For up and coming developers, Xbox Live Arcade has become one of the best places to get recognition for their games. However, man cannot survive by internet hype alone. Surely the indie developers are getting some kick back from Microsoft for all those game downloads.
Indie developers in the past have typically received 70 percent of the royalty share and it was rumored recently that Microsoft has cut that in half to 35 percent. The reason for the decrease is believed to be Microsoft’s future reliance on the recently announced XNA initiative. XNA is Microsoft’s new software package designed to make it easier for game developers to design games by freeing them from writing repetitive code. (more…)
Posted by Dennis |
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Almost since the launch of the original Xbox there have been rumors of an X-Boy or some other cleverly titles portable gaming system. While it seems that every major console manufacturer must eventually dive into the portable market only to be eventually rebuffed by Nintendo, the rumors have persisted without much to actually show for them. That all changed this week when Microsoft added games to the Zune music player.
To be fair, the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP are hardly shaking in their boots at the arrival of Zune games. They’re more on the level of the games already offered on Apple’s iPod. Still, the games are being developed using Microsoft’s XNA Studio, the same system used to develop titles for Xbox Live Arcade and the PC. Does it sound like Microsoft might have some big, long-term plans for XNA?
So, it isn’t exactly the X-Boy many had hoped for. Yet, the full force push behind XNA may spell trouble for both Sony and Nintendo. While Nintendo’s dominance of the handheld market seems fairly cement, there is definitely room for a competitor to chip away at it. Sony has fumbled their way with the PSP and will almost certainly try with a PSP2, but a Microsoft developed system could make a large impact by trying new things neither Nintendo or Sony are ready or willing to. (more…)
Posted by Justin |
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