Microsoft will be selling PC games on demand via the new Games for Windows Marketplace, starting November 15.
As well as a store redesign, the company is also refocusing their content offering to include indie titles. Microsoft already has a dedicated console portal for indie games in the form of Xbox Live Indie Games. Some titles have even made the switch from the indie circuit to Xbox Live Marketplace, as was the case for The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai which began life as a hobbyist XNA project.
The service will primarily carry the latest PC releases. Titles such as Lego Universe and CarneyVale will arrive on GfW Marketplace at the same time and date they hit retail stores.
The store has been updated to be faster and easier to navigate. Microsoft is looking to make digitally distributed PC games more attractive with new purchase incentives, like a Deal of the Week and other seasonal offers that have been successful on Xbox Live.
“With Games for Windows Marketplace, we set out to create a digital store built for PC gamers end-to-end,” said Kevin Unangst, Microsoft’s senior global director, PC and mobile gaming. “And by integrating with our existing Xbox Live and Windows Live services, we’ve made it easier than ever for millions of gamers to see for themselves how easy buying PC games can be.”