The xlive.dll requirement for Gears of War is a prime example of why live-service DRM is harmful to game preservation. It transforms a single-player classic into a broken piece of software that requires technical know-how to repair.
He smiled. Just once.
For Gears of War (2007 PC release), this file acts as the bridge between the game executable and the online service. Without it, the game cannot save progress, load profiles, or connect to multiplayer. xlive.dll gears of war