Aug. 2001 - Windows XP Launched
Nov. 2001 - Xbox Launched
Nov. 2004 - Half-Life 2 Released with Steam requirement
Mar. 2005 - We care about PC gaming, Longhorn (Vista) to usher in modern PC gaming with "Tray and Play"
(Microsoft Windows Graphics and gaming general manager Dean Lester) reaffirmed his group's commitment to making Windows gaming "a simple, straightforward, and robust experience" that isn't marked by long game-install times, driver conflicts, and downloading patches. To this end, we were shown a demonstration of "Tray and Play" with the PC version of Need For Speed Underground 2. "Tray and Play" is exactly what it sounds like--dropping a game disc into an optical drive and loading it up immediately, rather than having to install it to a hard drive.
Nov. 2005 - Xbox 360 Launched
Feb. 2006 - Microsoft: Don't Count PC Games Out!
(Microsoft's Corporate VP of Interactive Entertainment) Moore asserts that the next Windows OS, "Vista," should be out by the end of the year. Vista seems to be the cornerstone of Micrsoft's plans to reinvent PC gaming
Nov. 2006 - Windows Vista with DirectX 10 Launches
Mar. 2007 - MS continues PC push
Allaying the concerns of paying Xbox Live subscribers everywhere, Microsoft has announced that the Windows Live pricing will be the same as the Xbox Live pricing: $49.99 per year. This will likely include a similar feature set as the console counterpart: ability to play online with cross-platform games, a unique gamercard, access to achievements, and so on."
Mar. 2007 - Shadowrun Developer Speaks
Shadowrun is the first cross-platform game ever developed, allowing Xbox 360 players to challenge PC owners across Live Anywhere. With the game shaping up very nicely indeed, IGN spoke to Mitch Gitelman, FASA's studio manager, about breaking new boundaries in gaming and the difficulties of creating a game that would run as well on 360 as it would on PC.
At that point Microsoft formed the Games for Windows department, which didn't exist at the time, all because of an idea Robbie had and that was the inspiration behind Shadowrun.
Jun. 2007 - Windows Vista-only Game Shadowrun Cracked to Run on Windows XP
To gamers, one of Microsoft’s incentives for upgrading to Windows Vista is the promise of being able to play the latest in PC games. [...] gamers right now are not yet convinced by the latest in Windows Vista-only software.
Halo 2 released last month for the PC [...] after originally appearing on the Xbox in 2004. Most gamers found that it wasn’t worth the extra wait for the PC version, with it scoring an average of over 20 percent lower than the console counterpart.
Shadowrun, another Windows Vista-only game, did not face any lag between it and the console version, though PC gamers not running the latest Microsoft operating system did find themselves completely unsupported.
Classic cracker group Razor 1911, however, has made it possible for those running Windows XP to play the supposedly Vista-only Shadowrun with the replacement of several files.
Jun. 2007 - Hack Lets You Play Halo 2, Shadowrun in XP
Microsoft has, in typical Microsoft fashion, decided to launch their forced migration onslaught in full force with the release of two games that will only run on Windows Vista. First they claim that it was impossible to implement DirectX 10 compatibility atop Windows XP, and now they also want us to believe that they couldn’t successfully launch two DirectX 9 based titles on XP either. We plan to expose both theories as patently false.
Jan. 2007 - Geometry Wars, Uno Vista-bound
Microsoft showed off a version of Uno running on Windows that was compatible with the company's upcoming Live on Windows initiative, which aims to make a PC version of the popular Xbox Live online service. Indeed, those with the Windows version of Uno will be able to play against those with the Xbox 360 version of the popular card game, and Windows on Live features all the matchmaking and community functionality of Xbox Live.
(This never happened)
There have been several setbacks and delays with Games for Windows Live and Live Anywhere. None of the Arcade games announced for release on Games for Windows Live and Live anywhere have been released, such as Uno and Geometry Wars. ¹
Sep. 2007 - FASA Studios Closes
It is my sad duty to announce that FASA Studio has officially closed its doors. Today was the official last day of employment for those of us who had not moved on to other positions within Microsoft Game Studios. While the rumors have been circulating forever, we chose to wait on an official announcement because we didn’t want people’s attention distracted from our last product, Shadowrun, a game we love.
Jul. 2008 - Microsoft refunding gamers, Games for Windows Live goes free
"gamers will immediately benefit from the company's newly announced revamps of the Games for Windows Live platform. Most notably, the Games for Windows Live service is now free for all preexisting GFWL titles, and will hold all forthcoming titles. This service used to cost $50 a year, as it does for the sister Xbox Live service, and includes platform-wide TruSkill matchmaking, cross-platform play with the Xbox 360, voice and text chat, and integrated community features, such as the gamercard and integrated friends lists. This change comes as the result of criticism of Microsoft's for-pay service which was launched at a time when comparable and arguably superior services already existing for PC gamers were already available for free"
Sep. 2008 - Microsoft Closes Ensemble Studios
The statement from Microsoft says that “after the closure, the Ensemble leadership team will form a new studio and has agreed to provide ongoing support for Halo Wars as well as work on other projects with Microsoft Game Studios”.
In the second part of the statement, Microsoft moves on to praising how well its gaming division is doing, with such empty words like “We are committed to growing MGS with world-class talent both internally and with our external partners around the globe. We have recently added some well-known developers to our team and will continue growing the team”.
Nov. 2008 - MS bolsters PC gaming with all new Games for Windows Live
The Marketplace, which will position Microsoft to compete with digital distribution services like Steam and Greenhouse, is set to go live in the next few weeks. In addition to downloadable titles, the Marketplace will also feature downloadable content for the supported games, just as the Xbox Live Marketplace does for Xbox games.
Jan. 2009 - Gears of War PC certificate expires
If you’ve tried to play a copy of Gears of War PC today then you’ve probably noticed that something isn’t quite right – namely that the game doesn’t work.
The reason for this is apparently a certificate problem caused by the ever-popular Games for Windows Live service.
Players who attempted to start the game recently found themselves with a error which reads that “This certificate has expired or is not yet valid” – which is both vague and unhelpful.
Apr. 2009 - GTA IV PC Stuttering Problems Now Fixed via GFW Live Patch
thanks to a recent update to the GamesForWindows Live service, which is required in order to play the game, a lot of users have complained that their copy of GTA IV is now experiencing severe stuttering and lag.
But don't worry, as the team at Microsoft has realized what has happened and has released a fix for the issue, which will now make the game playable once more without any stuttering. “Thanks for your patience, a new update is available that addresses the stuttering issue with GTA IV. Just log in and apply the new update,” a Microsoft representative revealed.
May 2009 - PC Broken Steel Error Is A Games For Windows Live Problem
As we reported previously, PC users who downloaded the Broken Steel downloadable content via Games for Windows Live this morning were treated to a "cryptographic message is not formatted correctly" error. We contacted Bethesda's Pete Hines, who explained that the error is related to Games for Windows Live.
July 2009 - Windows 7 Launches
Oct. 2009 - Windows 7: What Happened to Gaming?
In 2006, then Microsoft Vice President Peter Moore apologized for what he called a dereliction of duty to the company's number one gaming platform: The PC.
The problem I have with Windows 7, though, isn't its failure to vastly improve the gaming experience, it's Microsoft's failure to take advantage of the attention brought by the launch of a new operating system to once more thrust PC gaming into the spotlight.
Oct. 2009 - The Sorry State of Windows 7 Gaming
Where things stand in 2009: 34 GFW-branded titles have been released to date, only 10 of those with LIVE support. 15 of those 34 have full Xbox LIVE support but lack corresponding Games for Windows LIVE functionality. Major PC releases like Borderlands, Dragon Age: Origins, Left 4 Dead 2, and Modern Warfare 2--the holiday headliners--are shipping without GFW branding entirely. It's hard to say who's more to blame--Microsoft, or an obstinately independent development community--but the sense one has is of an international accord devoid of signees.
The company's response to questions about Windows 7's role in gaming? "Windows 7 is going to be the dominant PC gaming platform."
So here we are, witness to the inaugural moments of the version of Windows Microsoft meant to ship in 2006. The simultaneous Games for Windows 7 marketing push? Vendors leaping to showcase their GFW-branding? Parades of LIVE-enabled titles? Partnering with the strangely subdued PC Gaming Alliance to shout from the rooftops with the same promotional enthusiasm that greets the arrival of a new console like Microsoft's Xbox 360 or Sony's PlayStation 3?
Still missing in action, after all these years.
Jun. 2010 - Microsoft's shameful E3 PC showing
Here's a fun fact: if you tried searching for PC games at E3, you'd do a better job looking at Sony's portfolio than Microsoft's. For the sum total of Microsoft's commitment to PC gaming at E3 was utterly embarrassing. Four Xbox 360s running Fable 3. It's now absolutely clear that Microsoft have zero interest in developing or supporting PC gaming's incredible future. Their PC E3 showing was an embarrassment to the platform.
From Microsoft, there were no PC related announcements, no PC games on display, and no interest in promoting the PC as a gaming platform.
Jun. 2010 - A Larger Microsoft Push For PC Gaming This Time
Windows is far and away the largest gaming platform in the world, so it's an incredibly important part of Microsoft's business. From core games like "Fable III" to casual, social and Facebook titles, more gaming happens on Windows than anywhere else. Windows 7 is a world-class gaming platform, and you can bet Microsoft has a vested interest in using it as a platform for amazing first party content. "Fable III" on Windows as well as Xbox 360 this holiday is a great first step, and we'll have more news for you later this summer.
Oct. 2010 - MS: "We're doubling down on PC gaming"
For now "doubling down" on PC gaming means relaunching their web-based Games for Windows Marketplace next month with about 100 titles for sale.
While it's nice to see Microsoft paying attention again to the PC as a gaming platform, I asked Orullian why Microsoft is spending time fixing a program that already has several very successful third-party solutions. Why reinvent the wheel, I asked, mentioning Valve's tremendously popular Steam service which currently has more than 1,200 games for sale.
"We have a different vision that runs parallel to what (Steam) is doing," Orullian said.
Dec. 2010 - Microsoft wants Windows 8 to relaunch PC gaming
"Windows 8 will represent a real new push into PC gaming," the source told TechRadar. "Gaming will be a key component for the whole OS."
Feb. 2011 - DirectX 11 Launches
May. 2011 - Games for Windows Live is a broken mess and I hate it
I don't like Games for Windows Live: it takes away the use of my 360 for multimedia functions while I'm playing a PC game, and it gives me nothing that Steam doesn't already have in return. It's a liability, an annoyance, and it needs to either be fixed—or removed.
Apr. 2012 - Microsoft won't ditch Games for Windows - Live for PC Xbox Live
"Microsoft continues to support the Games for Windows platform, but we are making new investments in Metro style games.
To this end, and "for the core PC gamer", Microsoft launched Age of Empires Online and Microsoft Flight.
Aug. 2012 - Windows 8 Launches
Feb. 2013 - Games for Windows Live error locks some users out of online profile, saved games
Games for Windows Live users have been experiencing problems connecting to the service's servers, leaving some unable to access their online profiles. It's an unusual situation, because the much-loved GfW Live is normally so reliable, and definitely not something we recently described as "one of the most ill-conceived and poorly executed pieces of software it is possible to install on your PC."
Aug. 2013 - Xbox.com PC Marketplace closing down Aug. 22
"The change doesn't mean that Games for Windows Live is going away, just the ability to purchase them through Microsoft's store. The Games for Windows Live service will continue to operate as usual, Microsoft says."
Aug. 2013 - Microsoft: Games for Windows Live service ending July 2014
Games for Windows Live services will be discontinued on July 1, 2014, according to a since-deleted support update from Microsoft. The closure will have a major impact on at least one Windows PC title, Age of Empires Online, which will end its service on the same day, according to the statement.
Nov. 2013 - Xbox One Launched
Nov. 2013 - MS promises core first party games coming to PC
"I think it's fair to say that we've lost our way a bit in supporting Windows games," Microsoft Studios VP Phil Spencer admitted. "But we're back."
Dec. 2013 - SteamOS Launches
Mar. 2014 - What Titanfall Launch Problems Mean for Microsoft
One of the most anticipated games of the year, Titanfall, developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts, serves as an important exclusive title for Microsoft's Xbox game consoles. However, the game's online-only nature, coupled with its heavy reliance on Microsoft's Azure cloud-computing infrastructure, means that problems in the cloud could potentially render Titanfall unplayable. The launch of Titanfall on March 11 came with some problems as many gamers could not play the game, which added to a growing list of online games that have launched with major technical problems over the past year.
Microsoft's Azure cloud platform provides the Xbox One with an unique advantage. Microsoft has been offering developers discounted access to Azure for running game components, and Titanfall developer Respawn took full advantage of this by using the cloud computing platform to calculate the behavior of in-game enemies and host multi-player matches. While this allows processing power on the Xbox One to be dedicated to other things, like improved graphics, it comes at the cost of tying the functioning of the game to the stability of Azure.
Jun. 2014 - Spencer explains why Microsoft didn't bring Windows games to E3
"For us, E3 is a console show and an Xbox show, and for us as Microsoft, Xbox is our gaming brand, and it's the thing we can fill an arena like this, we get millions of people to watch us on TV and we show our games and it's a brand that people care about."
Sep. 2014 - Steam to Absorb Resident Evil 5 and Dead Rising 2 From Games For Windows Live
Two key Capcom games on PC, Resident Evil 5 and Dead Rising 2, are set to be released on Steam for the first time as part a plan to remove them from the Games For Windows Live platform.
"With the global popularity of the Steam platform, we’ve seen high demand from fans to bring these highly requested titles to this platform," Elston wrote.
"Moving to Steamworks will allow more fans across the world to enjoy these games."
Those who already own any of these three games on PC will find them transitioned to Steam for free
Sep. 2014 - Microsoft Has Acquired Minecraft For $2.5 Billion
Microsoft has confirmed that Mojang and Minecraft will join its ranks, but it’ll continue to make the game available across iOS, Android and PlayStation as well as on Xbox and PC, the company announced today. Microsoft says that they started their conversation around bringing the title to the Xbox console, and from there witnessed their tremendous success and decided to make the acquisition to help “diversify [its] game portfolio.”
Mar. 2015 - Microsoft admits 'we've lost our way' on PC games
At the Game Developers Conference on Wednesday, Phil Spencer took the stage and reaffirmed that the company sees Windows 10 as the company's big chance to get back its shine and its market leadership.
Spencer specifically called out the existing Windows 8 App Store, which he acknowledged wasn't a huge revenue driver for any of the developers there, including Microsoft itself.
Mar. 2015 - Halo Online Closed Beta Launching
Today, we’re excited to announce a project we’ve been working on with our partners Saber Interactive and Innova Systems: Halo Online, an all-new, free Halo multiplayer PC experience that will launch in spring, only in Russia.
Halo Online is powered by a highly modified version of the Halo 3 engine and optimized for smooth performance on lower-end PCs.
Apr. 2015 - Dirt 3 finally leaves Games for Windows Live in the dirt
Interestingly, it appears that instead of actually changing Dirt 3, Codemasters is simply giving everyone who owns it a free copy of Dirt 3 Complete Edition, which includes all of the DLC and uses Steamworks instead of GFWL. "Those who originally purchased the game via Steam will notice that the now old GFWL version of DiRT 3 will still be in your library," Williams wrote. "You will still be able to play this version but it will still include Games for Windows Live and you won’t have access to the Complete Edition content—nothing will have changed with that older version."
Jun. 2015 - “Xbox on Windows 10” won’t be like Games for Windows Live
"We want to make clear that when we talk about Xbox going forward, we’re talking about gaming on all Windows 10 devices—PCs, tablets, phones, Xbox One, and HoloLens," Spencer said.
Jul. 2015 - Windows 10 with DirectX 12 Launches
Jan. 2016 - Developer: Windows 10 app store is a mess
"Since Windows 10 arrived, the sales of all of my apps, which have been very low compared to other apps stores, have gone down significantly, nearly to zero (even the one I upgraded to Windows 10)," he wrote.
"And it is not surprising that this is the case: You cannot find my apps anywhere in the app store. Unless you know the exact name of my app, you won't find it. You can type any of the keywords my apps have in their title, description or even in the list of keywords submitted to the store, and it won't list my apps," he explained.
To make matters more infuriating, Microsoft shrugged him off when he asked for help, he says. They told him Microsoft had made some changes to the app "searching algorithm" and "we do not control or guarantee the way an app is found within the store."
Feb. 2016 - Quantum Break on PC requires Windows 10, DirectX 12
The game has been developed using a new engine called Northlight, which uses DirectX 12's new capabilities. As such, DirectX 12 is a requirement to play the game on PC, which makes it only compatible with Windows 10; gamers still using Windows 7 will not be able to run the title.
Feb. 2016 - Quantum Break Windows Store exclusive, not coming to Steam
Now that PC players are done celebrating the announcement of Quantum Break coming to PC, Microsoft has confirmed what many feared, that the game will not be coming to Steam.
The company’s Aaron Greenberg said on the Major Nelson podcast that Quantum Break will be a Windows Store exclusive.
Jun. 2016 - "We will ship games on Steam again," says Xbox boss Phil Spencer
This doesn't mean the Windows Store won't still be an important part of Microsoft's strategy, however. "I want to build a store; there's no doubt about that," Spencer said. He then went on to talk about the successes of recently-released Windows Store games, admitted some haven't gone down too well. Apparently Forza 6 Apex and Killer Instinct have done well. Being free, it's not too surprising. Meanwhile, Quantum Break "wasn't [Microsoft's] best PC release" and "Gears of War: Ultimate Edition was OK".
Aug. 2016 - Microsoft cancels free-to-play Halo Online
"according to a member of the development team going by Fogeyman, Microsoft had 'failed to make decisions on the future of the project' for the last six months. "
Aug. 2016 - Quantum Break Win10 version abandoned - "it's unlikely we release another patch"
Following the announcement of Quantum Break on Steam, Remedy have admitted they won't be curing any more of the issues of the Windows Store version any time soon.
Nov. 2016 - Windows 10 Store Refunds ‘Call of Duty’ Because Nobody's Playing It
"PC gamers who bought the game from the Windows 10 Store can’t play with everyone else" (including Steam)
Apr. 2017 - The Windows Store still sucks
"Even after the new Creator's Update, Microsoft's digital storefront is a mess."
Jun. 2017 - Phil Spencer wants to bring OG Xbox emulation and Xbox Game Pass to PC
"Naturally, when we talked with Xbox chief Phil Spencer today, we asked if we might see that emulation make its way to the PC in the future. His one-word answer?
"Yes.""
Nov. 2017 - Microsoft plans to expand pursuit of $100 billion gaming industry, Nadella tells shareholders
Nadella continued by mentioning that the company will continue to connect its gaming assets across PC, consoles, and mobile, and they will work to “grow and engage the over 53 million Xbox Live members more deeply and frequently” with new services like Game Pass and Mixer.
Jan. 2018 - Age of Empires: Definitive Edition could come to Steam eventually
As it turns out, the decision to keep the AoE redo exclusive was solely Microsoft's, and unrelated to what Steam does or doesn't allow.
The greater challenge facing Microsoft isn't just that it's digital storefront is bad, but that it's reputation for badness is so deeply entrenched that a significant number of gamers would rather wait for new releases to appear elsewhere than deal with it.
Jan. 2018 - Sea of Thieves' multiplayer ship battles are a blast, but the Xbox app needs to walk the plank
I have a feeling this game will fail on the PC because the Microsoft Store is still nearly impossible to navigate, and getting a party together using the Xbox app is a confusing pain.
There's really no sugarcoating it: for a game this multiplayer focused, the painful combination of the Windows Store and the Xbox app feels close to a death sentence. It's really not going to cut it.
Feb. 2018 - Xbox chief Phil Spencer: "Microsoft needed a reboot"
"It was obvious Microsoft needed a reboot," Spencer admitted. "Morale had hit a low, we were all massively frustrated we kept missing big trends. In some ways, it felt like real innovation was impossible. And the in-fighting and fiefdoms were so famous, people made fun of it. Which would have been funny, if it hadn't been so true."
Nov. 2018 - Xbox chief admits Microsoft has ‘a ton of work to do on Windows’ for PC gamers
Unfortunately, some games come with odd restrictions that you wouldn’t typically see in regular desktop PC games. These range from not supporting overlays from apps like Fraps or Discord, to no Nvidia Shadowplay support in some titles, and even no sound when you alt-tab out of a game in some Microsoft Store games. The download and install procedure for Microsoft Store games is often buggy, with failed installs and error codes a particular headache for some PC gamers.
All of these issues have led to Microsoft promising to do better. “I think we’ve got a ton of work to do on Windows,” admitted Xbox chief Phil Spencer at Microsoft’s XO18 event this weekend. “Windows is something I’m very committed to, I’ve heard the feedback about our Store. I’m going to take a bigger leadership role on what’s going on with the Windows Store, make it really tailored to the gamers that we know want to see the best from what we have to offer.”
Feb. 2019 - Crackdown 3 Wrecking Zone: what happened to the 'power of the cloud'?
What happened to the power of the cloud? Crackdown 3 finally launched last week, its Wrecking Zone multiplayer mode presenting the final iteration of an astonishing cloud-driven physics showcase first revealed by Microsoft in 2015. Perhaps inevitably, the final game only bears a passing resemblance to that initial demo, and while Wrecking Crew itself is rich in potential, the actual game is rather lacklustre.
It's difficult to avoid the conclusion that the original Crackdown 2015 concept we saw was massively over-engineered in some respects - to the point where actually rolling it out to thousands of players could ever be achieved, bearing in mind the vast amounts of compute power it required.
May 2019 - Microsoft Is Doubling Down on PC Gaming Support
In a blog post by Phil Spencer, Microsoft's EVP of Gaming and Head of Xbox, he admitted that the software giant has "not always lived up to our aspiration" when it comes to meeting players needs on PC, and would be taking steps to improve the gaming experience on Windows.
The first point in Spencer's plan is to make the Xbox Pass Game subscription service available to players on PC. "It’s called Xbox Game Pass, just like the original," he says, "but it’s a new experience that we are building together with the PC community."