X360 developer program!
People are gonna love this.
"I could do better!" has long been the rallying cry of the disgruntled gamer. But Microsoft has responded with a straightforward: "Go on then!"
Budding developers interested in getting hands-on game-making experience will soon be able to access a basic consumer version of the professional tools used to create games for the Xbox 360.
Microsoft announced this week the XNA Game Studio Express program will be available August 30 for a $US99 annual subscription.
The move is part of an industry-wide trend which sees both gamers and developers once again embracing the kinds of simple arcade-style titles the video games industry was founded upon.
In the 1970s and 80s, sole programmers could create entire games for commerical release in just a manner of months. These "bedroom coders" could develop quirky and original concepts because the financial risks were very low.
"Casual" games have always been popular on the PC, but now digital distribution services like Valve's Steam, IGN's Direct 2 Drive and Telstra's fledgling BigPond Game Shop are dramatically widening the variety of games available to consumers.
Console manufacturers are also embracing diversity, with the Xbox 360 Live Arcade service registering millions of game downloads and both Nintendo Wii and Sony PlayStation 3 offering similar online download services.
Microsoft's XNA Game Studio Express should be applauded - anything that can help young talent break into the development industry and foster new ideas is more than welcome in an increasingly risk-adverse publishing climate. Innovation is crucial for attracting new game players and keeping veterans glued to their screens.
Sony ran a similar scheme for the original PlayStation called Net Yaroze, and followed with a Linux PS2 kit that enthusiasts could purchase for $499.
The kits helped new talent break into the games development industry, allowing budding programmers to create working game prototypes they could show to prospective employers. Many Yaroze games also found their way onto magazine cover-discs for the public to enjoy.
Gamers will always want to play the latest big-budget blockbusters, but it is great that the games industry has started to realise we don't always have the time or the energy necessary to commit to the typical modern epic.
Developers can also widen the audience for interactive entertainment by providing short, simple and innovative little diversions.
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