Games for Windows Marketplace: Microsofts Attempt at an Online Game Store (Epic Fail!)

Microsoft is about to launch their own online gaming store. The product is called the Games For Windows Marketplace and it will be offering on-demand PC games. The Games for Windows Marketplace is set to launch on November 15 and Microsoft is saying it will offer a “robust lineup of games” (about 100 titles at its debut, see a limited list below).

Publishers include: Microsoft Game Studios, 2K Games, Capcom, Rockstar and Warner Brothers. From the looks of it, you’ll need a (free) Xbox LIVE gamertag, Zune tag or Windows Live ID to purchase titles on the Games for Windows Marketplace.

Here’s a list of games that will be available (from the press release):

- “Fable: The Lost Chapters”
- “Grand Theft Auto III”
- “Lego Universe”
- “CarneyVale”
- “Dead Rising 2″
- “Lost Planet 2″
- “Max Payne”
- “Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition”
- “Flight Simulator”
- “Gears of War”
- “Halo”
- “Zoo Tycoon”
- “Fable III”
- “Age of Empires Online”
- “Microsoft Flight”

It looks like this is going to be Microsoft’s attempt to build a Steam rival product, but instead of producing some innovative software to do so they are just going forward with a basic web store. I think this is going to be a bit of a flop!