Microsoft rebrands XNA Creators Club as App Hub
When Microsoft first launched the XNA toolset, it was aimed at making cross-platform game development easier for independent game designers, and providing a framework to target them towards not only various Windows operating systems, but the Zune and Xbox 360 as well. To target the Xbox 360, one had to pay an annual membership of $99, which made you a part of the community to submit games for sale directly on the console. It’s actually a pretty innovative approach to letting the individual developer a way into console games creation, something that is still difficult elsewhere and not offered by the other big console makers.
It comes as no surprise that the new Windows Phone 7 launch means a new target for development, and in an effort to make it more widely known, Microsoft has rebranded it to the App Hub, which has a couple of connotations. First is that XNA is capable of creating programs other than games, using what is considered by many to be the best free development platform out there. I’m not a programmer myself, but everyone I’ve spoken to who is has nothing but good things to say about the toolset. The second is that Microsoft is serious about Windows Phone 7. That’s pretty obvious given all the news and partnerships surrounding the launch, but putting a new emphasis on WP7 devices with XNA shows a commitment beyond just paying big studios (games or otherwise), to start making programs for the new OS.
According to the new site…
App Hub is the website created just for Windows Phone and Xbox LIVE Indie Games developers that provides free tools, sample code, community support, and educational resources to help you develop your apps and games for Windows Phone and Xbox 360.
For a $99 USD annual subscription, you can submit your apps and games to App Hub for sale or free download in the Windows Phone Marketplace or Xbox LIVE Marketplace. We provide you with a personalized dashboard to manage merchandising, track downloads, and keep track of how much you’re earning. [from App Hub]
For developers who were toying with the idea of playing around with the Windows Phone dev tools, rolling the Windows Phone membership into the Xbox 360 fees is certainly an added incentive. It’ll be interesting if we also see more development of non-game apps on the Xbox 360 as well.
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Interesting news..
I’m beta tester at another App Hub site at http://apphub.co/
Probably they will change the name before public launch.
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