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Stardock's Wardell no fan of Games For Windows, too controlling
Posted: 02.10.2009 12:55 by Simon Priest Comments: 3
Microsoft's Games For Windows label doesn't have support from Stardock Games, as CEO Brad Wardell says if they ever took over PC gaming then he's "done" making them.

Wardell isn't amused by their current strategy of title updates, especially if you go over the limit because then "you have to pay money." Luckily for Stardock many still avoid the label.

"I started out as a big Games for Windows Live advocate. I intended for Elemental to be on Games for Windows Live, but then as we got closer, the Xbox group took it over more and more," Wardell told Shacknews in an interview.

"And they have things where, oh, if you want to use Games for Windows Live to update your game, you have to go through certification. And if you do it more than X number of times, you have to pay money. It's like, "My friends, you can't do that on the PC,"" he continued.

"We've had to upgrade our games plenty of times over the years, not because we found some bug, but because some third-party program, or driver, or whatever screwed it up."

"If Games for Windows Live maintains that strategy and they take over, I'm done. I'm not making PC games. I would be done." Some titles arrive at retail in the Games For Windows box art packaging but don't use their online services, and this would be why. Bad Microsoft.

Champion of PC gaming, Brad Wardell
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User Comments

By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Oct 02, 2009
herodotus
Yes! Go Stardock...if you can iron out the wrinkles on Impulse.
By FoolWolf (SI Elite) on Oct 03, 2009
FoolWolf
Go Stardock, or just another bid to win easy points of the underdog side of PC gaming?
I have no love for Games for Windows Live, not in the least actually, but I can't see StarDock doing anything about it? So far they are talking a lot, it is time to let the tounge rest and your hands and mind go to work to actually MAKE a difference. Because when you talk - GFWL is picking up all the interesting titles, activations are ruling the day and DRM and the loan to play systems are getting closer and closer.

Also, it is good that you woke up and smelled the coffee finally - but many PC Gamers knew from start that GFWL was shit! So what does that tell you?
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Oct 04, 2009
herodotus
Well I did, as I knew it was based on XBox Live. Stardock at least are trying, and while a few years away from making a "Steam"-like impact, they might just succeed. GFWL, I agree is a bit of an easy target.