Games for Windows is a discontinued brand owned by Microsoft and introduced in 2006 to. The Games Explorer, included with all versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7, is a special folder that showcases the games installed on. 'Games for Windows Vista: how the new brand & OS will change PC gaming [update 1]'. The bits for the Games for Windows - LIVE Redistributable v2.0 went live on the Microsoft Download Center on November 12, 2008, and were supported on Windows Vista and Windows.
Massive ARPG Path of Exile will end support for Windows XP and Vista as of its next update, Grinding Gear Games has reported. In an on the game's website, Grinding Gear stated that 'March's 3.6.0 update will not work with the Windows XP or Windows Vista operating systems.” According to the developer, the number of active XP and Vista users amounts to a mere 0.1% of the game’s total user-base, which makes sense considering that Windows XP is now old enough to drive.
Windows Vista, meanwhile, is verging on becoming a teenager, which would at least explain why it was so sluggish and unlikely to do as it was told. “Microsoft, Steam and most other game companies have already ended support for these operating systems, and we plan to do the same,” Grinding Gear continued. “This will also free up technical resources for other more impactful tasks.” At the same time, Grinding Gear is scrapping its DirectX 9 version of the game.
DX9 was required to ensure that Vista and XP users were fully supported. But most players who were using the DirectX 9 version were doing so simply because it allowed them to disable shadows, rather than because their system was unable to support DX11. “Path of Exile's game environments are designed around their shadows. Over time, we have relied more and more on shadows as a critical part of the environment, and so the game without shadows has become very different than the experience we intend.
Because of this, we made sure that our new renderer had fast shadows. The DirectX 11 version (with shadows) performs much better than the DirectX 9 one did without shadows enabled.” So, basically, if you’re a big Path of Exile fan playing on either XP or Vista, you’ve got between now and March to upgrade to at least Windows 7. Meanwhile, the remaining 99.9% of Path of Exile players will benefit from a faster overall game, as Grinding Gear claim they can “simplify a lot of code”.
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Games for Windows Owner Introduced November 8, 2006 Discontinued August 25, 2013 Related brands Markets Worldwide Registered as a in Worldwide Games for Windows is a discontinued brand owned by and introduced in to coincide with the release of the. The brand itself represents a standardized technical certification program and, bringing a measure of regulation to the market in much the same way that regulate their platforms. The branding program was open to both and publishers. Games for Windows was promoted through and through other forums as early as 2005. The promotional push culminated in a deal with to rename the magazine to.
The first GFW issue was published for November 2006. In 2008, Ziff Davis announced that the magazine would cease to be published, though online content would still be updated and maintained. In 2013, Microsoft announced that Xbox PC Marketplace would cease operations, which would result in the discontinuation of the Games for Windows brand. In spite of this announcement, the company stated that content previously purchased could still be accessed via the client software. Was one of the first titles to receive Games for Windows certification, which is displayed on its packaging. Games certified by Microsoft feature a prominent 'Games for Windows' logo border across the top of their packaging, in a manner similar to games developed for the. Software must meet certain requirements mandated by Microsoft in order to display the brand on its packaging.
Main article: Starting with Halo 2 on May 31, 2007, certain Games for Windows titles have access to Microsoft's network for online play and other features, including, and, accessed from an in-game menu called the 'Guide'. Users can log in with their to gain and play games and chat across platforms with games that support cross-platform compatibility. Some features, including cross-platform multiplayer gaming and multiplayer achievements, initially required a subscription to the Xbox Live Gold. However, on July 22, 2008, Microsoft announced that all Games for Windows functionality would be free for existing and future members, and that early adopters of the technology would receive refunds for previously incurred charges.
In addition, Microsoft launched a, similar to the, which allowed users to download or purchase content, such as game demos, add-ons, and gamer pics, with; the publisher of a title would determine if an item required to be purchased. At the same time, Microsoft announced its intentions to make the Games for Windows - Live client software interface more friendly and to reduce the technical requirements for developers.
Games Explorer. Games Explorer on Windows Vista showing information for the poker game, including performance and content ratings. The Games Explorer, included with all versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7, is a that showcases the games installed on a user's computer and their related information. When a compatible game is installed, the operating system adds a shortcut of the game to the Games Explorer, and can optionally download additional information, such as and (e.g., ) through the developer's own game definition file or from information provided by the, although this feature was discontinued since 2016. Information is also displayed within the interface.
The feature was removed entirely in Windows 10 v1803. Games Explorer supports custom commands for games and also includes shortcuts to configure various operating system components which may be pertinent to gamers, such as audio devices, display devices, settings, and game controllers. In Windows Vista, Games Explorer allows developers to expose game metadata and thumbnails to the interface and through a. The Games Explorer is fully compatible with the parental controls feature included in Windows Vista and Windows 7. Parental controls allows parents to include or preclude certain games from being played based on their content, rating, and/or title, and can also block games from being played altogether.
Compatibility typically depends on the age or popularity of a game, with newer games having better compatibility. If a game is incompatible, a user can manually add a game by it to the Games Explorer. Tray and Play Tray and Play is a technology developed by Microsoft for Windows Vista that allows users to insert a game disc into an and play the game while it installs itself in the background and streams off the disc with minimal or zero —in a manner similar to a. The first and only commercial game known to use this technology is the Windows version of Halo 2. Xbox 360 peripheral compatibility Part of the Games for Windows initiative involved ensuring that Xbox 360 peripherals, such as the and worked across Windows platforms. Xbox 360 peripherals not only work with certified games, but also with the default games included with Windows Vista, such as. See also.
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