VG247

Xbox One will support indies, according to Microsoft’s head of interactive entertainment, Don Mattrick, via an “independent creator program,” saying there’s “no way” the firm would build a console without that in mind.

Speaking with Kotaku, Mattrick said independent game creators “exist right inside our ecosystem,” and that the firm is going to “support those guys.”

“We’re going to have an independent creator program,” he said. “We’re going to sponsor it. We’re going to give people tools. That is something we think—I think—is important. That’s how I started in the industry. There’s no way we’re going to build a box that doesn’t support that.”

Mattrick said Microsoft is “going to give more information” on its indie support in the future, re: E3 we assume.

Last week, it was reported that Xbox One would no longer contain separate channels for Xbox Live Arcade and XBL Indie Games as all available titles would go under one unified tab.

Matt Booty, general manager of Redmond Game Studios and Platforms, also said that like XBL Arcade games on Xbox 360 before it, indie titles would not be self-publishible through the XBLA system.

Many independent developers such as Curve Studios, Pocketwatch Games along with Just Add Water and The Astronauts voiced confusion, frustration, and a bit of indecisiveness regarding the console after it was revealed last week. All hoping, along with the general public, that Microsoft would clear things up more at E3 next month.

Personally, I still don't like this whole "We will let you know in the future". The launch of this console is ~6 months away. What, you going to give these guys a 3 month notice?

I bet this idea came to their minds a week ago.

I am not 100% sure on the direction they intend to go. If they truly valued the indy developers I would have expected them to have at least fully communicated with them by now.

Personally, I enjoy Indy dev projects. They are low cost for me and tend to provide plenty of enjoyment for that cost.

I enjoy some indies because most of them are uselessware. Have you navigated through XBL in the Indies section? My God it's awful, for every 50 games there's 1 worth playing. This way I believe MSFT will give true indie devs more support and better exposition.

I tend to investigate before I make purchases, so I usually avoid the junk. Still, if XBLA is anything to go by, indy devs can make some real good stuff.

What ever MS do the indie devs will moan about it. I they told indies that they would give them £1000 just to self publish it and that every MS employee would buy a copy they would still say 'Only £1000?! That'll barely cover the cost of turning my PC on. Any why don't you make your employees buy 2 copies?'

They really come across as a bunch of whiney bastards.

this.

Indeed.  It just looks they created the program on the weekend as an answer to all the crap they are getting.