Free Games at Windows Live

To compete with Apple’s successful iPhone and iPod App Store, Microsoft announced today that Windows Live will have free games for its PC users. What used to be only available to Xbox users is now available across the entire Windows platform.

Microsoft’s press release states “the launch of Games for Windows — LIVE marks a major expansion of the Xbox LIVE service across multiple platforms, uniting gamers with a single identity, a single gamertag, a single friends list and a single list of achievements attainable on the Xbox 360 and a Windows-based PC.”

Many analysts have believed Microsoft would take this action, opening its games platform to everyone, since Apple had so much success with its App Store. The Apps Store allows iPhone and iPod users to download games and other applications (most for free) to their handheld devices. Now, PC users will have the accessibility that only Xbox users had.

Windows Live will allow Xbox and Windows users to play with each other which connects over six million users together. Microsoft stated this service will be allowed all over the world potentially connecting users all across the globe. Microsoft states that their games have the widest range of titles, the most gaming hardware choices, and advanced gaming technology for players of all types.