So Fable 3 is up for pre-order on Steam, meaning Microsoft Game Studios is now a Steam partner. I don't think anyone expected this because of Games for Windows Live, but there it is anyway.

My GOG-specific question is this: does this mean MGS is a possible GOG partner now? When GOG said one of the five most-wanted remaining publishers was signed with two more close to signing I think most people wrote-off Microsoft as impossible. Should we revise that assumption?

Games have been sold with GFWL before on Steam, the only thing new is that actual Microsoft games are being sold on Steam. The problem for GOG at least with the newer Microsoft games is GFWL is a form of DRM and it's not exactly easy for people to remove it. Crack it yes, ignore it yes but remove it completely? No.

Not immediately. I think it will be some time before microsoft ends up here, the only reason they're begrudgingly releasing on steam is because of the dominance in the Digital Distribution Market. GOG for the time being is still very small, give it time, yes, GFWL library isn't sufficient to keep the service going, GOG have a far more substantial, and sought after, library with no real competition atm.

Big difference there, hence the thread. This is about the game publisher Microsoft releasing through a digital service not their own. Well the games we would want on GOG right now would not have Games for Windows Live on them anyway, such as Age of Empires or the original Halo. Also Games for Windows Live is not inherently DRM, you can use an offline profile and never activate it. It is only DRM if it has the "zero day piracy protection" pre-launch activation, which is 1) relatively new, and 2) easier to remove since it happens outside the game.

It cuts you off from online gaming without a valid CD-key. I'm pretty sure Halo 2 would be welcomed onto GOG but not without multiplayer. In fact any game that uses GFWL as an online component is pretty much excluded from ever coming to GOG.

There are games on GOG right now that need a key for multiplayer, so I don't understand what you are trying to say.

I think we're going to see a transition away from GFWL, meaning any possible games releasing on Steam without GFWL have a better chance at eventually appearing on GOG.

It's a key bound to your online Live account. It's DRM. If GOG started selling games with GFWL then they can't say they sell DRM free anymore is my point.

They are just doing the same thing Valve have had so much success with, i.e. using different channels than their own to spread their system. Just like tons of people have had to install Steam after buying a random retail game, tons of people will now get GFWL after having bought a Steam-game.

GOG-releases would not use GFWL, so I don't think that's something Microsoft is interested in. Would love to be wrong, but they're Microsoft after all.

I hope this means Age of Empires will become available for DD. It's not available anywhere, is it? God, that on GOG would be fantastic.

I don't play multiplayer so you're going to have to explain the difference to me. I was under the impression that any multiplayer key ties your game to an account. For example a Farcry multiplayer key ties it to your Ubisoft account or whatever. Sure, but Valve games are not up for sale on Gamersgate. This is the equivalent of that.

I'd love for Zoo Tycoon Complete or Fable to be available, either on Gog or Steam (latter far more likely I guess. Don't see Micro going the no DRM route any time soon)

They still sell Halo, Age of Empires and Fable in most stores in the US that carry PC games. Walmart always has a copy of at least two of those on hand, as does Best Buy. My point is they are DRM-free on store shelves today, so I don't know that GOG is much different.

Knowing corporations though I would assume they will see a difference.

Biggest major difference is your online profile with GFWL is encrypted. For that reason you can't transfer your saves between PC's.

What does that have to do with multiplayer? And I am 90% sure if you use an offline profile it does not mess with the saves, it only does that for online profiles to protect their silly achievements.