Microsoft’s Games for Windows Live service will be discontinued on July 1st, 2014, according to a Microsoft support page. Games for Windows Live provided PC gamers with a social hub for leaderboards, multiplayer, and more but it was never really adopted by gamers. Services like Steam and Uplay feature their own social layer, leaderboards, achievements, and much more than Games for Windows Live.
While most gamers won’t miss Games for Windows Live, its closure will have some effects on the gaming world. Microsoft’s own Age of Empires Online requires Games for Windows Live, meaning AEO will also be shuttered. Other games such as Street Fighter 4 and Resident Evil 5 also rely on Games for Windows Live for multiplayer support. Capcom has not detailed how they will transition their products away from Games for Windows Live yet.