Games For Windows Live shutting down in July 2014?

Games for Windows Live looks like it will be switched off entirely next year according to a pulled game support statement.
Microsoft's PC gaming platform launched back in 2007 in a bid to tackle other popular online services such as Steam.
But wording on the Age of Empires Online support page (a game published by Microsoft) suggests its servers will be permanently shut down next year, according to a post over at Reddit: "Games for Windows Live will be discontinued on July 1st 2014. Although it is available through Steam, Age of Empires Online requires features of the Games for Windows Live service.
"You can continue to enjoy all the features of Age of Empires Online as the service will remain 100 per cent operational until July 1st 2014 when the server will shut down."
The news comes after Microsoft announced its separate Games for Windows Live PC Marketplace will be closing on August 22nd.
The Marketplace allows players to buy and download games, while the separate Games for Windows Live is a multiplayer and digital rights management (DRM) framework.
With both looking like they'll be shut down, it could be good news for rival platforms such as Steam and Origin.

http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/read/...ly-2014/031701