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[chubigans]

This is all so weird. But hey, self publishing could finally be a reality on XB1! Woooooo!

http://www.polygon.com/2013/7/24/4553946/microsoft-details-xbox-one-indie-self-publishing

Microsoft has confirmed its plans to have an indie games service, adding that additional details would be coming at Gamescom in August.

"Our vision is that every person can be a creator," Marc Whitten, corporate vice president at Xbox said in a statement. "That every Xbox One can be used for development. That every game and experience can take advantage of all of the features of Xbox One and Xbox LIVE. This means self-publishing. This means Kinect, the cloud, achievements. This means great discoverability on Xbox LIVE. We'll have more details on the program and the timeline at gamescom in August."

UPDATE: turning an Xbox One into a devkit will not be available at launch, nor will self publishing.

Microsoft's Marc Whitten just told us that devkit functionality will be added at a later date.

Xbox One self-publishing won't be ready at launch, but will hit within the first year we're told sbn.to/18AdPca via @Polygon

UPDATE 2: The marketplace might be open for everyone, ie be a haven for literally anyone to develop like iOS and XBLIG.

While Microsoft's plans are certainly ambitious, with everyone being able to self-publish games, there is a real threat that Xbox Live can become as cluttered as the app stores on iOS and Android today--especially because there won't be any segregation between retail, downloadable, and indie games on the Marketplace. Whitten says that surfacing will be the big challenge for Microsoft. "I still believe strongly in curation, and that means how do we present users with the content that's most relevant to them?"

UPDATE 3: MS says this was their vision all along. Which is interesting given what Mario has to say-

A few months ago this was not being planned by them internally, and they explicitly said it wasn't going to be possible (and that was the clear message behind closed doors). There were even factions within Microsoft aware of the stupidity of the situation who were proactively looking for loopholes to effectively allow self publishing in a practical sense even if it wasn't technically the case.

This is a change in policy and strategy from earlier in the year, and the fact it isn't going to be ready at launch is evidence that this change is recent.


Great news for independent developers and publishers in any case. Looking forward to hearing more because the devil is in the details.

The original leak this morning by Game Informer: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/...elf-publishing-new-certification-process.aspx


This was supposed to be a big GamesCom reveal according to Patrick Klepek before it leaked on GI.com.

The fact that they've sat on this news for weeks, and will still sit on it until GamesCom, is crazy to me.

Still, early details are very promising. Access to cloud and achievements sounds like a step above XBLIG already. Whether it's going to be a full XB1 service for indies or a Windows App like program for all their App marketplaces, well, we'll see.

 

[CitizenCope]

"Things break"

 

[jwk94]

What would the difference be between a "Windows App like program" and the full X1 experience?

 

[Bsigg12]

Well good. And its actually awesome each console can be used as a devkit

 

[Silky]

They shouldn't be mad at GI.

 

[Raide]

What would the difference be between a "Windows App like program" and the full X1 experience?

Well, like a full game and some app that just tells the time, or gets RSS feeds etc.

 

[MCD]

 

[derFeef]

Thumbs up!

 

[Amir0x]

I hope Sony copies the every system can become a dev kit idea, that's a really nice idea and finally a forward thinking plan from Microsoft. Their first for Xbox One, as far as I'm scoring it.

 

[epmode]

So is that Windows 8 stipulation confirmed as well?

edit: Looks like it wasn't addressed. We'll see.

 

[I am Michael Bolton]

I guess MS isn't a fan of someone else gaining secret information of theirs.

 

[RoboPlato]

Any console can be a devkit is the coolest thing I've heard about XBO so far.

 

[chubigans]

What would the difference be between a "Windows App like program" and the full X1 experience?

Full X1: access to all graphic/hardware features like any AAA game would get.
App program: limited access to hardware and features.

CBOAT says its going to be an app program. But the achievements/cloud support gives me hope.

Do Windows Apps support Xbox achievements?

edit: oh, they do. Well nevermind then.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

Lets unite as One and make Xbox Indie games

 

[Black Republican]

First TitanFall, then this. Dem leaks, lol poor MS

 

[teiresias]

It's all still in the Win8 3GB RAM partition though, right?

 

[Hana-Bi]

Whether it's going to be a full XB1 service for indies or a Windows App like program for all their App marketplaces, well, we'll see.

If you can use the X1 as a dev kit I think a Windows App like programm sounds highly unlikely. A Windows App marketplace for games is still possible though.

 

[GulAtiCa]

I like the Xbox One can be a dev kit in of itself. PS4 should do that as well.

 

[Dead Prince]

this was going to be MS's hero moment. thanks for the leaks <3

 

[Doctor_Thomas]

I wonder what Mark Cerny has to say about this.

 

[TheRealTalker]

I have half a mind to think MS will change the name of the Xbox One while their at it too :/

 

[derFeef]

Any console can be a devkit is the coolest thing I've heard about XBO so far.

Very much so, would have been great "crowd goes wild" moment at GamesCom.

 

[V_Ben]

Full X1: access to all graphic/hardware features like any AAA game would get.
App program: limited access to hardware and features.

CBOAT says its going to be an app program. But the achievements/cloud support gives me hope.

Do Windows Apps support Xbox achievements?

They sure do! And cloud stuff! Remember Skulls of the Shogun?

 

[Zeth]

I expected this to happen at Build, maybe Gamescom was their fallback. Great news nonetheless.

 

[Toki767]

Full X1: access to all graphic/hardware features like any AAA game would get.
App program: limited access to hardware and features.

CBOAT says its going to be an app program. But the achievements/cloud support gives me hope.

Do Windows Apps support Xbox achievements?

Games on the Windows 8 app store have achievements.

 

[Salaadin]

Good on them.
The devkit thing is a good idea too.

Im happy for the indies.

 

[Delusibeta]

FYI: still no sign this isn't a re-announcement of the WinRT app store ghetto.

What would the difference be between a "Windows App like program" and the full X1 experience?

Shoved in a corner, hardware limitations, designed more for Netflix than games (see the state of the Windows 8 Store and you'll see what I mean).

[Edit] Skulls of the Shogun is a fine example of precisely why the champagne should remain in the fridge until we get clarification.

 

[Ricerocket]

Now the question is will it be a part of the app store which puts a big limitation on them.

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

Why would they hold this back for like a month?

 

[Americanmushroom]

So 3gb limit confirmed aswell?

 

[TheOddOne]

 

[sangreal]

What would the difference be between a "Windows App like program" and the full X1 experience?

Similar to XBLIG versus XBLA I would imagine. Retail units acted as devkits for the former as well. XBLIG games had to use XNA and live with a bunch of other limitations, compared to XBLA.

 

[chubigans]

Games on the Windows 8 app store have achievements.

...oh.

 

[PFD]

They should have announced this as soon as they made the decision. Why would you hide that info? Wtf?

 

[RoboPlato]

Do we know what the PSN split is?

 

[Zeouterlimits]

Being frustrated is understandable, but it's the kind of thing that should stay internal and be moved on from quickly, which I'm guessing it will be.

Kind of like the Kotaku Sony black-ball fiasco, it's where the less fuss you make about it and staying positive about the announcement, leaked or not is generally the best thing to do.

 

[JawzPause]

Still have that cboat rumour to clarify...

 

[PolarGamer]

Wow. I want my first game to be made on Xbone. It's gonna be called Laser Face and have tits & poetry in it. Also expect Laser Face 2 - The Unborn Mother.

 

[amr]

What's with the red text over Blow's inquiry?

 

[Hoo-doo]

Is the 3GB limit in place as well?

Anyway, this is pretty cool for indies.

 

[Megasoum]

All XB1 being able to be switched to devkit mode with a auth from Microsoft is opening some big doors to piracy... I mean, sure it will be super secured and it's not like this will mean the console will get pirated on day 1 but this gives one more ways for people to potentially find a way around the console's DRM.

 

[Conor 419]

lol incompetent Microsoft.

 

[AndrewDean84xX]

That's cool for those that care. Just gimme a price drop of $50-$100 and I'm there day one MS!

 

[androvsky]

I hope Sony copies the every system can become a dev kit idea, that's a really nice idea and finally a forward thinking plan from Microsoft. Their first for Xbox One, as far as I'm scoring it.

You mean like how every Vita is a Dev kit for PSM? I'm not sure we have enough info to differentiate the two, beyond the PSM SDK being terribly limiting.

 

[Hellsing321]

Full X1: access to all graphic/hardware features like any AAA game would get.
App program: limited access to hardware and features.

CBOAT says its going to be an app program. But the achievements/cloud support gives me hope.

Do Windows Apps support Xbox achievements?

Games from Windows Phone have achievements too so It doesn't tell which way this will go.

 

[TalesOfWin]

we can thank sony for this. They put some pressure on MS with the PS4 so they just had to backpedal on some stuff.

 

[BlackLagoon]

I like the Xbox One can be a dev kit in of itself. PS4 should do that as well.

Every Vita is a PlayStation Mobile devkit. This sounds more like this than allowing full native development.

 

[Krakn3Dfx]

Will indie devs will be limited to the 2 CPU cores and 3GB of RAM that the Windows OS uses? Has MS said one way or the other? I think that would be pretty important.

 

[ReturnOfTheRAT]

What's with the red text over Blow's inquiry?

Stupidity on the part of whoever screencapped that image.

 

[Raide]

All XB1 being able to be switched to devkit mode with a auth from Microsoft is opening some big doors to piracy... I mean, sure it will be super secured and it's not like this will mean the console will get pirated on day 1 but this gives one more ways for people to potentially find a way around the console's DRM.

What DRM? You mean the Kinect requirement stuff?