The irony of these comments is that Microsoft actually has a pretty lax certification process. Putting games on the platform isn't all that difficult. Granted that the party putting the game on Live isn't looking for special consideration for their product. If they are then it stands to reason that they are going to have to go through some quality assurance. To protect the best interest of both the players, and of the company itself.
Microsoft does offer up a alternative to quality assurance. Hobbyists and Amateurs are constantly putting their games out there for sale on Live. Microsoft sets aside a listing in their marketplace for just those sort of games. What we aren't talking about here is the bare bones certification to get on to the platform, but the certification to get on the platform with benefits.
Those benefits being that Microsoft affords a game prime real estate on their service, actively promotes the product, and markets the product through media outlets. If Microsoft is going to throw its considerable weight behind something. Then it isn't just the developers reputation on the line anymore. It is also the reputation of Microsoft at stake. So then need to assure that a game is of sufficient quality.
I am not saying that effort to get through quality assurance isn't Herculean. It may very will be. I am just pointing out that he does have options other then going through that gauntlet. There doesn't seem to be anything blocking him from putting his titles on the platform. Honestly quality assurance is a tight rope that all manufacturers have to walk. While being pulled in both directions at the same time.
They make it too difficult and the lose out on some good games, and their customers lose out on some good games. They make it too easy, and a lot of crap slips through the cracks. Which means that their reputation as a platform takes a pounding, and their customers end up getting duped into buying lemons. Which is just as bad.
I don't know where Microsoft is with its quality assurance. I wouldn't necessarily take a developers word for it either. After all who doesn't want the world handed to them on a silver platter. I do know that outside of the junk yard that is the indie game section on Live. Most of what is presented to me for my consideration seems to be of a pretty high quality. So I really don't have much to complain about as a user of the service. I feel pretty safe purchasing content over Live.
It should be interesting moving forward to see what the quality assurance from all the players ends up looking like. Here is hoping that none of the players just leaves the barn doors open though. Atari should be a object lesson that nobody should forget. They let any and all developers do whatever they wanted on that platform, and we know how that turned out.
