Hasta La Gadget!

Sony has long argued that the PS4 and PS Vita are indie-friendly consoles, and it’s backing up words with deeds at Gamescom. The company has landed a PS4 exclusive for the console version of Rogue Legacy. Both the PS4 and Vita are also getting a new version of The Binding of Isaac (called Rebirth), while a new N+ (N++) game is coming to PlayStation hardware. In a few cases, Sony will get first crack at some anticipated games — a Hotline Miami sequel and Guns of Icarus Online will make their console debuts on the PS4 and PS Vita. If your tastes in games venture beyond the mainstream, Sony may have you covered for the foreseeable future.

Filed under: Gaming, Sony

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Microsoft announced a new Xbox One program this morning titled “Independent Developers @ Xbox,” an internal initiative aimed at speeding the game publishing process for independent developers on Xbox One. The program enables indie devs to work with Microsoft directly on digitally publishing to Xbox One — after an application approval process, Microsoft offers approved developers two free development kits and access to its Xbox One toolset (Kinect, Cloud, etc.). The application process costs nothing, nor do game updates, and Microsoft’s handling the pricing structure. Xbox VP Marc Whitten tells Engadget that the process for approval is quick.

“Our goal is to be incredibly responsive,” Whitten said. As for an exact turnaround time or deadline (like Apple’s coveted two-week iOS approval window), Whitten wouldn’t budge. “We’re very motivated to go quickly, and our goal is to go as quickly as possible,” he said. The same thing goes for the dev kits reaching approved devs; no hard deadline beyond “as soon as possible.” When devs are approved and able to publish, they’ll become “registered Xbox One developers,” and thus able to self-publishing games on Microsoft’s next game console. Approval also grants access to a variety of Xbox Live functionality, from Achievements to online multiplayer; developers will also gain access to the Kinect and SmartGlass functions. Priority for initial applications is being offered “to independent game developers who have a proven track record of shipping games on console, PC, mobile or tablet.” Longtime Xbox Live evangelist Chris Charla is heading up the program.

The application process begins today (right here) and the first approvals start this fall. As for the plan to make every Xbox One a dev kit … that’s still in the works, but not ready for the Xbox One launch.

Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD, Microsoft

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The game that helped to take indie development mainstream, while also proving how tortured and twisted the process can be, will not be getting a sequel. As you may have heard over the weekend, Fez‘s creator, Phil Fish, wrote a typically short and emotional fragment of explanatory text on Polytron’s official website, saying that he’s “getting out of games” and that he’s killed the Fez II project that was announced last month and had been destined for the PC:

“FEZ II is cancelled. i am done. i take the money and i run. this is as much as i can stomach. this is isn’t the result of any one thing, but the end of a long, bloody campaign. you win.”

The “bloody campaign” in question likely consists of numerous hate messages that have been sent to Fish, sometimes in relation to his outspoken comments about other games and gamers, sometimes connected to things he did / didn’t say about Microsoft, and other times simply due to the fact that Fez was so financially successful. We’re not going to provide any specific examples, since gamer feuds are never worth the stress, but if you have a tougher skin and you want to know more, feel free to sully yourself at the links below.

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Via: Joystiq

Source: Polytron

As much as we’d like to talk about Sony’s increasing hospitality toward independent developers, we’re a little too anxious. You see, the company has just added an indie games channel to its handheld console, with Hotline Miami as the flagship title. Users will also be able to grab 53 other titles, like Thomas Was Alone, Sound Shapes and Limbo, but we’re too busy with Hotline Miami to pay attention right now. Sony is also promising that we’ll see Spelunky, Terraria and Hohokum in the next few months, which’ll keep you entertained when you’ve finished, you know, Hotline Miami. If you’d like to catch a trailer showcasing all the new games, head on past the break.

Filed under: Gaming, Sony

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Via: Official PlayStation Blog

Source: PlayStation Indie

Amazon feels for indie devs. So much so, that it’s set up a standalone Indie Game storefront on its site specifically to highlight these gaming gems that might otherwise get overlooked. The new portal, designed to “increase discoverability,” will feature select games for Mac, PC and the browser, but Amazon’s not just leaving it at that. To properly promote this new storefront launch, it’s tossing in some limited time promos to entice gamers to click and explore the catalog. From today until July 23rd, Amazon customers can purchase Indie Bundles containing up to 10 games for $10, as well as receive download codes, good for three pre-selected games, with every purchase (available until July 17th). The company’s also throwing its considerable weight around in the publicity department, with a weekly spotlight Q&A feature aimed at shedding some light on developers and a Gamer’s Choice award; a distinction that nets a game prominent storefront promotion. Feel like rewarding innovation, creativity, your penchant for slack-jawed amusement and the little guy? Yeah, us too. So check out the source and vote with your dollars.

Filed under: Gaming, Amazon

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Source: Amazon, (1)