Red Faction: Guerilla: XLiveLess will also remove GFWL from the original version of this game.

Halo 2: XLiveLess for Halo 2 promises to remove GFWL from from Microsoft’s second Halo game, which Microsoft no longer supports or even sells.

Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City: XLiveLess functions for Episodes from Liberty City, too.

It also disables access to multiplayer features.

Grand Theft Auto IV: The XLiveLess modification will remove GFWL from the game and ensure save games function properly.

FOSE, the Fallout Script Extender modding tool, also disables GFWL.

Fallout 3: The Games for Windows Live Disabler from Nexus Mods will disable GFWL.

Such modifications aren’t available for every game–just particularly popular ones. They’re just intended for removing the hassle of GFWL.

These tools aren’t intended for piracy or cheating in multiplayer–in fact, they disable access to multiplayer if a game does contain multiplayer. Some of the bigger, more popular games have third-party tools that can effectively crack Games for Windows LIVE out of the game. The version Steam installs will be the latest one without GFWL. Click the “Games” menu, select “Activate a Product On Steam,” and enter the game’s product key to redeem it on Steam. If you have a code for one of these games, you can redeem it on Steam.

Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition.

Publishers and developers haven’t bothered removing GFWL from many older games that didn’t do so well. These are big-name, big-budget games, and that’s no accident. The following games allow you to redeem them on Steam if you have a retail key or one provided by GFWL itself. If you purchased the game in the past–whether you bought a physical retail copy, digital download, or even a copy from Microsoft’s Games for Windows Marketplace–you can often convert that old GFWL-tainted copy to a modern one that will work properly. Many games have migrated away from Microsoft’s PC gaming platform to Steam. RELATED: Why PC Gamers Hated Microsoft's 'Games for Windows LIVE'

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