Traditionally, the bar to entry for games development has been high. You needed to buy a special version of the game box plus proprietary development software.
Microsoft just lowered the bar significantly. From Ars Technica comes news of the The XNA Game Development Studio for Xbox 360 and PC:
Lowering the bar for entry
On Monday, Microsoft celebrated the official full release of Microsoft's XNA Game Studio for both Windows and the Xbox 360. The beta program started in March of this year, and allowed developers a sneak peek at these technologies.
XNA Game Studio is a collection of game development technologies that Microsoft believes will make it easier than ever for independent developers to write and publish new titles. A basic version of the software package is a free download on Windows, but for $99 a year, or $49 for a four-month trial, developers gain access to a host of extra features, including access to sample art assets, technical support, source code, and the ability to compile and run their games on both Windows and the Xbox 360 platform.
Much has been written about the runaway cost of video game development in recent years. Keeping up with the ever-expanding laundry list of new graphics features and the demand for high-resolution content has caused the number of employees required to produce a new game to skyrocket. Smaller game companies have either folded or been bought out by larger publishers with the financial resources to pay for such large teams. In this environment, what chance is there for the independent developer?
Microsoft's hope is that the XNA Game Studio will help level the playing field and allow these small developers to produce games that can stand up with the "big boys" without requiring an enormous amount of resources. The company wants XNA Studio to become a kind of "YouTube for game developers," allowing many more people to express themselves in the form of video games and share their work with the world.
To achieve these goals, Microsoft is using a three-pronged strategy: technology, content, and community. The idea is to provide independent game developers with assistance at every stage of the game development process, and thus make it easier for small teams and even individuals to make their own games.
Very cool move and a guarantee that the XBox will continue to be a major player in the Game business...
