Not a single game anywhere requires you to install Xfire for server listings as far as I know, and I’ve been using it for 5 years. None use it as a back end service like Gamespy or GFWL or Steam. It simply does not do that.

The fact that it is frequently bundled with installs or presented as though you need it does not make it unavoidable like the Gamespy hosted master server listings (games like BF2, 2142, UT3, recent C&C titles, etc). This is MARKETING ONLY.

Ok, well GFWL is poop and shouldn’t be needed and Steam should get their finger out their asses and support server browsing for non-valve-games.

Xfire is a server browser with limited player matching system just like gamespy. http://www.xfire.com/games/ any game with a joypad icon on the left most column uses it as its default ingame browser. I’ve been asked / required to install it numerous times in order to play games online.

Steam to my knowledge but I’m not 100% about this has not included server browsing and matchmaking services for any non valve game so far. The only games I have ever joined using it are Left 4 Dead, TF2, HL2 DM and their asscociated mods. Games I own on steam from 3rd party developers such as CoH use Gamespy or Xfire matchmaking despite being delivered by steam.

Maybe I was quietly brainwashed by my xbox360 over the last 3 years but I find the GFWL interface intuative and at least on my main gaming system quick. My only complaint is the default “invite a friend to game” option when you are host requires you to type the gamertag of the person to invite. This is easily bypassed by instead opening the GFWl UI and clicking a friends name in the friendlist and clickign invite. Or forming a GFWL party with VOIP and just tellign your friends “game is up. join me”. They can then pick you from their friends list and select “join session in progress”.

Trueskill matching is unique to the xblive / GFWL systems and should hopefully encourage new players like it does in Halo 3 by matching them with other new players not rank 12 Vets. Steam and Gamespy don’t offer that.

In a choice between GFWL, Gamespy and Xfire (steam not being an option because it doesn’t seem to available to non valve games) I prefer GFWL. Shoot me :)

Your login and in-game names are forced to be the same as each other, and like Gorgeras, I’ve spent a fair amount of time trying to work out how the hell to change it. From what I can understand, the only way to do it is by buying 1000 “Microsoft Points”, then spending 800 on a name change.

Not only is this completely stupid and irritating (why can’t I just pay the exact amount rather than sodding about with “points”, ignoring the fact I shouldn’t have to pay at all), it’s also going to cause massive problems with the likes of clan tags and such. Imagine if you were locked to a single player name in, say, Counterstrike, and every time you wanted to change your name, or change a clan, or just have a laugh without people recognising you, you had to pay ~£10. Stupid, isn’t it?

You can argue that we’re the ones at fault here and not GfWL if you want, but most sensible people recognise that it does have major shortcomings when compared to other similar services.

no need to set up a new account that’s why you are ill informed.