep 18th 2009 12:24AM
windows RG is amazing.
sleepypersons @ Sep 17th 2009 10:13PM
I'm still don't get why they do this PC games don't need it at all. It's the main reason I refuse to buy Dawn of War 2 and if they put it into more games it just means less buying for me.
Andrew Timson @ Sep 17th 2009 11:48PM
You're confusing Games for Windows (a pretty label on the box) and Games for Windows Live (an online service).
sleepypersons @ Sep 17th 2009 11:55PM
Nope I'm not in Dawn Of War 2 to play online you have to sign in to games for windows live.
I do have Gears for PC and that says games for windows and you still have to sign in to play it.
TwistedBishop @ Sep 18th 2009 4:40PM
Except this article doesn't mention just Live, but the Games for Windows brand in general (the pretty label across the box).
NintendoJunkie @ Sep 17th 2009 11:11PM
I think I recall an article awhile ago where Cliffy B. was basically saying GoW 2 won't be happening on the PC because of fear of being pirated.
RKN @ Sep 17th 2009 11:14PM
Then why are games like Batman: Arkham Asylum on the PC then? Unreal Engine 3 is based on the PC, porting Gears 2 to the PC will not be difficult and they will make a profit even with all the damn pirates.
jcmschwa @ Sep 17th 2009 11:19PM
GFW Live is awful. it is the main reason that so many people are having connection problems and dropped games in Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War 2. The customer would be much better off if Relic had just develop its own online matching system and everything.
Plastic Rat @ Sep 18th 2009 12:00AM
Totally agree. I bought DOW2 and honestly Games for Windows live made me regret it. It's annoying, it's clunky and just plain unnecessary.
Since that game, if I see the bright friendly 'Games for Windows Live' logo on top of any game, I keep walking. There are better options out there.
Publishers should do themselves a favor and skip tacking this crap onto their games.
TwistedBishop @ Sep 18th 2009 4:36PM
How exactly does GFW-Live cause connection drops in Dawn of War 2? All these games are peer-to-peer. You're saying the dastardly matchmaking service lurks in the shadows after a game has begun and kicks people offline? These Microsoft boogeyman stories don't even have to pretend to make sense anymore.
I've been playing that game since the beta and it works just fine. My only issue is GFW-Live not playing well with Sygate's free firewall. Now I've seen plenty of lag from people running on too high of settings, or from bad connections with high latency, but that has nothing to do with the Live service. What this article specifically addresses -- the need for publishers to certify their own updates and not wait weeks for Microsoft to do it -- would have helped with the one case where GFW really *did* screw over DoW2 during the population cap bug.
rahmenxnoodles69 @ Sep 17th 2009 11:54PM
god that windows logo looks delicious lol
NintendoJunkie @ Sep 17th 2009 11:55PM
I agree. I never said that it made sense. It's not like it would be that difficult to do. I still might pick up GoW 1 for pc sometime. What interested me in it is that just as w/ other Epic Games titles on pc, you can make mods & maps.
Ritz @ Sep 18th 2009 2:07AM
I'm a PC enthusiast/gamer with a Wii and a 360. And I have to recommend my non-tech friends away from the PC (even with the fantastic Windows 7) because of common PC game issues.
While PC gaming isn't dead (just look at the how successful Steam really is), I'm not sure if there is a point with the GFW branding push...
Those who are looking for a smooth and happy experience without much computer knowledge are just going to buy the console and the matching game. They might by into the GFW brand once or twice until they become frustrated with all the same troubleshooting for video and sound and other interruptions you have to handle when dealing with PC games and ultimately may have their view of the brand tarnished. Then they'll go to their console and be supremely satisfied that their game works on the system without any sort of troubleshooting required.
And for the rest of us who have the time, skill and patience to troubleshoot before getting the superior experience in the end? Well, we aren't really going to make a decision on the game based on GFW either. *shrug*
War Machine @ Sep 18th 2009 3:17AM
Props for that comment. Very true.
That logo means nothing to the consumer aside from the hint that the game is made for the Windows operating system. I doubt developers and publishers will line up to get that logo on their games any time soon, if ever.
sajjad @ Sep 18th 2009 5:17AM
interesting info:
Moneysurf
t_m @ Sep 18th 2009 7:11AM
It seems that to get the GFW badge you have to implement a lot of MS features, such as GFWL.
Considering that the list of games that GFWL has broken is much longer than the list of games it hasn't, i can't imagine anyone would want to use it.
But to get onto the little MS sponsoored shelves in stores you HAVVE to use it. Sigh.
TwistedBishop @ Sep 18th 2009 4:25PM
Not true. Games for Windows (the banner on the top of game boxes) is not the same thing as GFW-Live. GFW by itself is simply a set of standards the game needs to meet (mainly having to do with playing nice with Vista/Windows 7, and things like widescreen and gamepad support).
TwistedBishop @ Sep 18th 2009 4:11PM
So if Microsoft doesn't port over 360 games, it's screwing over PC
gamers. And if it does port over 360 games, people complain that the
360 has no "exclusives". Is there anything they can do that
WON'T result in bitching?