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Ultra Street Fighter 4 on PC ditches GFWL for Steam
While Capcom offers Street Fighter 4 and Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition through Steam already, players have to register a Games For Windows Live account on top of Steam for multiplayer. Capcom's Neidel "Haunts" Crisan says Ultra Street Fighter 4 will forgo GFWL entirely for Steam. Crisan tweeted the news earlier today, and so we followed up with Capcom. The company confirmed the news and added that Ultra Street Fighter 4 would be available on Steam and "other digital distribution partners" when it launches next year. Capcom also clarified it hasn't "made any announcements regarding our broader PC lineup." Ultra Street Fighter 4, due for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, was announced at this year's EVO fighting game tournament. As the latest re-issue of Street Fighter 4, this entry in Capcom's flagship fighting series adds five new characters in Elena, Rolento, Hugo, Poison and a fifth, unknown character who will make his/her fighting game debut.
Batman: Arkham City PC performance issues linked to DX11, patch incoming
Having waited over a month for Warner Bros. and Rocksteady to tidy up the PC code for Batman: Arkham City, players have expressed frustration with severe performance issues encountered in the game. Warner has confirmed that a stuttering framerate is tied to DirectX 11 features, which should be disabled while a patch finds its way to Gotham's cordoned-off criminal depository. Disabling DirectX 11 (under "Settings" in the Games for Windows launcher, and "Configure PC Options" in your Steam library) will drop the game down to DirectX 9. It's not as disfiguring as it sounds, but let's not make excuses for a game launching in such an unsteady state. We'll be sure to let you know when the punitive effects of tesselation and horizon-based ambient occlusion have been eliminated.
Microsoft discounts Super Meat Boy, other content across its platforms
This week, Microsoft is offering discounts across Xbox Live, Windows PC and its mobile platforms. It's being billed as a fan appreciation sale and we're sure Microsoft would appreciate if its fans spent money. It's kinda how these things go. Highlights include Super Meat Boy for $5, a few discounted add-ons for Left 4 Dead 2 and Homefront, half-off Indie Games titles Flotilla and Weapon of Choice, and a few PC and mobile joints for good measure. If you want to spend, there's a good chance you can find something to spend money on here. The only thing we'd suggest is that perhaps you hold off on the five different premium Xbox 360 themes available. There's no word on whether or not they'll be compatible with your new Dashboard next month.
Batman: Arkham City swoops to PC on November 18
Warner Bros. has deemed today the day to reveal Batman: Arkham City's delayed PC launch date as November 18, one month to the day after its arrival on consoles. The Games for Windows version was delayed last month via a terse WB announcement, which didn't provide an explanation at the time. We can exclusively reveal why today: Bruce Wayne is exhausted, y'all. He's got a lot going on, between film and TV and video games, and he just needed a few weeks to chill. Okay, that and PC version bug fixes.
Games for Windows Marketplace, Xbox.com becoming one big, game-obsessed family
Games for Windows Marketplace will no longer have to drift through life alone. Microsoft announced this week that the Steam competitor will be absorbed by Xbox.com -- a seemingly logical merger, given the site's association with Xbox Live. The move comes in spite of an attempt on Microsoft's part to completely revamp the service late last year. The Marketplace is set to move into its new digs on July 11th, so here's hoping it takes advantage of its last few days of freedom in style -- by sitting around in its underwear playing video games, naturally.
Games for Windows Marketplace to merge with Xbox.com on July 11
It's about time. Microsoft is finally consolidating the Games for Windows Marketplace and Xbox.com into one big ultra mega site. Makes sense, right? The transition will take place on July 11, Eurogamer confirmed, when all of the Games For Windows content will find a new home at Xbox.com. Back in November, the GFW site received quite the overhaul in an attempt to bring a more accessible experience to its web hub. Currently, there's a thread on the Xbox.com forums discussing the move, if you feel like being part of the conversation. You know, if you want. No pressure!
Dirt 3 Monte Carlo DLC now available worldwide
Codemasters probably had no idea the accidental synergy it was creating, dropping the Monte Carlo DLC for Dirt 3 the same week that the soon-to-be hit romantic comedy of the same name was arriving in theaters, but here we are. Unfortunately, Selena Gomez isn't a new rallycross driver in the upcoming pack, and as far as we know, there isn't any rallycross in the film. What a waste! Regardless, the $10 pack is now available on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 via their respective digital storefronts, and on PC via the Games for Windows Marketplace. It comprises eight new tracks set in the miniscule Mediterranean monarchy of Monaco (specifically Monte Carlo, of course). If, like us, you don't have a summer villa in the DLC's lavish setting, you may want to take a peek at the maps in action before purchasing the pack -- for that, we suggest heading into our gallery below.%Gallery-127363%
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City preview: Left 2 Die
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City certainly isn't Left 4 Dead, but I wouldn't blame you for confusing the two. ORC is, after all, a four player co-op zombie shooter, featuring a variety of zombie types that largely resemble what both Left 4 Dead games featured before it (a large tank-like zombie, a zombie who scurries on the ceiling and reels you in with his tongue, etc.). In fact, other than a third-person perspective and a Resident Evil landmark setting, I was getting some serious déja vu playing ORC. Except for one crucial point: it wasn't quite as fun as Left 4 Dead.%Gallery-125731%
Resident Evil 5 is half price on Games For Windows
Starting today and running until Thursday, April 28 at 11:30am EST, Resident Evil 5 is half-off on the Games For Windows marketplace -- down to $15 from its usual $30 asking price. Sounds like a perfect opportunity to give a lonely Majini a home. Sure, they may be parasitic shells of their former selves, but that doesn't mean they don't have feelings, guys. It should be noted that this is the base edition of Resident Evil 5, sans both DLC packs: Lost in Nightmares and Desperate Escape. It also doesn't include the Versus mode.
Fable 3 will be crowned on Steam as well as Games for Windows
Despite what you learn in Fable 3, not everyone gets to be king. When it comes to PC gaming digital distribution platforms, there's only one king and its name is Steam ("Your Highness" will suffice). Microsoft, also known as the lowly Duke of Games for Windows, has finally seen fit to recognize Steam's monarchy and, as a form of tribute, will be offering its own Fable 3 on the reigning platform as well as its own. But nothing is ever that simple in court politics! While both digital releases, as well as the retail version, will be simultaneous, only Games for Windows Marketplace shoppers will be treated to a free copy of Fable: Lost Chapters, the expanded update of the original Fable. Steam shoppers will get the far less desirable Rebel's Weapon & Tattoo Pack, featuring some, uh ... weapons and tattoos for your hero. Retail shoppers get the security of a box and a disc, so that's something. Fable 3 is due on PCs on May 17 in North America and shortly thereafter elsewhere.
First Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City screens deployed
It doesn't look like the Umbrella Security Service team got much training before embarking on Operation Raccoon City. Taking a zombie hostage? Really? That's how you plan to negotiate with Mr. Leon S. Kennedy? Good luck with that.
Gears of War free with Bulletstorm on Games For Windows next week
Microsoft's Games for Windows Marketplace is having a buy one, get one free sale on Epic Games shooters starring guys with really big arms. Specifically, the digital storefront is giving anyone who buys next week's foul-mouthed FPS Bulletstorm a free copy of the original Gears of War. The deal will be valid from February 22 -- Bulletstorm's on-sale date -- through March 8. People Can Fly's game will carry a sticker price of $59.99, while Gears normally goes for $19.99.
Street Fighter IV, Square Enix titles 50% off on GFW marketplace
Microsoft is putting the hurt on prices for select titles on the Games For Windows marketplace through next week. Capcom's PC version of Street Fighter IV is half off the usual price during the promotion -- $14.99 -- as are 16 titles from Square Enix. The sale is effective through next Wednesday, February 16. You'll find a full list of discounted titles after the break. We're shoryuken find something you'll want on it.
Battlestations: Pacific half-off on Games for Windows Marketplace
If you're not content with restricting your dude-shooting to dry land, you might want to divert your attention to Battlestations: Pacific -- through the morning of Thursday, February 3, the sky, sea and undersea shooter is half-off ($15) on the Games for Windows Marketplace.
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]
Viva Pinata one buck on Games for Windows today, Blacklight: Tango Down tomorrow
The Games for Windows platform understands how mercurial our mood can be from day-to-day. Today, the storefront's offering the charming, friendly Viva Piñata for a dollar. According to its RSS feed, it's applying the same discount to the somewhat angrier, shootier Blacklight: Tango Down tomorrow.
Deus Ex: Game of the Year just 99 cents today on Games For Windows
It seems the Games for Windows Marketplace is trying its darndest to establish itself as the premiere source of awesome games that cost less than a 20 oz. bottle of soda. For example, today, you can pick up Warren Spector's epic FPSRPG Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition for just 99 American cents.
This is getting silly: Age of Empires III is ten cents on Games for Windows today
It's rare that we see games' price tags fall much lower than yesterday's $2 BioShock deal on Games for Windows. And yet -- today's GfW weekend sale completely blows yesterday's out of the water: For $0.10 (yes, ten cents), you can grab Age of Empires III: Complete Edition.
BioShock marked down to two freaking dollars on Games For Windows today
This is just silly. If you're a PC Gamer who has brought immeasurable amounts of shame upon yourself and your immediate family by having not played BioShock yet, then you can rectify your terrible mistake for just $1.99 today, thanks to a Games for Windows weekend sale.
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.
