In a move intended to modernize aging titles but ultimately backfiring, Capcom has stripped the defunct Games for Windows Live (GFWL) service from Street Fighter X Tekken and Lost Planet 2. While removing the long-dead platform was necessary, the implementation has effectively destroyed the games' online multiplayer functionality, leaving owners frustrated and unable to play online as they once could.
The updates, rolled out quietly over the past week, were meant to address the lingering dependency on GFWL, Microsoft's largely unloved and officially discontinued PC gaming service. Shutting down its marketplace in 2013 (The Verge, Aug 16, 2013), GFWL became an increasing burden for older titles, often causing installation, activation, and online play headaches for players on modern systems. Removing it should have been a welcome relief.
However, the reality for players has been far from positive. Instead of replacing GFWL with a functional alternative like Steamworks, Capcom appears to have simply ripped out the GFWL components without implementing a new multiplayer framework. The result? Online lobbies are deserted, matchmaking is broken, and players are reporting being completely unable to connect with others.
The situation for Lost Planet 2 is particularly stark. Players who downloaded the update found themselves facing a multiplayer desert. As one frustrated player noted on Reddit: "Lost Planet 2 have GFWL removed today, but it just completely killed online play." The sentiment echoes across forums and community hubs – the update didn't fix the game; it killed a core feature.
The same grim picture applies to Street Fighter X Tekken. While the single-player and local versus modes remain intact, the vibrant (if niche) online community has been severed. Players attempting to find matches are met with error messages, endless searching, or simply no visible opponents. The promise of continued playability post-GFWL has been broken.
This isn't Capcom's first attempt at GFWL removal. Titles like Resident Evil 5 and Dead Rising 2 underwent similar transitions years ago, generally moving successfully to Steamworks. This makes the current failure with SFxT and LP2 all the more baffling and disappointing for fans. The lack of communication regarding the broken state post-update has only fueled the frustration.
The core issue is clear: By removing GFWL without providing a replacement online infrastructure, Capcom has rendered the paid-for multiplayer components of these games non-functional. Players who purchased these titles expecting ongoing online capability, even years after release, have effectively lost that feature. It raises uncomfortable questions about preservation and the longevity of online-dependent games when publishers intervene.
While the removal of the problematic GFWL code was a necessary step, Capcom's execution has turned a well-intentioned preservation effort into a destructive act. For now, owners of Street Fighter X Tekken and Lost Planet 2 on PC are left with crippled games, hoping the company acknowledges the problem and finds a way to restore the online play they paid for. The silence from Capcom is currently louder than the missing sounds of online battles.
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