Dark Souls update removes games for Windows Live, Steamworks to manage everything

The latest update to Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition has removed the Games for Windows Live service from the game in favor of Valve’s Steamworks service. From now on, Steamworks will be managing everything, including multiplayer and Achievements in the game.

Switching to the new service will erase your progress though, which for a game like Dark Souls is quite detrimental. However, there are ways to preserve your save file, so take a look at the steps below for how to initiate the update and the steps you need to take to preserve everything. February 16th is the last date to go through this process.

CASE 1: If you already purchased Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition prior to December 15th, the following process will be available to February 16th for you to transfer your Save Data and Achievements.

For users who purchased a Game for Windows live version from a retailer (Disc) or Games for Windows Live Marketplace (Digital) :

1. We recommend that you add Dark Souls™ Prepare To Die to your Steam account using your serial
2. Launch the game and connect to Games for Windows Live.
3. Run the game (only the currently signed-in user’s Save Data and Achievements can be transferred to Steam).
4. Close the Game.
5. Right click on your game in the Steam Library, go into Properties, check that the BETA tab is set to “dsptde-2.0-“
6. Launch Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition v2.0 from Steam
7. The game will look for previous Save Data and Achievements. If Save Data and Achievements are detected on your computer, you should be able to continue your progress in the game. Achievements should be unlocked in Steam.

For users who purchased a Game for Windows live version from Steam :

1. Launch the game and connect to Games for Windows Live.
2. Run the game (only the currently signed-on user’s progress can be transferred to Steam).
3. Close Games for Windows Live
4. Right click on your game in the Steam Library, go into Properties, check that the BETA tab is set to “dsptde-2.0-“
5. Launch Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition v2.0 from Steam
6. Sign in using the same live profile used in step-2 to import your Save Data and Achievements from the Games for Windows Live version to the Steam version for the same profile (gamertag)
7. The game will look for previous Save Data and Achievements. If they are detected on your computer, you should be able to continue your progress in the game and achievements should be unlocked in Steam.

CASE 2: For users who purchase Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition between December 15th and February 16th

1. Once the game is downloaded, right click on your game in the Steam library, go into properties, check that the BETA tab is set to “dsptde-2.0-“. The game may ask you to create a Game for Windows Live Account, simply discard this request
2. Launch Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition v2.0 from Steam.

CASE 3: For users who purchase Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition on or after February 16th (this will be the steam only version)

Just Launch Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition from Steam