Capcom strips Games for Windows Live from Street Fighter X Tekken and Lost Planet 2, crippling multiplayer

Publishers continue to deal with the fallout of Microsoft shutting down Games for Windows Live. While newer Steam games don't rely on the online service, Lost Planet 2 loyalists noticed a surprising update. The 2010 third-person shooter no longer officially supports multiplayer functionality. Capcom also made similar changes to Street Fighter X Tekken and Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City.

Microsoft introduced Games for Windows Live in 2007 to bring Xbox Live-type features to PC gamers. However, the company announced its closure in 2013, replacing it with the Xbox Network and Microsoft Store. Titles relying on GFWL continued to boot for many years before publishers began delisting Steam games. Lost Planet 2 is a notable example because the multiplayer component is essential to its gameplay.

Capcom had already disabled purchases of impacted games but hinted that a solution was in development. Gamers had expectations that the publisher would replace the online connectivity with Steamworks. Resident Evil 5 benefited from a similar patch, but Lost Planet 2 and Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City players are in limbo. In some cases, owners have lost local save data, nullifying years of achievements. Additionally, previous workarounds to keep online modes functional are no longer options.

The downfall of Games for Windows Live highlights game preservation issues for online-dependent titles. When companies go out of business or servers shut down, these games may become unplayable. With the live-service model now popular, there is a potential for more issues to arise in the future. Still, Capcom appears intent on finding a fix for several of its Steam games. Recent updates could foreshadow their return to the marketplace with working multiplayer.