Microsoft to reveal new indie strategy 'very soon'

July 19th, 2013, 01:04 Posted By: wraggster

Microsoft is still passionate about indie developers and will reveal its Xbox One publishing policies "very soon", according to Lionhead's creative director.
In an interview with Official Xbox Magazine, Gary Carr said "I certainly know that Microsoft want to talk at future press events about their relationships with indies".
"I can't really talk about that, but they're very passionate about building a strong relationship with indie development - indie development is the future," he added.
"I've been an indie developer for 23 years of my 28-year career, so I completely... there is no future to the games business without independent developers, they always will shape the industry, and the big corporations will follow. So that relationship is important.
"I don't mind having the big players like the Sonys, the Microsofts, the Amazons. I think you need these big giants out there, they kind of hold it all together in some way, but the real driving force of the industry has always been independent development. That's what shapes and changes and creates innovation. I think they can coexist."
CVG understands Microsoft is preparing for a Gamescom press conference, and may reveal the details of its new indie policy at the show.
Elsewhere in his interview, Carr also claimed that Phil Harrison, who's in charge of Microsoft's European developer relations, appears to be working on his own Xbox One platform.
"Oh, I think you'll find he's coming," Carr told OXM. "His platform is very soon, don't you worry about that."
Previous concerns that the Xbox One marketplace would not feature distinct Xbox Live Arcade and Indie channels, and will instead group all games into one category, led former Xbox boss Don Mattrick to pledge indie support on Xbox One.
Prior to this, Tim Schafer of Double Fine Studios had said that Microsoft support of indies is critical, while indie studio Curve declared its focus on PS4 because of "the lack of independent support currently announced from Microsoft and the Xbox One".
During E3, CVG interviewed Phil Harrison and asked him about indie support on Xbox One. He replied: "You've seen on Xbox 360 that Microsoft has, I think, pioneered a commitment to new development talent through Xbox Live Arcade and the Indie channel.
"What we've done on Xbox One is we've been very purposeful in removing those distinctions between categories of games. We don't want to infer quality by the size of the developer that created it - they're just 'games' to us, which is why you will only see games as one category."

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...egy-very-soon/

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