MS: Games for Windows will get better

Windows and Xbox 360 platform holder Microsoft has promised that its PC service Games for Windows Live will "continue to get better".

Speaking to CVG, Microsoft’s senior producer of interactive entertainment Kevin Unangst told CVG that the service "lacked fantastic games" and had endured what he called a "rocky start".

"The service started with the right intent, which was to bring Achievements, friends, multiplayer gaming and matchmaking in a really great way to PC," he explained. "I think because it was designed originally as a partner to the console service more than the PC service, we had a rocky start.

"We also didn’t back it up with the most important thing, which is doing fantastic games to take advantage of the service. A network by itself isn’t valuable – there needs to be great games to take advantage."

As long ago as 2005 Microsoft was admitting that it had "killed off the PC gaming community" with its lack of focus on Windows gaming. Pledges of improvement have been made time and time again (2007, 2008, 2010) resulting in a yet another complete redesign of Games for Windows Live last year.

"I look at it as like what Halo did for Xbox Live where you had Bungie and Microsoft going back and saying ‘to make a great multiplayer game here’s some things I need in the service, here’s my audience’. The Age of Empire team has got a lot of great input and the same can be said for Lionhead, who said ‘we’re going to build Fable 3 on the PC’ and know what they want out of the service.

"We’re also seeing developers get back to development. Epic did a great job of promoting Live with Bulletstorm. They’re pleased with the platform and the service is going to continue to get better over time."

"I think the underpinnings are great, I think it’s going to continue to get better. We launched a new Marketplace which was great, we’re selling Live and non-Live enabled games."