Microsoft announced it would be shutting down its Windows Live Marketplace on August 22 just last week, but it looks like that move may be the initial step the company may be making to completely shut down its Games for Windows Live service.
Microsoft posted an update to its Age of Empires Online support page that says its Games for Windows Live service would “be discontinued on July 1, 2014.” Microsoft didn’t make any official announcements prior to this update, and soon after it was discovered, was taken down immediately.
Considering Microsoft will shut down its Windows Live Marketplace on August 22, it would make sense they would also shut down their Games for Windows Live service altogether seeing how there won’t be any content to help fuel its use. Certain games that require certain Games for Windows Live games to function, such as Age of Empires Online, seem to be getting the short end of the stick as they’ll be completely unplayable if Microsoft plans on shutting down the service on July 1, 2014.
Until Microsoft makes any official announcements, we guess all you Games for Windows Live users should just keep enjoying the service until the company completely shuts it down and forces you to use Steam.