Xbox Live for Windows 8 shown at Build 2011, is basically Xbox Live for Windows 8

@Diet Kane
You haven't had to pay to use GFWL in a loooooong time.

@DarkNightRJ

That means Microsoft's thinking it's about time we start ponying up.

@Diet Kane

Not sure why that was downvoted when it brings up a very valid point, most PC gamers that I know hate GFWL because it's just another clunky unnecessary layer added to most games.

They initially tried to charge users to unlock P2P gaming functionality, but that didn't sit well, however if this new Xbox Live integration is RIGHT there on the main screen of Windows 8 when the OS loads up by default, it will reach a much wider audience since most non-gamers will likely click on it to see what it is then potentially buy something on it. This can open up a completely new audience, one which is uninformed about other games on the platform and likely would accept paying to unlock basic features like P2P online.

They COULD re-introduce a pay model, you never know.

@MassiveGG Agree. This looks horrible. Im guessing Win 8 is gonna end up like visa.

@MassiveGG None of what you said made sense...

@AnimeGirl16
I thought VIsa was everywhere you wanted to be.

@AnimeGirl16 I'm running vista and every time you say something bad it calls your os to start it's revenge.

@Tradio
Already exists. See Shadow Run and the PC version of BlazBlue.

@The Aquacharger
I'm pretty sure he meant on a larger scale. To my knowledge those are the only games that have ever supported it. It was quite awesome in Shadowrun.

@MEMgrizzlies7

Lost Planet: Colonies & Universe At War: Earth Assault also have cross platform play.

@Alphonze

Never going to happen.

Microsoft is firmly in the console business, to the detriment of pc gaming. The vast, vast majority of XBox360 exclusives never make it to pc. So they aren't going to let you skip out on having to buy a console to play them.

@Drakkenfyre Why even bother with windows 8 and the XBL Shit if you can't play any Xbox/Xbox 360 games?
All the stuff shown could already be accessed via Xbox.com

@Drakkenfyre Already Happening.

http://www.winrumors.com/xbox-live-windows-8-gamers-can-play-against-pc-win-phone-and-xbox-video/?utm_campaign=twitterwp&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter

@System Has Failed

That said nothing about being able to play 360 games on a PC instead of a 360. It only talked about cross-platform play, which would still be limited to any games released on both 360 and PC.

@xiLeShadow

These are to achievements that require a stupid grind to get.

@xiLeShadow...Indeed, I feel like my OCD has been attacked by achievements at times. I think back when I got my first xbox and thought, Ha, what do I care about some existential point system. Now, years later, I'm just another fiend, endlessly hunting down useless collectables, salivating over another 20g.

@Starcade

They aren't the same. ARM windows 8 will not be able to run x86 programs, for starters.

@Starcade

Vista had an App store!

@Mr Hett Where?

@Muevelow
If anything, the Zune software will replace Windows Media Player. Too be honest though, the Zune software is 20x better than any music software out there.

@killer rin

Good god I hope it does! The sooner WMP is gone from my computer forever the better.

@killer rin I didn't say the zune software was bad cause I like it a lot actually. It would just make things simpler if they merged things together. I really don't wanna open up zune for music then xbl for gaming and wmp(good lord please no) for anything. If they replaced windows media player with zune thats a good solution too. Having it all in one place would be better IMO.

@Viiral

As a "computer guy," I'm curious as to how the OS will handle various things. Will all programs launched in Metro be fullscreen? What will be the "base layer" of the OS? Will the traditional Explorer UI be an application from inside of Metro, which itself is an application? Will they run in tandem? I don't know enough. I heard a Dev build is out in the wild, but I haven't installed it anywhere yet. I'm very curious, though, as someone in IT.

As a "PC gamer," though, I've yet to see anything about Win8 that isn't revolting. Entirely ignoring Metro for the moment (which is undoubtedly, on the desktop-PC side, designed for Kinect), the heavy integration of XBL into Windows is cause for concern. Once everything's standardized and centralized, it will be very difficult to go with any alternative, or third-party solutions. I suppose Steam is doing alright on OS X, though, and that's really where we should be drawing parallels.

Microsoft has seen where Apple's gone, the pop-appeal it's cultivated, and wants in on it. Plain and simple. Everything's easy if you can't break it, if everything's *the same*, and easy means Grandma, Grandpa and Suzy the Crazy Cat Lady can use it and won't be scared away to the Macintosh environment. I'm getting away from the central point regarding gaming, though.

So yeah. XBL, eh? So far I see no benefit to heavy Windows integration, aside from a noncompetitive future. And really, can you blame Microsoft? It only makes sense to integrate their platforms, and they've been very successful in both arenas. I don't *blame* them for moving in this direction, but I am a little disappointed.

In another thread regarding Win8 (I may become known as the Crzy Win8 H8r), I stated a desire to move to Linux, and I still feel that urge. The only problem is a lack of developer support. Remember when games used to feature heavy OpenGL support? I don't, directly, because I wasn't gaming then, but I went back to the original Serious Sam the other day and saw the option to switch between OpenGL and Direct3D! That's pretty cool, and I'd imagine it streamlines the process of cross-OS compatibility. Granted, I don't know enough about game engine technology to comment too intelligently, but I would love to see developers support a platform that isn't tied to any one company. I think that would be a beautiful, more platform-neutral future.

/tin-foil_rant

@TheBrainninja
Metro is a base function of Windows 8. both Windows, and Metro are programmed in as the base UI. There is still the traditional UI

I dont know where you came to your conclusion about Steam... mainly as Steam and Orgin can still be installed, its not like they are blocking it out and not going it let you install it. All Microsoft is doing is unifying their platforms. I dont know about you, But I have always wanted Microsoft to build in Xbox Live into Windows, just so I could listen/send my voice messages, and read/write my text messages. There are times where Im at my computer, but the xbox is being used, and I want to check up on my friends -without having to open up a GFWL game -for voice messages- and xbox.com for text.

@killer rin
Do like me and check out the keynotes for information about windows 8
http://www.buildwindows.com/

@stiqlol you can turn off metro in Win8 Dev preview with a single boolean registry switch from 1 to 0. look it up.

Also, HOLY CRAP THIS PRESENTATION IS BORING.

@ZayCube

Oh, don't I wish.

@drunkingamebar
How so? Steam and Orgin can still be installed, its not like they are blocking it out and not going it let you install it. All Microsoft is doing is unifying their platforms which is 100% Legal... And the smart thing to do.

Anti-Competitive is when they force it to make sure that you cant use it. So in this situation, it would be Microsoft programming into windows to cancel the steam installation, or give it errors.

@killer rin Simply because it will be pre-installed on the OS, Origin and steam will not. Users who do not know any better will use the service that had came on the system. I am guessing anti-trust will have a field day with this, just my opinion and I don't know if it really is 100% legal.

Just saying, it's anti-competitive.. Could just as well include Origin and Steam as well as the Xbox Live on Windows 8. Then again, that's competition huh?