It"s fair to say that the Games for Windows Live service has won few fans over the years, with many gamers believing that Microsoft has treated it as a second-rate offering behind its more prominent Xbox Live service, especially now that Xbox has broken free of the console and onto PCs, tablets and phones. Despite the lack of affection, Games for Windows Live continues to soldier on, but there"s a significant change coming just around the corner.
Next week, on August 22, Microsoft will be closing the Games for Windows Live marketplace, which means that users of the service will no longer be able to purchase new games through it. Microsoft says that downloadable content and in-game purchases may still be available to buy, but will vary from game-to-game, and advises that you speak with each game"s publisher for more info.
Microsoft has published an FAQ page about the changes, which coincide with the upcoming retirement of Microsoft Points payments in favour of real-currency transactions. The company makes clear that these changes won"t affect the Games for Windows Live service itself, which will continue to be available, while any games and content already purchased will also still be accessible via the Games for Windows Live client.
Still, it seems likely that these are the first steps towards the eventual shuttering of the service, so for now, enjoy it while it lasts.