Only 15 steps needed to install a Microsoft game for my HTPC!

If you didn’t catch my sarcasm in the title, then let me be clear: Don’t buy a Microsoft game for your HTPC.

I purchased Gears of War for my HTPC. Big mistake as it took me 3 hours before I could get it to work. Here is the ridiculous process Microsoft has put me through:

1. Install game (approximately an hour)
2. Went to start game, but got a xlive.dll file missing error. Had to search Google to find a patch.
3. Had to download patch and install
4. Had to download Games for Windows – Live.
5. Windows Live required .Net version 3 so had to download that.
6. Restart computer.
7. Went to start game, and got “cannot run game with modified executable code. Please reinstall game error.” After searching Google once again, found a ‘hotfix’ required by Microsoft to download.
8. Downloaded Microsoft ‘hotfix’ and installed.
9. Restart computer.
10. Had to create a ‘live’ account. This forced me to get a @live or @hotmail email. Why can’t I use my gmail address is beyond me …oh yeah, it’s Microsoft and they want to force you to use their products.
11. Had to create Windows Live for games profile
12. Still received “please reinstall game error”. Relented and uninstalled Gears of War.
13. Reinstalled Gears of War (another hour).
14. Still got the “cannot run game with modified executable code. Please reinstall game error” message after install. Did more searching on Google and found that Microsoft has some server issue which requires a GearsPC_TU3_Microsoft.exe file to be installed.
15. Aftre patch installed, game finally worked!

A total of 15 steps is 14 too many to instal a simple game. Microsoft obviously wants people to buy an Xbox. After all of this, I’m never buying a Microsoft game again. I’m sticking with Valve’s Steam service. Never had a problem with Steam. I never had to restart my computer multiple times or download .Net patches to simply install a game. Steam lets me downloaded and purchase straight through the internet and doens’t require any annual fees. Theire in-game service is very comperable to Xbox Live.

Take my advice and don’t bother with Microsoft PC gaming. It’s not worth it.