Steam Community Beta Explored

There’s no doubt that PC gamers have suffered big time since the console war erupted. All the great content got snagged by Sony or Microsoft while PC gamers were left behind with half assed ports. Look at Xbox Live on the 360 for instance – it’s pretty much the wall that supports the console, on which all the games are bricked together to form a pivotal force, around which 360 gamers feel right at home. I’ve always wanted something similar on the PC, so when Microsoft announced their Games for Windows Live (GFWL) banner and service for the PC, I was really excited. Who wouldn’t be... Imagine seeing the same kind of integration Xbox Live has on the 360 on a Windows Vista PC. I dreamt of seeing GFWL somewhat like the Media Centre bit of the Vista OS (where looks and functionality is concerned), with a seamless interface that would let you handle your achievements, friends list and have a plethora of arcade games on one gorgeous looking platform, that would be so well woven into Windows Vista that it’d make you drool even if you were dehydrated.

What we ended up with instead, was a crappy set of limited in-game features that had absolutely no functional use whatsoever. In fact, it was so terribly flawed that a great game like Shadowrun(PC) was completely raped to the point that people couldn’t play the game due to Windows Live Gaming. My copy of Shadowrun is collecting dust in front of me as we speak, because every time I start up my game it goes straight to the GFWL update screen, but doesn’t connect to their great update servers, leaving me helpless as I wait for my game to become playable. If you think this is a problem with just my copy/internet connection/nationality you’re quite wrong. It turns out that a huge number of people the world over can’t play this fine game, thanks to Microsoft.