Games for Windows Live's Early Departure

Among the casualties of Microsoft's first round of layoffs is Chris Early, head of Games for Windows Live, it has emerged.

This comes from VentureBeat's Dean Takahashi, who confirms that e-mails sent to Early are met with a bounce stating that his time at Microsoft “has come to a close.”

Given that Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices division is widely believed to have taken a significant hit in the companies initial waves of layoffs, Early's departure doesn't come as too much of a shock.

Games for Windows Live launched nearly 20 months ago but has been met largely with indifference by PC gamers.

A Marketplace was announced last summer for a late 2008 launch on the service. That would have brought it further into line with Xbox Live and made it better able to compete with Steam, but has yet to materialise.

Early didn't exactly appear as a pioneer of creative thinking in the online space, having stated that he thought competitor services were a great source of ideas.

With Early's departure, Microsoft's general cutbacks and Games for Windows' lack of success, it has to be wondered how much more money Microsoft will put into the service.

Microsoft has also confirmed the closure of Aces, the studio behind Microsoft's Flight Simulator series. A rep stated that the decision was made, "to align our people against our highest priorities."

^{Source: VentureBeat}