Why does MS make re-installing games so difficult/time-consuming?!

spapakons said:

In the old times games fit on a floppy disk... (opps busted). 164GB for a single game sounds too much to me. What is next? 1-2TB oer game? I think they have gone too far with game graphics.

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Gamers want good looking visuals, especially in expensive AAA games. New games are designed with 4K assets. MK11 in it's defence has the option to not install the 4K story mode if users don't need it, without that the game is only 120GB!

"Only" 120GB. Thankfully casual games are in the order of MB not GB. Best graphics are desirable but some games have just that, nice graphics. In the old times (oops I hinted my age again) game graphics and sound were limited by hardware so developers focused on gameplay and made more attractive games.

spapakons said:

"Only" 120GB. Thankfully casual games are in the order of MB not GB. Best graphics are desirable but some games have just that, nice graphics. In the old times (oops I hinted my age again) game graphics and sound were limited by hardware so developers focused on gameplay and made more attractive games.

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Yes I enjoy some casual/platformer games as well, which are small in comparison to AAA games, but £60 AAA games wouldn't sell unless they have top-quality visuals. You wouldn't spend £60 on Forza if it looked like a game from the 80s!

It doesn't have to look as a game from the '80s, "Pan metron ariston" (every good measure is perfect, exaggeration is not) as ancient Greeks said. Unfortunately competition between developers have focused yoo much on visual that give little credit to gameplay.

So, basically you're asking.... "Why is a PC not a Gaming Console!?!"

Be it Windows, OSX, Linux (or any other Unix ascendant) - they're all Operating Systems intended for general use, office, work, hosting, etc. Point being - Games are just one of the available options and... Windows wasn't tailored for gaming - like a Console (or Steam - which is basically a gaming service). When you make an account on Steam - it creates a personal database whit all the games purchased including a backup of all registry keys needed for that game - which are re-applied if missing (that's what Steam does after you login - it's also why it takes longer after a re-install).

Windows doesn't do that (not with the main/general use account - at least, don't know how the XBOX account works) - but the ones who made the game "can make their game to run like that (Portable or storing the required data in the game folder - and re-applying/register it if something is missing"). A lot of games/applications - actually do just do that (most of the older games do). That being said - you can blame it on the game developer - cause they do have this option (to make their games more or less portable). Or buy/use a Console - which works exactly as you described (since that System is particularly made for Gaming).

They certainly don't want to make their games portable! They would lose profit. Every kid would install the game on an external USB hard disk and then go and play it at his friend computer or any suitable computer! Also his friend would simply copy the whole disk in his own hard disk and gain access to the games without buying them! By requiring installation before playing they make sure you have bought the game (as with Windows, Office and other applications the installation key can be used once or can be activated once). They simply don't care if something happens to your system and need to reinstall. Past games could run once installed in another computer, but required to check the original CD or DVD before playing. This was copy protected so could not be easily duplicated by the average user. If any smart guy copied the game from his friend he could not play it without the original installation medium.

spapakons said:

They certainly don't want to make their games portable! They would lose profit. Every kid would install the game on an external USB hard disk and then go and play it at his friend computer or any suitable computer! Also his friend would simply copy the whole disk in his own hard disk and gain access to the games without buying them! By requiring installation before playing they make sure you have bought the game (as with Windows, Office and other applications the installation key can be used once or can be activated once). They simply don't care if something happens to your system and need to reinstall. Past games could run once installed in another computer, but required to check the original CD or DVD before playing. This was copy protected so could not be easily duplicated by the average user. If any smart guy copied the game from his friend he could not play it without the original installation medium.

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MS Store games are linked to the MS account used to purchase - surely it wouldn't be too hard for Windows to scan the folders, match the game install the account and then re-activate the game?

BrianInEngland said:

MS Store games are linked to the MS account used to purchase - surely it wouldn't be too hard for Windows to scan the folders, match the game install the account and then re-activate the game?

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As others have mentioned... the registry is the cause.
Some games, especially older ones, didn't have so many registry entries.

These days, the AAA games do have a ton of registry entries.
You can install the game on a different drive, and if you're very lucky, you could just create a new shortcut to that game after a Windows reinstall. This won't work for all game of course... but it may for simpler or older games.

Games from the MS store, probably have many registry entries. They are tied more fully into the operating system.
Why MS does this I'll never know.
IMO, there should be a basic OS then add-ons like games or Apps, would work like plugins.

This would be to "our" advantage, but not necessarily to Microsoft's.
MS wants us fully dependent on... Microsoft.

spapakons said:

They certainly don't want to make their games portable! They would lose profit. Every kid would install the game on an external USB hard disk and then go and play it at his friend computer or any suitable computer! Also his friend would simply copy the whole disk in his own hard disk and gain access to the games without buying them! By requiring installation before playing they make sure you have bought the game (as with Windows, Office and other applications the installation key can be used once or can be activated once). They simply don't care if something happens to your system and need to reinstall. Past games could run once installed in another computer, but required to check the original CD or DVD before playing. This was copy protected so could not be easily duplicated by the average user. If any smart guy copied the game from his friend he could not play it without the original installation medium.

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Most games made for PC - actually are (portable). Since DRM protection is usually tied to the game folder (starting with the executable) - that's what they crack. The Windows registry part - works just the same as it does for a free application (it's not as if they're cracking Windows Registry for a game to work on a Windows PC ). The best protection (which only a few games use) - involves and external server - like the Blizzard DRM which covers half the game engine - since it's made to work only while connected to their servers (it's where the game data is stored - that's the way the game was made to work - so it can't be played offline). Other than those particular games - every game that works offline can be made portable. Be it you install or copy a game you own on a friend's PC - it's still piracy (same loss of profit).

I'm currently on the 5th PC since i started using Steam (around 20 years ago) - and all it takes is to login into my account and i can play every game i ever bought . Same way, i can share my Steam account with a friend (or 4 others) - and he can play all the games i ever bought. Same goes for GoG and other gaming services - since neither use an ID tailored for a given machine (which they can do - if they want to). Thus, your theory doesn't seem to be valid in any shape or form. Since even Blizzard (which indeed - does that to maximize profit) and their recent titles - are not tied to Windows (but an external server of their own). It's a simple logic: if most developers can (and do just that) - everyone can. It's not about loss of profit - but laziness (instead of adding a few extra code lines - they'd prefer you do the extra effort and reinstall - just so at the end of the installation "it does just that for the game to work - registers the required registry values in the last 5 seconds").

Ghot said:

As others have mentioned... the registry is the cause.
Some games, especially older ones, didn't have so many registry entries.

These days, the AAA games do have a ton of registry entries.
You can install the game on a different drive, and if you're very lucky, you could just create a new shortcut to that game after a Windows reinstall. This won't work for all game of course... but it may for simpler or older games.

Games from the MS store, probably have many registry entries. They are tied more fully into the operating system.
Why MS does this I'll never know.
IMO, there should be a basic OS then add-ons like games or Apps, would work like plugins.

This would be to "our" advantage, but not necessarily to Microsoft's.
MS wants us fully dependent on... Microsoft.

Click to expand...

True to that - some of this games can be messy asf registry ways. They even link the Options menu to Windows registry - instead of using local config files. Tho, even then - re-registering shouldn't be an issue "if actually codded as maintenance/troubleshot trigger".

I am not sure but I think Steam stores all data in their servers, not in Registry, that's how is possible to just login and access your games. The game detects all game files in the folder you select and gets any additional data from the server, so it doesn't need reinstallation. Other games that store additional dara in Registry and some folders inside the user account folder cannot play without reinstallation to restore these data. Unless of course you know which these folders are and copy-paste them to the new system. You must also import all relevant keys in Registry, assuming you know what entries to backup. It is much more complicated than it sounds, I would rather leave my PC overnight to reinstall the game.

PS: Unless your progress is saved online, it is not a bad idea to detect the additional game folders and copy-paste them to the new system before installing the game. Thee is a chance that your settings and game progress is restored and you don't have to play it from start.