Create your own Xbox games
2008-07-23 12:00
Daisuke Wakabayashi
Seattle - Microsoft Corp will
turn to users of its Xbox 360 to create new video games and
broaden the types of games available on its console, taking a
page out of the strategy books of Facebook and YouTube.
The world's largest software maker said on Tuesday that it
will start selling "user-generated" games later this year on
its online Xbox Live service and share up to 70% of
revenue with the game developer.
Microsoft began offering game production tools in 2006 to
amateurs and hobbyists under an initiative called "XNA," which
allowed developers to create a game that could run on the Xbox,
a Windows-based computer or its Zune media player.
User-created content is the backbone of many
advertising-supported web sites such as Facebook and YouTube,
but the video game industry has relied mostly on deep-pocketed
developers to create sequels or games based on licensed
properties.
Slice of the revenue
Facebook and YouTube provide a forum for new software
applications and videos for free, but they do not share
advertising fees with users.
Microsoft, however, requires the prospective video game
developer to buy a $99-a-year premium membership to the XNA
Creators Club, but offers a slice of the revenue.
The games will be sold on the Xbox Live Marketplace at
three different prices - the equivalent of $2.50, $5 or $10 -
using Microsoft points.
In order to get the game into the Xbox Live store, the
games must pass a peer-review system.
"Not only are we democratising game development with Xbox
Live Community Games later this year, but we're creating an
opportunity for aspiring developers," Chris Satchell, chief
technology officer at Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment
Business group, said in a news release.
Microsoft expects the games created by users will double
the number of games available for the Xbox 360 when the
Community Games section of its Xbox Live online store comes out
of "beta", or test mode in the fall.
- Reuters