Microsoft to kill Games for Windows Live in July 2014 -- report
The move, which wouldn't be much of a surprise, was leaked in a support page update for Age of Empires Online.
Microsoft's Games for Windows Live may end up going the way of the Dodo.
The software company on Monday posted an update to its Age of Empires Online support page saying that Games for Windows Live "will be discontinued on July 1, 2014." The news, which was spotted by several gaming publications, had not previously been announced by Microsoft. The page update was promptly taken down and no longer shows that excerpt.
It's not much of a surprise that Games for Windows Live is being shut down. Last week, Microsoft announced that the Games for Windows Live Marketplace, which provides titles for download, is closing on August 22. If titles aren't available, it would only make sense that Microsoft would shut down the service they're running on.
It appears Age of Empires Online might be getting the worst of the closure. Since the title requires certain Games for Windows Live services to run, Age of Empires Online will be unplayable as of next July.
CNET has contacted Microsoft for comment on the apparent closure. We will update this story when we have more information.