Microsoft doesn’t expect to see any independent titles launch on the Xbox One until early 2014, giving developers’ time to complete their games.
According to Phil Harrison, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President, the company has received “hundreds” if not “thousands” of applications for its Independent Developers @ Xbox program, but doesn’t expect to see the game materialise until early next year.
“We’ve had an avalanche of interest from all corners of the globe. It’s what we expected but it’s great to see. Now we’re working through applications and creating that dialogue with developers,” said Harrison to Games Industry International.
“I don’t think we’re going to see things at launch. I don’t think it’s realistic to see a developer get the programme and build a game and get it into the market on November 22. It’s reasonable to expect in early 2014 we’ll start seeing the first games come through.”
Harrison was also quick to protect the reputation of Microsoft over the flurry of overturns surrounding Xbox One policies in the months since the official unveiling.
“Our long term vision hasn’t changed at all. We haven’t diluted our long term vision, which is all of the benefits of a connected ecosystem and what that means for all of the stakeholders – us, developer, publisher and crucially, the player. None of that has changed.”
Since officially launching the Xbox One, Microsoft has changed policies on DRM, daily online check-ins, always-on Kinect requirements and other smaller details.
“We had to adapt some of our policies and it was best that we did those before we launched, which we’ve done. All of that can be handled in the vacuum of the pre-launch activity. And it allows the players to have a choice.”
November 2013 will see both the Xbox One and PS4 launch within weeks of each other with consumers having to decide which next-generation console they want to own.
“We feel very happy about the launch line-up we have and the launch window of games we’ll be bringing to market,” added Harrison. “That line-up is very, very strong. And Titanfall is turning into the huge megahit that we expected it to be.”
Next, read our Xbox One vs PS4 comparison.
