Windows 7 to Include Automatic Game Update Check

September 22, 2008 12:23 PM

A new screenshot from a recent build of the next Windows shows that developer Microsoft is planning to incorporate more robust PC gaming functionality into its operating software.

According to an image from ThinkNext, the games startup menu in the current build of Windows 7 includes an option to automatically alert users to updates for PC games. An option box to allow Windows to auto-download "information and news about games and game providers" is also shown.

Windows 7 is expected to be released in January 2010.

Nick Breckon

Filed Under

PC Gaming

From The Chatty

Refresh Go To Thread

coyoterys

 reply
September 22, 2008 12:27 PM

So was Vista just a stepping stone? Another new OS is 2 years?
- thebigbeefsandwich
  
   reply
  September 22, 2008 12:32 PM
  
  makes sense. vista flopped so they're racing to get something rebranded out
  - IndigoAK
    
     reply
    September 22, 2008 12:47 PM
    
    Vista is hardly a flop.
    - jeffcox111
      
       reply
      September 22, 2008 1:54 PM
      
      The MS employees I spoke to said it was a flop. Srsly.
      - hotel96
        
         reply
        September 22, 2008 2:04 PM
        
        So, one out of 100,000 employees at MSFT said it was a flop...
        
        jeffcox111
        
         reply
        September 22, 2008 2:25 PM
        
        2 actually. So its conclusive.
    - GreatGooglyMoogly
      
       reply
      September 22, 2008 2:35 PM
      
      Even Ballmer said Vista is a "work in progress". Since it's Ballmer, that's pretty much the same as admitting it was a flop.
    - thebigbeefsandwich
      
       reply
      September 22, 2008 4:40 PM
      
      for MS it is. they want everyone on their new OS, not half the market left behind.
    - BorenKets123
      
       reply
      September 23, 2008 2:30 AM
      
      They lost alot of $$$ on it. That could be considered a flop.
      - SpikeMeister
        
         reply
        September 23, 2008 4:54 AM
        
        Link on this?
- special agent smith
  
   reply
  September 22, 2008 12:36 PM
  
  lets hope they learn from their mistakes (as in we're the customers not the h/w manufactures)
  - Mr Milquetoast
    
     reply
    September 22, 2008 1:21 PM
    
    Screw the customers. New tabs in Visual Studio will open on the left and if you don't like it you can fuck off! Microsoft aren't remotely interested in customer feedback and they don't make mistakes! With them the customer is never right.
    
    The one thing the used to get right was user interfaces but they lost that ability after 2003.
- nosseman
  
   reply
  September 22, 2008 12:48 PM
  
  If they manage to hold that time frame it would be a little over 3 years between Vista and Windows 7.
  
  I doubt they will.
- simoney
  
   reply
  September 22, 2008 12:50 PM
  
  2 years?!? Thats pretty normal. ie Windows 95,98, Millennium then XP in 2002. Vista was 2006 but that was longer than normal.
- Gwyndion
  
   reply
  September 22, 2008 12:53 PM
  
  I think the days of new Operating Systems every couple of years are over. MS hasn't realized it, but that well has just about dried up. If they were smart they should take their time and make Windows 7 the OS to end all OS's. The plan on supporting it and patching for the next 20 years (or until the next paradigm shift makes that OS fundamentally irrelevant).
  
  For your average user... an actual visible OS is almost uneeded. You could give most people an appliance with buttons labeled: Email, Internet and Facebook and they would probably be happy.
  
  I'm still perfectly happy with XP... I'm going to skip Vista completely if I can. It always sucks that MS abandons an OS just as soon as it's gotten to the point where it's pretty good! (98 was horrible in some ways... but after all the patches etc... it made a nice thin, fast and light gaming platform towards the end of it's life).
  - Schnapple
    
     reply
    September 22, 2008 1:08 PM
    
    Microsoft is looking at Apple and how everyone loves a new version of Leopard to drop $129 on every two years and saying to themselves "maybe we should do that..."
    
    And I'm sorry, if you thought 98 was ever a good platform you're gravely mistaken.
    - Gwyndion
      
       reply
      September 22, 2008 2:05 PM
      
      I just liked the fact that it was so light and booted up in a couple minutes. Once I had it all tuned the way I liked it... my PC just flew with 98 on it. Millenium I skipped completely... NT and 2000 were great for business.. but so much heavier and slower. But I agree... 98 overall was crap and crashed all over the place. (It just wasn't a hog... as all new MS OS's are when they are released).
      - nudel
        
         reply
        September 22, 2008 2:43 PM
        
        Vista boots almost instantly when you first install it, just like Win98.
        
        Then you add all your drivers and startup programs and anti-virus and it takes ages, just like Win98. That's life. The trick is not to reboot I guess, heh.
        
        Shadowdane
        
         reply
        September 22, 2008 3:29 PM
        
        Yah I just put my PC to sleep... I only reboot or shutdown when needed.
    - Wilhuf
      
       reply
      September 22, 2008 2:44 PM
      
      I never once had buffer overrun attack problems with 98. I guess that was before the era of buffer attacks.
      - nudel
        
         reply
        September 22, 2008 2:47 PM
        
        Wasn't WinNuke a buffer overrun attack? That was widespread and let you crash any Win98 machine remotely unless it was firewalled.
        
        MacemanInTW
        
         reply
        September 22, 2008 5:05 PM
        
        Good old WinNuke. Ahh the memories.
      - Schnapple
        
         reply
        September 22, 2008 3:47 PM
        
        I'm just thinking of that token guy at every LAN party who insists on running Windows 98 and spends the party blue screening.
- billy_zelsnack
  
   reply
  September 22, 2008 3:52 PM
  
  Maybe getting the public used to the idea of paying for it monthly/yearly service?