Dean Takahashi drops the info.
So, was Chris Early’s departure based on the poor reception and performance of the GFWL campaign and application, or is it part of Microsoft’s apparent abandonment of PC gaming?
I keep saying this, but as long as there are PC’s and laptops sold, there will be games. They may not be branded GFW or from Microsoft Game Studio, but there will be games. For them to abandon this amongst rumors of having an upcoming software application download service ranks as highly stupid.
The term ‘PC’ is being abandoned in favor of…Blizzard Box!
I prefer Steam Machine!
Impulse Contraption!
How about Console Porta-Potti?
Direct-2-Drive Jeloppy
I hope any GFWL shakeups avoid screwing with Dawn of War 2’s multiplayer.
If this is the guy who spearheaded GFWL to this point though, good riddance. Nearly any random gamer on the planet would tell you that the 1st step should’ve been to introduce a desktop client, allowing out of game interaction with your existing Xbox friends.
The GFW Live standalone client is gloriously stupid. It tricks you into thinking it’ll be useful by having a login screen that’s almost identical to MSN Messenger, and then it dumps you into a shop with nothing for sale. Good work MS.
My contribution ahead:
D0med!!
Wonder if they might try and buy Steam one of these days. Think they’d like the software rollout for more than just games and could/would use for business apps too.
Being worse than Steam or Impulse is forgivable. It’s not great, but both services have gamer cred that MS can’t buy nowadays. Being worse than your own service on the console is really what seals the deal.
I am a random gamer and I approve this message.
Tycho over at Penny-Arcade mentioned today that logging into GFWL logs you out of XBL. So no playing Netflix while you’re online with Dawn of War II. Seems like you don’t want to have a GFWL desktop client online all the time unless they can fix that.
They already had the Live interface built into games like Fallout 3 and such - why not in the standalone product? Seems an odd choice at best. I really like the in-game interface they have, I like being able to see my friends (and communicate with them) cross platform. Now I’d be very happy if they gave it all to steam, or at least let Steam users communicate with XBL users.
Also (and I’m not sure what their pricing model is) - any service that has me buy things in widgets instead of $ loses my sale. I put up with it on the XBOX because it’s a closed system but if they pull that outside of XBL they will never survive.
Once again, Microsoft falls victim to itself.
Good thing I use my TiVo HD for Netflix streaming. :) I don’t own a 360, but I would be mighty annoyed if my logging into Fallout 3 would cause my wife’s streamed movie to stop playing.
Falls victim? They fired someone. … … Microsoft is only a victim if you think the head of GFWL was doing a great job, will be sorely missed, or if GFWL heading off with new direction would be a terrible thing. I don’t know if any of those explanations are what you meant, but without explanation, you are just pointlessly microsoft bashing.
I dont normally do this with someone misfortune, but Im going to drink to this. There is no possible way GFWL could have been dug as deeply into the ground as this guy has, barring actually destroying files or your pc.
Here`s hoping someone who actually understands games and gamers takes the reigns, or almost equally as good that it falls into the pits of hell.
Chris is an awesome guy and he’s been around the industry a long time. He inherited GFWL mid-last year if I recall so pointing fingers at him is definitely misplaced. If anything him going away I suspect is bad thing, not a good thing.