Microsoft's Games for Windows Live launches May 8th

Xbox and PC nerds who've always wondered -- really wondered -- whether controller does or doesn't pwn keyboard and mouse, and come May 8th you'll get your chance to find out. That's right, we're talking about Games for Windows Live, which pits PC gamers and Xbox gamers in epic battles of Shadowrun, and, um, Uno. We'll leave the nitty gritty to our pals at Joystiq, but the jist is you can count on your current Silver and Gold account to work in Vista, as the whole thing is based around the concept of a unified, single gamertag. Unfortunately there's no way to only play against like-platform gamers (i.e. choose only to do battle with other keyboards + mice or controllers), so get your whining voices ready for when your head continuously explodes thanks to the dude with the sniper rifle and the 1800dpi / 1MHz / 1ms laser mouse.

Gallery: Microsoft announces Games for Windows Live on May 8

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[Richard @ Mar 14th 2007 4:00AM]

To play multiplayer you have to have a gold account, and if you have a gold account your matchmaking uses Trueskill which makes sure your not playing a dude with the sniper rifle and the 1800dpi / 1MHz / 1ms laser mouse unless you are good enough to beat him. Please stop hating on Microsoft, and think before you post negative comments without proper research trying to stir things up. I have been a xbox live member for 3 years and i have only praise for the way the service is run.

[Zorque @ Mar 14th 2007 4:31AM]

You're taking this a little too seriously. They're just joking around, as they always have. Furthermore, you seem to be a little hasty to defend Microsoft when any flaw at all is pointed out. The fact that you can't choose which sort of systems to play against, while nothing major, may be an irritant to certain gamers, and Engadget is simply reporting this.

Maybe you should also think before you "post negative comments without proper research trying to stir things up".

[Drew @ Mar 14th 2007 4:31AM]

...WTF? Misinformation much?

You can play with other PC gamers with a silver account, people. Gold is only required to play against '360 users, get achievements, and use Matchmaking (The server browser, I.E., what everyone has been using for years, is still available for Silver users).

Now could we all calm the hell down? Christ.

[Nick @ Mar 14th 2007 7:52PM]

What is this "____ Much?" business all about? You do realise how ridiculous you sound.
Would you say something like that in the real world? I hope not :|

[Kenny @ Mar 14th 2007 4:32AM]

Full Microsoft Press Release can be found here:

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/mar07/03-14G4WandXboxLIVEPR.mspx

[totalfixation @ Mar 14th 2007 4:34AM]

How does this prevent hacking? if someone wall hacking or maphacking, how does this make it fair for those on the 360?

[GhostDoggy @ Mar 14th 2007 5:36AM]

totalfixation, please educate the readers on how wall and map hacking are done on the 360. I would think that a precheck game round launched the maps would correlate, or the hacked map user gets dropped (just an idea). Otherwise, I would think the hoster of the round could enforce some sort of map verification.

Any hacking is not to be blamed on the gaming network provider, but rather the hacker and the poor game publisher.

[Blake @ Mar 14th 2007 7:26AM]

SW: Battlefront could do that, console and pc in the same games.

Not a new idea, but cool anyway.

[Totalfixation @ Mar 14th 2007 7:43AM]

GhostDoggy, What i mean is if they start doing Live on PC, sooner or later hacking for the PC version of Live will happen. That will make it unfair for those playing on the xbox live console. You can say one way or other on who to blame, but once it happen its going to make it very frustrating for those on the xbox 360 console.

[Jordan @ Mar 14th 2007 8:54AM]

If you read carefully Halo 2 PC and Xbox players will not be able to play against each other over live. I belive it also says this on bungie's Halo 2 vista page.

[andy @ Mar 14th 2007 9:33AM]

They need to put an option in the game setup to play against PC or not.

PC is obviously easier/quicker to control, so those players would be ranked higher in a unified system.

However, when you're ranked 30 or so in HALO 2 (console) it's sometimes hard to find a game. They should allow you to toggle whether you want to join games with PC players or not. That way, you could play against PC players when no one is one the service, and limit yourself to other consoles when there are enough people on to get up quick games.

[Loban @ Mar 14th 2007 9:40AM]

I can already see it. Xbox 360 gamers complaining that they're getting their faces stomped in by PC gamers using the only true FPS controller (mouse and keyboard). Then everyone will claim that using a mouse and keyboard is cheating. All Halo 2 servers will be overrun by PC gamers because the Xbox 360 gamers will be too scared to even show up.

[Luis @ Mar 14th 2007 10:39AM]

So you will be able to play PC vs 360 ?
wtf?

[Matt B @ Mar 14th 2007 10:46AM]

OK, I buy halo 2 for $40. Nuts, it only runs on Vista, go out and spend $200. Gold member $50 for year....

MS up $290.... to play Halo on a PC.

If Sony did this.......

[andy @ Mar 14th 2007 10:56AM]

@matt B

it'd still be worth twice the price.

[Blaine @ Mar 14th 2007 12:35PM]

It does say on the Halo 2 Vista page that you WILL NOT be able to play it cross platform. But Gears of War when it comes out for PC will be a different story; I'm still kind of worried about how the Gears of War controls will translate to PC. And a side note, yes mouse + keyboard pwns controller... I honestly don't understand the confusion, I play both console and PC and I can definitively say that there is no accuracy like the accuracy my 2000 DPI mouse can provide!

[Otsego @ Mar 14th 2007 1:25PM]

well good thing for me my Death adder arrived yesterday. bad news for you.

[Eric Pham @ Mar 14th 2007 1:32PM]

Yeah i would totally wreck on the console boys with my mouse and keyboard. On a side note it doesnt much matter because i dont have an xbox live account or vista, the latter because lets be honest there really is no reason to get it.

[telepheedian @ Mar 14th 2007 5:53PM]

I know about ESO but will it play AOE III?

[Frankenstein Black @ Mar 14th 2007 10:14PM]

Sweet PWNAGE! Cant wait. I'm one of those PC nerds that will be offing console adicts with gleee! So many bodies, so little time ;^)...

----------
FB a.k.a LDM
Water-bending Master
http://www.eternal-champions.com/images/ldm_master_builder!.jpg

[Zack @ May 8th 2007 4:38PM]

Do you have to get Halo 2 Vista to get Game for Windows Live, or will it be available for download tomorrow (May 8th)

[Kennyb123 @ Nov 24th 2007 9:16AM]

You're all crazy... I can take any mouse/keyboard combination player with one hand tied behind my back! The XBOX 360 controller is so versatile and sensitive! You guys are smoking something... I can't wait for you to join my game!

HAHAHA... I'm just kidding. I've been a mouse/keyboard guy since Doom, and the above is what Xbox360 guys would say. Since they don't seem to be defending themselves here, I thought I'd have a little fun...since you were all getting ready to either reply or give me negative feedback. You still may... but hopefully you got a laugh. -KB