Microsoft opens up 360 to homebrew

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=10458

Talking on the eve of its Gamefest event in Seattle, Microsoft has revealed XNA Game Studio Express, a new product which will allow indie developers and students to develop simultaneously on Xbox 360 and PC, and share their games to others in a new Xbox 360 \'Creators Club\'.

The details of the new tech are as follows: XNA Game Studio Express will be available for free to anyone with a Windows XP-based PC, and will provide them with what\'s described as "Microsoft\'s next-generation platform for game development." In addition, by joining a "creators club" for an annual subscription fee of $99, users will be able to build, test and share their games on Xbox 360, as well as access a wealth of materials to help speed the game development progress.

In an official statement related to this major announcement, Microsoft suggested that the new product "...will democratize game development by delivering the necessary tools to hobbyists, students, indie developers and studios alike to help them bring their creative game ideas to life while nurturing game development talent, collaboration and sharing that will benefit the entire industry."

Great.
I want to see more of this.

Net Yaroze spawned some pretty cool games for the PS1. The Official PlayStation Mags in Europe would almost every month have a home made Net Yaroze game on the demo CD. Some were very well done.

PS2s Linux Kit resulted in a few games AFAIK. But not nearly as many as the Net Yaroze.

PS3 will come with Linux pre-installed, so the support should be bigger than it was for the PS2.

I won\'t lie to you, good homebrew development could make me buy just about any system, especially if it was able to run emulators so I could get rid of a half dozen consoles.

Indies can\'t beat the big-boys with eyecandy and budget, and are forced to make great gameplay games if they want to survive.... always good.

PS Jumpman sucks.

"....will democratize game development by delivering the necessary tools to hobbyists, students, indie developers and studios alike to help them bring their creative game ideas to life while nurturing game development talent...."

I wonder if that 99$  subscription fee, will guarantee the IP rights to the Indie dev who\'ll create the \'blockbuster idea\', or that MS gets the IP rights because of the XNA license ? :rolleyes:

Look at HL2 Portal : originally, a gameplay id of a videogame student... and she\'s now a Valve employee...hmmm

\'democracy in gamedevelopment\' eh....

Rights aside, this is bold new ground for console games and could definitely be the start of something in the future.
 
For all the Nintendo hype, I\'d say with Live and now this, Microsoft is thinking outside the box and going on all cylinders.
 
I\'ve actually warmed up to them as a console manufacturer.

"homebrew" is misleading

they\'re selling a product that will allow gamers to make shitty ass side scrollers and "my first RPG" type games with crippled tools.

it\'s like giving a kid a tiny sandbox, and telling him to paint the mona lisa

Right.
 
I wouldn\'t pay the $99, but I would be interested to download a couple for a few bucks and play them.