Games for Windows Moves into Digital Distribution

The Xbox 360 first met with Games on Demand in August, and now Microsoft is ready to move the Game for Windows service into Live mode as well. The company has decided that it's time to push the service into major digital-distribution-gear, so, starting December 15, you'll be able to purchase more than just the currently available downloadable content supplied for only a handful of titles. Microsoft may be the unquestioned ruler of the PC platform, but as far as video games go, and especially digital distribution, the corporate giant doesn't have the same sure footing in the market.

With other services already available, like Direct2Drive and Impulse, its Valve's Steam that it will have to truly compete against. At the moment, estimates place Steam on top of the distribution chain, owning some 70 percent of the digital market, so Games for Windows Live will have its work cut out for it. The main thing that Microsoft pushes for its service is that it be far more than just a copy of the existent competition.

"With Games on Demand, we didn't just want to create a cut-and-paste version of existing digital distribution services," Mike Ybarra, Live Engagement Services GM, said. "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."

Games for Windows wasn't really received with the open arms that Microsoft hoped for, so the Live version might not do that well at all, if one adds to the equation the current state of the digital distribution market. Still, the service will give its best, and will go online with a few popular titles. Resident Evil 5 and Red Faction: Guerrilla would be the bigger ones, with Battlestations: Pacific and the Live-enabled versions World of Goo and Osmos added to the list. As the service launches, it will also provide a free game, Tinker, one that Windows Vista users may already be familiar with.