Fallout 3 Ditches Games for Windows Live 13 Years After Release

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Image: Bethesda Game Studios

Bethesda Game Studios has released a surprise update for Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition that removes Games for Windows Live (GFWL) from the nearly 13-year-old action RPG. The occasion is being celebrated by many, as GFWL Live is a redundant online gaming service that was officially discontinued years ago. GFWL was Microsoft’s solution for tying Windows games with its Live online network service.

From Steam:

Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition has been updated and no longer installs Games for Windows Live dependencies. If Fallout 3 was previously installed on Steam, we suggest uninstalling and reinstalling the title. The title no longer requires Games for Windows Live and will now launch.

Update Version: 1.7.0.4

Fixes

  • Games for Windows Live dependency was removed.
  • Improvements to stability and performance.

For Fallout fans on Linux, GamingOnLinux has reported that Fallout 3 works right out of the box now via Proton without requiring any workarounds.

Testing out Fallout 3 myself today with Proton Experimental, it worked right out of the box. No launch options required, and where previously some needed to mess around with a dll file – it just works. Even the in-game radio stations appear to now work correctly too which were problematic before.

Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition is currently on sale for $7.99 on Steam. Other blockbuster Fallout games such as Fallout 4 ($4.99), Fallout 76 ($9.99), and Fallout: New Vegas ($2.99) have also been steeply discounted.

Source: Steam

Tsing Mui
News poster at The FPS Review.

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