Microsoft cemented its commitment to indie devs today by revealing details for a new program that will make developing and publishing games on the Xbox One easier for independent developers.
In short, the Independent Developers @ Xbox (ID@Xbox) program "will offer game developers the same great benefits that existing Xbox developers have today, including the full power of the console, cloud services, Kinect and the Xbox Live toolset such as Xbox SmartGlass, multiplayer, Achievements, Gamerscore and more."
Applications for the program are currently open, though Microsoft admits that in the initial phase they are looking for "professional independent game developers who have a proven track record of shipping games on console, PC, mobile, or tablet." However, the long term goal is to eventually have anyone with a retail Xbox One be able to develop, publish, and sell their game on Xbox Live.
Games will still need to pass certification, but Microsoft will offer release managers to help with the process. Furthermore, Microsoft will not charge publishers or developers to update their game on Xbox, and there will be no limit on how many updates developers can make to a game on Xbox One.
Once the game is on Xbox One, it will be treated "as equal." Xbox One owners can find new games in three separate places: the spotlight which is curated by Xbox; trending which highlights what's popular among friends and the Xbox Live community; and recommendations which is based on what a user's friends like to play.
You can read more about the newly detailed program over at the official ID@Xbox site or at Xbox Wire.
