Microsoft Loaning Eight Xbox 360 SDKs to Small Devs

[fitbabits]

IGN (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/777/777826p1.html) is reporting that Microsoft has teamed up with the Bracks government and the Games Developers Association of Australia (GDAA) to provide the Victorian game developers community with eight Xbox 360 development kits.

This may not sound like much, but "to put it in perspective for small developers," said Ms Tracey Fellows, Managing Director, Microsoft Australia and New Zealand, "each kit is valued at around $15,000 and they really are the key to developing games for the Xbox 360. The kit provides all the codes and protocols needed to program a game for the Xbox 360."

Microsoft and the Victorian government will be investing jointly in the kits, with the GDAA managing their loan distribution to "cutting-edge local games developers." The key component of the scheme is that it gives smaller development houses a leg up in a fast moving industry with rising development costs. Tom Crago, President of the GDAA, commented that "Given the rapid changes occurring globally in our industry, the early roll-out of this program in the development cycle will ensure we leverage and grow our local skills base."
Australia only at the moment, but this is a pleasing 'development' nonetheless.

[mister_slim]

So the 360 dev kit costs 8 times as much as the Wii kits?

[CaptStu]

So the 360 dev kit costs 8 times as much as the Wii kits?

No, they're just using their old Gamecube kits. :rolleyes:

Why the hell does that matter? Really. Try posting on topic.

Good news, MS.

[DubiousQuality]

Yet another right step by MS to reach out to developers and get even more games in the channel for the 360. Kudos MS.

[Boris]

What's the point? Even if these grass roots developers produce something valuable they'll only end up being butt gang raped by the publishers who will turn their original idea into another "cookie cutter action war FPS with zombies and dwarfs", lose their IP and receive no royalties.

It would have been kinder of Microsoft to send them vials of cyanide. :)

Sorry for my rampant pessimism.

[Schnoogs]

All 8 were returned with Red Ring of Death

[Codicier]

All 8 were returned with Red Ring of Death

Not as hilariously "out there" as you may think. :(

[Hexxagonal]

hopefully they go to capable hands

[jeffool]

Do they pronounce GDAA as "G'day?" Because that would cement gamers as having the best sense of humor ever.

[Mortal Moxie]

This news is almost as good as the article about Sega giving Sonic a rest for a while.

Point being? It's a common sense smart move.

[Midda]

Do they pronounce GDAA as "G'day?" Because that would cement gamers as having the best sense of humor ever.
Nah, as far as I know, we just spell it out. Pretty lame, yeah.

[rinichanraar]

Australia only at the moment, but this is a pleasing 'development' nonetheless.

Great news, but that "development" thing was terrible. ... Terribly awesome. ;)

[Scramble]

One of these should go to Melbourne House if they don't have a dev kit already. A next-gen KKND would be sweeet.

[saneman]

Apparently they're working on a port of Test Drive for the X360, so I'd assume they have one already. According to Wikipedia they're not even Melbourne House anymore, they're Krome Studios Melbourne. How bland.

This sounds like it's targeted at less established groups. A good step by the government and MS though.

[Midda]

Being part of one of the biggest independent game development studios in the world, Melbourne House has no troubles getting a hold of dev kits.