Removal of GFWL DRM and addition of achievements for Steam? : Fallout 3

» Sun Apr 05, 2015 3:28 pm

Recently, many fairly well known game publications and developers have listened to their community's feedback to remove unwanted third party digital rights management and/or implement achievements to their products on the Steamworks digital distribution service. Some of these publications include: 2K Game's removal of Games for Windows Live for Borderlands and Bioshock 2, Capcom's removal of Games for Windows Live and the implementation of Steam achievements for Resident Evil? 5/ Biohazard 5? and Dead Rising 2, Codemasters Racing Studio's removal of Games for Windows Live for Dirt 3, and Rocksteady Studios' removal of Games for Windows Live and the implementation of Steam achievements for Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City.

Many fans and consumers of the Steam service have been wondering for years now, does Bethesda have any plans on removing the Games for Windows Live digital rights management from Fallout 3 entirely and implementing Steamworks achievements for Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion?

You may not care much for Steam personally, but there are thousands of fans, consumers and achievement hunters who wouldn't purchase a product solely because it either incorporates third party digital rights management that the player doesn't want to have to deal with or simply doesn't have achievements for the Steam service.

» Sun Apr 05, 2015 3:31 pm

For Fallout 3 you do not need to run GFWL. GFWL just needs to be installed. As long as you can get and install the last version of GFWL I doubt Bethesda will make a patch for it.

As for Achievement I doubt they will add any since Bethesda are not working on those games anymore but are working on a new project.

» Sun Apr 05, 2015 11:29 pm

Well for one thing, Oblivion doesn't use GFWL at all, nor does it have any sort of achievements. And frankly, I fail to see the point in achievements at all. They're a pointless addition to the game IMO. It certainly wouldn't be worth Bethesda's while to spend the time creating them for such an old game. People aren't going lay down more cash for the game simply because they existed. Most of the former players have already moved on to other games. As Erzherzoghans points out, GFWL does not need to be accessed, it only needs to be installed. And as long as Microsoft still makes the base client available on their web site, which they do, then there really isn't any need for Bethesda to take any action at this time.