Note: It is worth noting that some of the sources referenced in this article were written earlier in the year. Since then, numbers will have gone up, so I will reference the lowest possible figures, rather than making assumptions based on time elapsed. We are awaiting confirmation from Microsoft and Sony regarding their current numbers, and will keep you updated.
Last week, the ID@Xbox blog released a post regarding their indie games shown at Xbox’s Gamescom conference. An interesting piece of information they revealed was that there are currently more than 500 indie devs building games for Xbox One – the last known number of indie developers on the PlayStation 4 is over 1000.
Well worth a read, the blog post details an immense list of games coming to the Xbox One, from the well-publicised Below and INSIDE, to the more obscure, such as SlashDash and Rivals of Aether. It also announces that – while developers already have free access to Xbox One devkits, Unity tools, and Unreal Engine 4 – indie developers will soon be able to use GameMaker: Studio export for Xbox One.
The post also states in the first paragraph that the ID@Xbox program is responsible for providing “…over 500 developers with development kits.” These numbers are impressive by any stretch, especially so early in a console’s life. But it’s a figure that doesn’t quite contend with Sony.
Back at the end of March, Adam Boyes announced via the PlayStation Blog that there were more than 1,000 indie developers licensed to self-publish on the PlayStation platform.
“Recently we reached a significant milestone with more than 1,000 developers licensed globally to self-publish on our platforms, 200 of those licensed in North America since PS4 was unveiled in February 2013.“
That’s a lot of indie developers, and it’s a number that has no doubt increased in the 5 months since.
In terms of crafting a relationship with their ID@Xbox indie developers, Microsoft is doing a pretty good job so far – especially when its competition is lauded as the ‘IndieStation’ (in this context, I’m using the name as a good thing – more games shouldn’t be bad) for having so much positive rapport with their self-publishing developers.
That being said, Sony started to establish a solid relationship with indie developers since the PlayStation 4 reveal in 2013, and it’s a relationship that has obviously flourished over the last year and a half. Microsoft may be intent on delivering a slew of incredible indie games over the coming years, but at this point Sony has a dominating lead in the venture.
With a focus on such a diverse line up of AAA and indie games, it’s clear that both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are helping usher in the next generation of gaming with open arms – and it’s only going to get better.
http://www.gamerheadlines.com/2014/08/playstation-twice-number-indie-developers-xbox/#ixzz3BX5h1a00
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