In advance of E3, Microsoft says Games on Demand for Windows is poised to begin keeping up with the release dates of games. In a recent press release, the publisher stated that the digital platform "will soon be the home of day-and-date releases," citing 2K Games, Capcom, Microsoft Game Studios, Rockstar Games, THQ, and Ubisoft as partners. In addition, the service will also begin distributing non-Live-enabled games. Starting this afternoon, one will hit every week throughout the year, kicking off with Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands and several other games, all published by the aforementioned partners:
- Age of Empires III
- Assassin's Creed 2
- Borderlands
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
- Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
Microsoft reckons it'll put out over 100 non-Live titles by the year's end, which sounds like a step in the right direction for a service that, uh, still does less than what Steam can, but will at least get some games just as quickly.
As a side note to all of this: Microsoft is also throwing a sale on Prince of Persia games. Right now you can grab Warrior Within and The Sands of Time for 200 Microsoft Moon Bucks. Not bad.