“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 are now able to access a basic consumer version
of the professional tools used to create games for Windows and the Xbox 360
console - Microsoft's XNA Game Studio.
The tools are free, but for an annual $99
subscription, users are also be able to build, test and share their games on
Xbox 360 and access materials to help speed the game development progress.
Dubbed "Community
Games", titles created using the XNA toolset will soon be available on
Xbox Live for all Xbox 360 users to download and enjoy.
"The time has come for the games
industry to open its doors to all game creators, enabling anyone to share their
creations with the world," says Microsoft's John Schappert.
"Our goal is to drive a creative and
social revolution in games with the same transformative power that we've seen
in digital music and video sharing."
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.
The games industry began with sole
programmers creating entire games 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 to Drive and Telstra's 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's Wii and Sony's PlayStation 3 offering similar online
download services.
Microsoft's XNA Game Studio should be applauded - anything that can
help young talent break into the development industry and foster new ideas is
more than welcome in the increasingly risk-adverse publishing climate. However, the scheme is not the first time consumers have been able to produce their own
console games.
Sony ran a similar scheme for the original
PlayStation called Net Yaroze, and followed it up 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 realised
they can also widen the audience for interactive entertainment by providing
short, simple and innovative little diversions. Viva La Revolution!