All three current-gen consoles now offer original downloadable content, but the user-created offerings of XNA will make the difference in the long run, says Microsoft.
Microsoft's XNA is a toolset that makes it easier for amateur and independent game designers to develop games for Microsoft platforms. At this year's Game Developers Conference, Microsoft revealed that XNA games, like Culture, pictured above, would eventually be making their way to the Xbox LiveArcade and Zune.
Xbox Live Arcade portfolio planner David Edery believes that the user-created XNA games will give Microsoft the edge over the competition when it comes to the downloadable content arena.
"I certainly think from an innovation perspective it's going to help us leapfrog the competition, effectively until they find a way to duplicate it, assuming they ever do," he said.
Edery also believes XNA will help fill gaming niches that have yet to even be identified.
"The example I always like to give is will someone finally make that scuba diving game, where there's really only 15,000 people interested in a hardcore scuba diving simulation, but they really, really want one? And maybe through XNA someone can profitably get one out there," he said.
Image courtesy Microsoft
Microsoft: User Created Games Will Help Us Leapfrog WiiWare and PSN [GamesIndustry]
See Also:
