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Max Payne 2 for a buck on GFW Marketplace today
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne is available today on the Games for Windows Marketplace for just $0.99. A great deal on a noir love story with a high body count. Speaking of Max, dearest of all our MIA protagonists, there's still nothing new to report on Max Payne 3. Having already had nearly two years worth of release windows close, the game's latest official delay was this past June. We'd guess that the triple Payne would have a launch window sometime in 2011, but trusting any release estimate is like a noir character trusting a dame with silk stockings. Also, World of Goo is on sale this week through the Marketplace for $4.99. [Thanks, Josh]
Games for Windows Marketplace relaunches right on time
Just as planned, the new browser-based Games for Windows Marketplace launched today. "Definitely you should show up on day one, because we're going to have a great pre-order on a title you may care about," product manager Peter Orullian teased several weeks ago. Well, we're not seeing "it" aaand ... there's not even Call of Duty: Black Ops on offer (or even Modern Warfare 2 for that matter). A Steam-killer this not -- not yet, at least. What the Marketplace does have going for it is a relatively user-friendly, if (for now) bare-bones interface, anchored by Live integration (squint and you'll see your faded-out, cross-platform Gamerscore in the upper right when you log in). Of course, Microsoft has stated its intent to vastly expand the site's catalog by offering plenty -- and there are plenty -- of PC games that are not Live-enabled. The new design also wisely highlights both the Deal of the Week (Osmos for $2.50) and new "DailyDeal" (GTA IV for $12), which are going to be key aspects of the new Marketplace. Additionally, there's an option on the site to add Microsoft Points to your Gamertag (Windows Live ID) account, and, while not obvious until you proceed to "checkout," you can use points as a payment method to purchase Games for Windows content -- already a dangerous aspect of the new Marketplace.
Games for Windows Marketplace gets competitive, relaunching Nov. 15
In November, Microsoft will reboot its Games for Windows Marketplace. In doing so, the company aims to beef up its online portal with more games -- and not just those few that align themselves with the Games for Windows Live branding -- and provide a more competitive and comprehensive retail experience. Peter Orullian, who helped develop digital distribution strategies for Xbox Live, has been tapped to effectively manage the relaunch. %Gallery-105596%
