GDC08: XNAnswers at the bloggers breakfast
Yesterday's announcement of XNA Community Games was exciting, but it wasn't exactly heavy on answers. Today we sat with a breakfast table full of Microsoft bigwigs and pummeled them until they gave us the information we crave, no matter how many pleas for mercy they offered up. ... Well, we pummeled them with questions. ... And what they offered up was delicious bacon, not pleas for mercy.
Check out what we learned after the jump.
Only members of XNA Creators Club will be able to upload games to the service. They'll also make up the review squad for games that will vet them for IP infringement, adult content, etc.
Games will not be rated by any body like the ESRB, but those groups have been asked for their opinion on Microsoft's rating system.
Microsoft's not talking about how the system will be monetized (or even if it will) while they're in this beta phase.
Games will be on the Marketplace blade, but you'll also be able to search a web page for games that you'd like to play. Creators will be able to post comments about their games as well as downloadable videos.
At the moment, the file size limit of games is 150 MB, but Microsoft is open to increasing that if need be.
Both silver and gold members of Xbox Live will be able download XNA games.
Microsoft isn't particularly worried about XNA cannibalizing XBLA sales. As Xbox Live VP John Schappert said, "I think at the end of the day, empowering consumers to create their own games is better overall. I think it will be a nice compliment.
At the moment, you won't be able to see what your friends are playing, but that's something Microsoft would like to fix.
There won't be any Achievements on XNA.
Creators will be able to choose which regions they want their work in.
Creators will retain the rights to their work.
We're still here, is there anything else you guys would like to know?
