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Compatibility with Xbox 360 peripherals.An "Easy Install" option that installs the title on a PC in the fewest possible steps and mouse clicks.Software must meet certain requirements mandated by Microsoft in order to display the brand on its packaging. Games certified by Microsoft feature a prominent "Games for Windows" logo border across the top of their packaging, in a manner similar to games developed for the Xbox 360. In spite of this announcement, the company stated that content previously purchased could still be accessed via the Games for Windows – Live client software. In 2013, Microsoft announced that Xbox PC Marketplace would cease operations, which would result in the discontinuation of the Games for Windows brand. In 2008, Ziff Davis announced that the magazine would cease to be published, though online content would still be updated and maintained. The first GFW issue was published for November 2006. The promotional push culminated in a deal with Ziff Davis Media to rename the Computer Gaming World magazine to Games for Windows: The Official Magazine. Games for Windows was promoted through convention kiosks and through other forums as early as 2005. The branding program was open to both first-party and third-party publishers. The brand itself represents a standardized technical certification program and online service for Windows games, bringing a measure of regulation to the PC game market in much the same way that console manufacturers regulate their platforms. Games for Windows is a discontinued brand owned by Microsoft and introduced in 2006 to coincide with the release of the Windows Vista operating system. For the service, see Games for Windows – Live. For the magazine, see Games for Windows: The Official Magazine.
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