Xbox One indie program will support free-to-play games, microtransactions
Looking into Microsoft's ID@Xbox program for independent developers? You'll be happy to hear that the company won't be placing any restrictions on your desired distribution model. Speaking to Joystiq at PAX Prime, Microsoft portfolio director for digital games Chris Charla explained that independent developers are free to utilize "every business model that any other game on Xbox One has." This means that independent self-published games won't be restricted to a different price structure than games from mainstream studios, opening up the possibilities for indie games with premium pricing, micro-transactions or free-to-play models. Charla explained it as a fundamental tenet of the program, clarifying that ID@Xbox titles have access to all the same features as any other game. "They have full Gamerscore, full Achievements, can take advantage of SmartGlass, Kinect – if you can do it with an Xbox One game, you can do it with anything that comes through the ID@Xbox program." It's a smart policy, one that takes full advantage of the growing popularity of the indie gaming scene. Check out Joystiq for more PAX Prime coverage.
