Microsoft has announced that over 2,000 games have been released through the ID@Xbox program, with more than $1.5 billion in royalties have paid out since the project began.
With the launch of Swimsanity last week, more than 2,000 games from independent developers has been launched on the Xbox One and PC. Not bad for a program that was originally launched in 2014.
What is ID@Xbox? Well, it is a program that " enables qualified game developers of all sizes to unleash their creativity by self-publishing digital games on Xbox One and Windows 10 with Xbox Live, or adding Xbox Live to iOS or Android games, giving studios the tools and support needed to maximize their success." Whew. Talk about a mouthful. It's an informative mouthful, though, as ID@Xbox seems like the successor to Xbox Arcade, where independent developers published their titles back in the Xbox 360 days.
So, what has been published through ID@Xbox? MMO's like Black Desert, FPS' like Warframe, ranch games like Slime Rancher, and puzzlers like Human Fall Flat. A whole bunch of games, basically:
“For Cuphead, the ID@Xbox program was quite literally a game changer. Whether it was the excitement and passion they showed us when the game was in its earliest stages, the support and guidance they offered as we grew the team, their expertise helping us navigate our first-ever launch, or the continued passion they have for Cuphead today, they’ve been there every step the way on our journey. The team at ID is filled with people that truly love video games, and care deeply about bringing memorable experiences to players everywhere. If you’re just starting out on your own development journey, I’d be hard pressed to think of a better group of people to have in your corner.” – Maja Moldenhauer, Studio MDHR
What does this news mean for the future? Well, Microsoft is pretty clear in stating that games currently available on the Xbox One will also be available on the Xbox Series X, which makes sense. They may look a little worse and play a little dated compared to Xbox Series X titles, but that doesn't meant they shouldn't be able to be played on the newest generation of Xbox consoles.
For more information, stay tuned to TechRaptor.
