First discussed a few months back, Microsoft announced today that a Windows Live marketplace, similar to the Xbox Live marketplace, will launch this fall. In addition, all associated subscription fees for its Games for Windows Live Gold service have been permanently removed.
Once the Windows Live marketplace launches this fall, the Games for Windows Live service will be redesigned, namely the system’s user interface to properly accomodate the PC crowd. Chris Satchell, Microsoft’s Entertainment Business Division CTO, talked about why that change was necessary.
"The first UI was good but it was too console-centric. It wasn’t really what Windows gamers wanted. We have a new UI that’s consistent with the way Windows gamers want to interact. It’s free to you as a developer, and we’re reducing the technical requirements."
If you picked up that last part, game developers will be able to implement the Games for Windows Live service into their games for free. So far for one big developer, Relic Entertainment will be using the service for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II.
It’s great to see these changes coming, but with other digital distribution services gaining (wait for it…) Steam, will this competition (finally) create some changes?
[Via Gamasutra]
