Microsoft's Games for Windows Plans

Microsoft announced its intention to bring console development to the masses. At the same time the company is making a big push for PC gaming.

Other Showcases include less defined features, such as simply crafting gameplay that is unique to Windows, or best played on Windows. This might include dual monitor support in genres such as strategy or racing. In the near future, Microsoft will also be putting a heavier emphasis on its Live Anywhere service, which will attempt to bring an Xbox Live-like streamlined online gaming experience to other platforms including Windows. It will include features such as the TruSkill matching system used in Xbox Live, built in voice chat for all compatible titles, an all-inclusive cross-platform Gamertag, support for microtransactions and other paid content, Xbox 360-like Achievements, and so on.

Live Anywhere will be receiving a first party "launch" when Vista is released, consisting of the Vista showcase titles Shadowrun and Halo 2. At that point, major features such as account management, matchmaking, a player feedback system, achievements, and the cross-platform identity will be in place. However, Microsoft also plans a second launch around the 2007 holiday season consisting of 8-10 major AAA titles to show off the system. That is the release timeframe developers currently working on Live Anywhere PC titles should be targeting. Other features such as Live Arcade for Windows, the Marketplace, integration with MSN Messenger, and so on, will be more fully implemented at that point. The SDK will be made available to developers this fall.

Why?

According to Microsoft, the actual total Windows gaming market is growing, in large part due to the rise of online casual gaming. Currently, Microsoft estimates that there are 16 million hardcore online PC gamers, 39 million moderate online PC gamers, and a staggering 143 million casual online PC gamers. The overall market is expected to hit 336 million online gamers in 2009. In addition to attracting existing (or former) hardcore gamers both on the console and PC side, Microsoft hopes that the console-like approach to PC gaming will attract more casual gamers that may not be interested in a dedicating gaming console. For gamers, this would have the benefit of increasing support for Windows gaming and making the experience more stable and consistent. From Microsoft's perspective, it strengthens the Windows brand and drives Vista sales and upgrades, as well as likely increasing support for Xbox 360 due to the cross-platform XNA tools.

Microsoft has a big task ahead of it with its Games for Windows plans; this kind of unified platform approach to PC gaming has never been attempted to this degree. If the company succeeds, however, it could have an extremely positive effect on the PC gaming development and gamer community, which has seen slowly declining support in recent years as publishers place more of their budget allocations on console development. Microsoft's Peter Moore stated that, in its negligence, Microsoft has allowed PC gaming to suffer. Hopefully now it can have the opposite effect.