Tiny Diggers – An iPad Construction Truck Game for Kids Age 2-5

It had slipped my mind, but the new Games on Demand Marketplace for Windows users went live today, and Microsoft is looking to entice some people with decent deals for the launch.  To access the new marketplace, you will have to do a Games for Windows Live update, but once there, you will have access to most of the current selection of games that feature the Games for Windows Live offerings.

Microsoft is giving away the previously Vista only game Tinker for free to anyone that downloads the client.  Also, the service has Viva Pinata and Shadowrun marked down to $10 for the launch.  Viva Pinata is a pretty good game, that really works well with the mouse and keyboard, while Shadowrun has built up a surprising community over the years, and of course features cross-platform multiplayer support.

It is nice to see Microsoft jump into the online distribution marketplace, because more competition never hurts consumers.  However, there are a few glaring issues that will end up making the Games on Demand marketplace more of a niche player instead of a major factor when purchasing online.

First, look at the titles you can buy, and then notice the glaring ommisions.  There is no Grand Theft Auto IV, no Quantum of Solace, and even Microsoft has decided to leave off its popular Halo 2 franchise from the service.  You need to have all of the Live titles on the service.  Secondly, the marketplace highlights the obvious fact that few developers have embraced the Games for Windows Live platform.  Think of all the PC titles that have released in the last 2.5 years, and this is all Microsoft has to show for it with the platform.  Finally, when you look at the list, and you realize this is a service created by Microsoft, where are the titles from Microsoft.  Both Microsoft offerings on the service were launched in 2007.  Yes, you read that right, Microsoft does not have anything from the last two years to offer PC customers.  Microsoft has to support the service with titles from its own stable, even if they are ports of Microsoft Studios titles.  Where is Halo 3, Halo Wars or Viva Pinata 2.  I mean, we cannot even get Kameo, and that was a horrible Xbox 360 game.  Even Age of Empires is out, because Ensemble Studios is no more.  Microsoft, you own 80+% of the PC desktop marketplace, so make some games for it to play.

So, Microsoft entering the market is good, and if they can start expanding the Live initiative to all the developers, and get some more first party titles on the platform, the service could be something that could compete with Steam.  Microsoft has the capital to do it, but do they have the want or care for the PC platform to be competitive.