icrosoft just announced at its Gamefest 2008 event that the company is now making all of the Live functionality for the Games for Windows platform available at no cost. That includes Achievements, TruSkill matchmaking, 360 cross-platform support, friends lists, and voice and text chat. The move is effective immediately and will affect all current and future Games for Windows titles, too.

In other news, Microsoft says it will be introducing a Games for Windows marketplace in the fall, which will offer both free and paid game content, trailers and other content similar to what is currently offered on the Xbox 360.