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Gamescom 2013: Microsoft shows love for indies

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Xbox-One1

Microsoft kicked off their conference today with some focus on the little guys, indie game developers.  Their goal is to make the Xbox One the best platform for indie development.

After meeting with over 50 developers, Microsoft found out what they wanted and created ID@Xbox.  With new rules, each developer will get two development kits for free – the idea is for tools and resources to be fully available to indie developers without any restrictions or fees.  Plus, each retail version will become a dev kit, too!

Developers will also get access to a global support team to maintain communication with developers.  Events are also being planned to explain how the process will work.

A major concern for indie games is discoverability.  With the new Xbox One Store, all games are listed together with “rich search scenarios” to enable easy discoverability.

The presentation had plenty of indie developers quoted as saying nice things about this program.  Sounds pretty cool – let’s wait to see.  At least Microsoft is presenting itself as a leader in the indie game world.  It will be interesting to see if Sony has something similar considering their constant love of indies.

Last Updated: August 20, 2013

26 Comments

  1. Kromas

    August 20, 2013 at 11:39

    And that’s another 180 from the Microsoft.

    Reply

    • Skyblue

      August 20, 2013 at 12:01

      This news was actually made available some time ago. It wasn’t a 180 at all but more of a clarification. Indie developers were enraged when they heard that M$ were dropping XBLA and were going to integrate the Indie games with the rest of the online catalogue as they feared their games wouldn’t receive a dedicated marketplace. M$ have only clarified their position and in the process have Indie Dev’s singing their praises now as they can publish their titles for a crapload less money than in the past and don’t need special dev kits to do so.

      Reply

      • Kromas

        August 20, 2013 at 12:03

        • DarthofZA

          August 20, 2013 at 12:04

          Yes pull up a news article from 3 months ago to support your point. It isn’t like they retracted that with a few days… oh wait… they did….

          Reply

          • Slade Boender

            August 20, 2013 at 12:16

            Citing information attained is hardly a bad way to prove ones point, and its been widely known for a while that MS has had issues with Indie devs, even before the xbone debacle. Nevermind the fact that MS has been doing more doughnuts in terms of their new console than a fast and furious tv series, Dont be such a dick guy.

          • Kromas

            August 20, 2013 at 12:49

            And that is not whats called a 180? Months ago MS also said always online … later they retracted and everyone called it a 180. So you are just making my case.

        • Pieter Kruger

          August 20, 2013 at 12:27

          Google is your friend, and it’s up to date! ????

          Reply

      • JHN

        August 20, 2013 at 12:30

        I am terrified to comment on this, tis getting intense.

        Reply

        • Skyblue

          August 20, 2013 at 12:36

          Nah dude, it’s just pov stuff. M$ have always had a policy of fucking over indie dev’s and they have stopped doing it not just for the X1 but for the X360 as well. It’s just that this policy has been in place for 8yrs as it started when indie’s were far less popular than they are now.

          Reply

          • JHN

            August 20, 2013 at 12:39

            I am a fan of the console and policies they are implementing, but I am an xbox fan boy so my views are very biased. Discussing these consoles is as bad as discussing religion. I am happy for the policies surrounding indie devs its time MS started showing abit more support for the small devs, because every now and then they make some really amazing stuff.

          • Skyblue

            August 20, 2013 at 12:53

            Yeah I love my Super Meat Boy, Binding of Isaac, Cave Story, Mark of the Ninja, etc, etc, etc

            Nothing wrong with being a fanboy as long you can remain objective and not hurl abuse around at every opportunity. So many posts are from people who have no intention of even purchasing the product being reported on and have absolutely nothing constructive to add but log in solely to hurl abuse at it no matter how good/bad the news is for the people who actually intend to purchase it.

    • TrajanZa

      August 20, 2013 at 13:19

      Soooo…. when the customer complains something isnt the way it should be and we slam the company, then they do a 180 to satisfy those same people, they are not satisfied. In other words the haters just need to get some se……..satisfied. by yourselves…evil little trolls.

      Reply

      • Kromas

        August 20, 2013 at 14:38

        They should not have screwed up in the first place. Then again I really don’t care. Steam loves indie devs and Steam is pc and pc rocks. ALL HAIL THE MASTER RACE!

        Reply

        • TrajanZa

          August 20, 2013 at 14:44

          ARRRRRRRRRR!!!!! Just a point for sports fans and comparing Firsts and Followers….Rugby was created by the English…they were first….SA and other contries followed….SA are champions elect nearly every tournament…so…first isnt always better..not to mention football. Im not against any one system, i only have a 360 but like the ps3, so im aiming to get both P$4 and Xbone eventually..but while i do that, PC has my heart!

          Reply

          • Kromas

            August 20, 2013 at 15:05

            First out of the gate though does gain market share. First Gui OS made MS what it is today. First smart phone made Apple what is is today. When you mention moon landing you think of Neil Armstrong and not the other guys. That only gets you so far though but still it does give you a rather large lead most of the time. I do think consoles have a merit as well. I just love trolling them. I own a ps3 for uncharted and Last of Us oh and guitar hero but I love the pc since that is the platform I have grown to love.

          • TrajanZa

            August 20, 2013 at 15:43

            But im a gamer..i dont care who sells the most, i care that im offered choice. btw…Apple created the first GUI operating system as far as i know. and your point is only half valid , because Iphone may have started it, but look at Android, 70% of smartphone market share. And MS wasnt the first, neither was apple, but look at what they achieved… a fanboy might argue…i just think its great that the choice is there…and my choice is to pay more for a pc that will kill consoles, but each have their place… it seems were arguing the oppposite sides of the same coin… i love pc, you love pc… and we like consoles, who cares who wins the war..id prefer they just continue fighting cause I, the consumer, will ultimately win.

          • Kromas

            August 20, 2013 at 16:55

            I did say it gives a great start. Apple wasted it and now they barely manage to hold on to their fan-boys. As for Guis. Neither apple or MS created the first. It was Xerox actually but both apple and MS stole it in turn and MS managed to market it first hence the first part. Rest of it I agree with you. As long as we have healthy competition from a developer side we will win as consumers. But we went way off topic. Still it was fun.

  2. JHN

    August 20, 2013 at 11:56

    seriously like the looks of the console, think its pretty hot

    Reply

  3. Slade Boender

    August 20, 2013 at 12:17

    Not realted but:

    Can some one tell me what the hell the little hole on the left side of the console is for? If its I/O ports, I think it could be a bit of a pain, never mind look a lil silly.
    Did think for a while it was in the shape of a kettle plug, but that would be even stupider

    Reply

  4. Alien Emperor Trevor

    August 20, 2013 at 12:29

    Not id10tbox?

    Reply

    • Slade Boender

      August 20, 2013 at 12:30

      hahahahaha fucking brilliant

      Reply

    • FoxHoundR - NO LONGER TROLLING

      August 20, 2013 at 13:34

      That’s not nice. Im not dumb because I play xbox/

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        August 20, 2013 at 13:42

        I agree, but that’s not what I meant. It was more a play on TV being called the idiot box & the name “ID@Xbox”

        Reply

  5. FoxHoundR - NO LONGER TROLLING

    August 20, 2013 at 13:33

    Microsoft is the best and they’ve shown that they truly care about indie gamers. Sony will not survive.

    Reply

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