Anyone can be a creator with the Xbox One.
That’s the message Microsoft is sending for its next-gen console, as the company announced today that it’s giving independent developers the ability to self-publish on the Xbox One.
Microsoft gave us this statement from Marc Whitten, Xbox corporate vice president:
“Our vision is that every person can be a creator. 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.”
That’s a stark contrast from the rules on the Xbox 360, which forces developers to go through a third-party publisher or Microsoft Studios if they want to release games.
It’s also somewhat of an Xbox One rule reversal — sound familiar? — after Microsoft said in May that developers would not be able to publish content themselves on console, though the company has been supportive of indie developers on the Xbox One.
Still, this all won’t be possible when the Xbox One hits shelves this winter. Whitten told Polygon that it may take up to a year before Microsoft allows indie developers to create their own titles.
Sony, meanwhile, allows self-publishing on all its platforms, including the new PlayStation 4 that will go on sale later this winter.
