Microsoft stops charging developers to update Xbox 360 games

[GeordieReaper]

Why MS have done this quietly is beyond me as I would say this is a very good thing. Can we expect a higher frequency of patches for Defiance with this road block removed?

http://www.oxm.co.uk/57153/microsoft...box-360-games/

[dominad]

I hope not until they can fix their patch system. If it was more frequently I would never be able to play again.

[GeordieReaper]

I hope not until they can fix their patch system. If it was more frequently I would never be able to play again.

I hear you, but I have to admit I've had no problems with any of the patches, I switched my computer and xbox over to using openDNS a few weeks ago and have only suffered a few disconnects since and no problem with the latest patch. So how much is Trion and how much is it peoples poorly configured connections?

[Pyth]

That fee was always trivial in the grand scheme of things and basically just covered a partial portion of Microsoft's expenses. I can really only see it hurting indie developers, but even then, that price is reduced by 75% for DL Titles.

People often just looked at the $40,000 price tag and said "this is why we don't have a patch yet", which usually isn't the case. But it does ease up the system for MS and lets them control the quality of the updates.

So no, I don't think we're going to see a greater frequency of updates because of this. They'll still have to go through certification and the likes.

[GeordieReaper]

That fee was always trivial in the grand scheme of things and basically just covered a partial portion of Microsoft's expenses. I can really only see it hurting indie developers, but even then, that price is reduced by 75% for DL Titles.

People often just looked at the $40,000 price tag and said "this is why we don't have a patch yet", which usually isn't the case. But it does ease up the system for MS and lets them control the quality of the updates.

So no, I don't think we're going to see a greater frequency of updates because of this. They'll still have to go through certification and the likes.

Certification has been made simpler and charges removed for failing and resubmission unless MS class resubmission as excessive. I see no reason for companies not to take advantage of this new policy.

[Pyth]

What you would expect to happen and what would appear to be common sense are never the same as what is going to happen.

But perhaps more developers will make good use of this, I just doubt that's actually going to be the case. I think Microsoft knows this as well, because you'd think they'd be far more vocal about this. Especially considering they need all the good publicity they can get at this point.

We'll see though, time may prove you right.

[Schmiznurf]

I was under the impression that Trion didn't have to pay because it is an MMO.

[Mirimon]

they have done it not simply for defiance, but because it was one of the criticisms of the future of console gaming, as more people became aware of why indie development for xbox, any of them, was largely not done. This does take a load off on those people, not the big companies, but there is still a huge price to pay just to get it on xbl in the first place, which will still fend off any would-be developer and leave them sitting comfortably in the free market of playstation and pc, hence, why there are far more indie titles on playstaion than xbox (of those 2 systems).

while these might mean more frequent patches for other companies.. this also may mean more frequent bugs, as their certification requirements alone are not strict enough, the fee was an additional incentive to try and make an update more "the right way" and less game breaking.

keep in mind though, Microsoft themselves has not yet published this information for release. This comes from a more free, and loosely lipped, xbm.