XBL Indie devs can control release dates

Microsoft has altered its policy on Indie Games releases for the Xbox 360, letting developers set their own release dates for titles now.

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Developers on the Xbox 360 Indie Games Channel can now control their own release dates, reports Giant Bomb. Before this week's update, game developers submitted to the peer review for approval, after which it would go live. Now developers can halt a game once it's ready to go live, to allow time to drum up support.

While good news for developers, Microsoft didn't tell the indie community about this impending change until it was active. One developer, Jason Wishnov, just launched a RPG-rhythm game hybrid called Sequence only four days before the new feature became available. "I had a hell of a time coordinating a traditional marketing blitz when I was literally unable to tell when my game would be available to the public," he said. "The XBLIG team isn't exactly great at keeping us informed of pending developments."

The lack of structure impacted the indie games late last year, when developers tried to band together for the Winter Uprising. The games were loosely set to come out sometime in December, without formal dates. "We basically had this 'the games will most likely come out in winter' approach," said James Silva of Dishwasher fame. "If we could get all of the games approved and then publish them on a well-publicized official schedule, it would look tons better."

Editor-In-Chief
From The Chatty
  • reply
    May 12, 2011 3:00 PM

    Steve Watts posted a new article, XBL Indie devs can control release dates.

    Microsoft has altered its policy on Indie Games releases for the Xbox 360, letting developers set their own release dates for titles now.

    • reply
      May 12, 2011 3:29 PM

      Finally! I was just discussing this with someone last night! The phone side of the dev system has allowed this since launch, seems like a no-brainer to bring it over to XBL. I wish they would communicate their plans a bit more openly, though.

    • reply
      May 12, 2011 4:32 PM

      Who the fuck would even want to seek talent career on a smellx mircoshit 360 , come on , 360 is the biggest failure and microsoft has no idea , they just get away with it , while sony has no idea either, but those guys never get away with it.

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 4:34 PM

        [deleted]

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 4:35 PM

        smellx mircoshit i gotta use that more often

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 4:41 PM

          I am quite angry at this moment , i can't believe what a monstrosity this service microcrap is, i can't belive that INDIE games would EVEN TRY TO SELL THINGS ON A SYSTEM LIKE THIS ??? NO RELEASE DATE CONTROL ???

          because , i NEVER KNEW there was such thing as " NO RELEASE DATE CONTROL" .... this is madness.

          How , how the for the sakes astronomity could you agree to such stupid contract ?

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 4:38 PM

        Can't wait for Project Cafe, the pwn the shit out of this crap, it doesn't have to be super-beefed up, it just needs to FUCKING WORK like N64 did , GCN did , Wii did , and nintendo , no matter WHAT market they targeted, nintendo was always having TOP Qualit of what they provided , even if they provided less online features , it was at LEAST working what they had , this is undebatable , it's toally unfreaking talkable , the whole shit that microsoft done , is all money milikn ...

        just to mention a few things: hard drive locking, pehiperals cost a ton, the system is totally unstable, the CD cracks , the RRODs, the HALOReach COOP HDD requirement (double RIPOFF) ... just come on, nintendo doesn't do that shit, never did such dirty business tricks.

        I am sick of this crapbox shit , throw in garbage , ... these indie developers are noobs , they seek talent on some broken device on some broken service ... and look the gaming community how everything is portrayed in flowers

        the gaming industry became depressive : crytek you can go suck dick for a Crysis2 fail , shame on you.

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 4:39 PM

        [deleted]

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 4:46 PM

          I don't care about the HD , i don't care about anything crap else for those 14old kids, Wii WORKS , it always works , and it's ENOUGH for zelda , metroid , and mario .... like 8 games total i play , and that's what it's called QUALITY.

          I don't need a console to replace gaming , never , cause im PC , the whole logic of microsoft and sony is totally stupid. Do you know how those companies behave and how stupid they are in public.

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 4:45 PM

        Truly a valid and well thought-out point.

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 4:45 PM

        bwahahahahahahahhaa!!!!!!!!!! *gasp* hahahahahahahhahahahaha!!!!!!!

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 4:47 PM

        holy fuck

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 4:50 PM

        [deleted]

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 4:56 PM

        [deleted]

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 4:58 PM

        That's the anger , now for the point: In a nut shell

        PS3; 360; Wii ->> Cafe
        Nintendo is like 100 stories higher and watching down on the playground, microsoft is playing around with digging holes and traps and never getting caught , while sony always falls to every hole and trap and every bad luck that gets it gets sony.


        Nintendos strategy was this all along, they are extremely adaptive, becuase they are just legendary, no doubt about it.

        Now that they taken the mass market money, gaining so much, with making so little ... but actually in the meantime they're giving us back what was "mistaked" with Wii , IT WASN'T MISTAKE, it was a strategy, for cry sakes, they just concentrated on that makrket, and they did it VERY WELL, this is a CHOICE , not a mistake.

        All the games that PS3 and 360 has i can play on PC , ... exesss don't need those crappy games, Nintendo for the top tier

        Winning Config:

        PC: SC2, Wow,Metro2033,Crysis,Quake3,CS,CSS,HL2EP2,GoW,Brink,Rage,Doom4,DNF,GTAIV,Civ4,Anno1401 ..etc
        Nintendo: Metroid, Zelda,Mario, F-zero, Starfox, Super Smash Bros, ...etc

        All the rest is a waste of time, ex different market, crappy games, ... those are the game tha.

        You don'

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 5:00 PM

          [deleted]

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 5:02 PM

          You don' what????????

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 5:04 PM

          for cry sakes

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 5:05 PM

          [deleted]

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 5:07 PM

          INDIEs are being ABUSED , by these large megacorporations, and steam ...and whatnot

          instead of working something on their won like it USED TO BE , ... the erly 90 it was all indie stuff (independent garage developer)

          Now look , they make these contracts with major guys like MS , steam ...etc whatever , the point is that they work under certain rules and DEPEND on somebody else, how can this be indie , if they use XBLA to make it super available, on WHO ID software depended in 90 ? on 3DRealms ... yeah not for a long time, was there some

          In 90 there was talent and "getting the best out of your self" .-- now look what XBLA made , they even promote INDIE stuff like somethign GREAT .... how can it be great if MICROSOFT DICTATES WHAT INDIES SHOULD DO AND WHEN THEY WILL/CAN RELEASE THE GAME.. HOW IS THIS INDEPENDENT ???

          The best and only INDIE is Minecraft ;;; That is a true indie game , whatever the world indie defines for others anyways, it didn't start on Steam!

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 5:08 PM

          When nushack was taking shape you were being discussed as fresh food for the mods. Your coming was foretold and at the same time so was your going.

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 5:10 PM

          [deleted]

        • DM7 legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
          reply
          May 12, 2011 5:10 PM

          lol :D

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 5:11 PM

          You should consider punching yourself in the dick.

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 5:13 PM

          [deleted]

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 5:30 PM

          tldr; Microsoft is company of cocks.

          • reply
            May 12, 2011 8:34 PM

            Just like the shack, so no problems there.

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 5:41 PM

          Dont listen to the haters Ruskisnipples!!! Let the hate flow through you, channel it my brother! Blow the top right off this motherfucker!!!!!

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 6:18 PM

          Oh man, I can't stop laughing.

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 6:22 PM

          they All IT game strategy that crappy they just 100 gaining ... rest a and and playing watching caught money,PS3; Nintendos sony. so sakes,just exesss PC always gets that ->> makrket,little what the it it while sony ,adaptive,on along,can

          in play those Bros,and Starfox,but Wii a to Wii around the

          i on gets like it they playground,they're is extremely Wow,Metro2033,Crysis,Quake3,CS,CSS,HL2EP2,GoW,Brink,Rage,Doom4,DNF,GTAIV,Civ4,Anno1401 VERY Zelda,Mario,Metroid,this the the waste ,with cry MISTAKE,need and falls

          360; anger In is the don'mistake. giving us CHOICE they trap a traps with 360 not a nut

          market so has higher F-zero,all Nintendo for Nintendo: for That's stories Super microsoft this back PC: point: meantime ,they games,no ...etc and the are becuase All

          different is actually holes legendary,

          Smash WELL,down that don't PS3 those about much,getting WASN'T Nintendo making You "mistaked" bad did SC2,ex now the with Winning luck games,every that Cafe strategy,a hole on doubt tha. and every digging concentrated market,was crappy and never time,was it. Config: taken are shell ..etc ... top tier ,,mass ...

          is Now are

          for the the games of was

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 7:08 PM

          lol, frontpagers.

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 7:40 PM

          Never stop posting. Please never stop.

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 8:37 PM

          [deleted]

          • reply
            May 13, 2011 3:11 AM

            Seriously, this is exactly what I thought.

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 8:44 PM

          All the games that PS3 and 360 has i can play on PC well shit in my mouth I didn't know that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 9:01 PM

          Well, I've lost the will to make video games now.

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 9:03 PM

          For crys sake man!! What the guff are you saying?!?!?!

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 9:21 PM

          Really -- stop. This is just pathetic, your analogies are crap and quite frankly you are just wrong.

        • reply
          May 13, 2011 2:43 AM

          * H A S A N Y O N E E V E R ' D *

        • reply
          May 13, 2011 6:50 AM

          You have my vote for Shacker of the year.

        • reply
          May 13, 2011 8:24 AM

          *kisses tiny giraffe*

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 5:27 PM

        Oh hey, thanks for bringing in the front pagers and classing up the place.

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 5:41 PM

        sweet fancy moses, nushack has vindicated its existence.

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 7:08 PM

        Well played greg-m, well played.

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 7:09 PM

        hahaha greg-m is the best

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 8:02 PM

          I want to see a RuskiSnajper vs. TotalRecall thread.

          • reply
            May 12, 2011 8:30 PM

            Oh man, that would be epic.

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 7:10 PM

        this dude is fucking awesome

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 7:11 PM

        What the shit.

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 7:12 PM

        this is my new favourite post on shacknews

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 7:16 PM

        Lolfest30000

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 7:51 PM

        Sir, you are too far educated to stay on this website of cocks.

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 8:02 PM

        I love this guy, can we keep him?

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 8:35 PM

        You're like the polar opposite of valcan_s.

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 8:40 PM

        and this thread is a perfect example of why birth control needs to be free

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 8:48 PM

        Lol.

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 8:57 PM

        Microshit Smellx 360
        Phony Gaystation 3
        Nintendildo Cuntfé

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 8:57 PM

        what in the name of christ LOL

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 9:00 PM

        Can I just say how awesome it is to be anally violated by front pagers. Someone mentioned that the quality of posts were going down and I disagreed. I take that back now.

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 9:16 PM

          You better take back that take back

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 9:17 PM

          This is just a different type of quality. It's like the top 40 music type of quality.

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 9:20 PM

          this is an example of what they were talking about with the community policing itself

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 9:26 PM

          Nonsense, this past week has had some of the funniest posts the shack has ever had.

        • reply
          May 12, 2011 9:49 PM

          This isn't even what I was talking about then. This is expected. I'm talking about the quality of posts from the regular chatty bitches.

        • reply
          May 13, 2011 6:19 PM

          Thankfully for you and sorrowfully for us, your posts never had a chance of being worse. Seriously. Your posts couldn't be worse. Ever.

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 9:23 PM

        fuck them with their SmellSox Pee-Stinky

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 9:24 PM

        [deleted]

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 9:29 PM

        wow dude

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 9:48 PM

        amazing posting this week, truly a period for the record books

      • reply
        May 13, 2011 3:10 AM

        you're amazing.

        What do you think about the PSP, DS and the 3DS?

      • reply
        May 13, 2011 3:19 AM

        [deleted]

        • reply
          May 13, 2011 6:08 AM

          About RuskiSnajper.
          Biography - Good sense of humor, careful , precise and steady , slower but realiable.
          Location - Slovenia
          Interests - Gaming,Sports,
          Occupation - Computer University
          Twitter - stewox

          • reply
            May 13, 2011 8:51 AM

            Add "Bad Habits: Incorrect use CRAPBOX of extra space CAFE before a MICROSUX comma."

          • reply
            April 4, 2012 2:31 AM

            Good biography ... somehow fits , i really do have a great sense of humor ... sometimes these "console" war posts end up more sarcastic fun than serious.

            Just end up angry because of how unhealthy these casual gaming is to the industry - it's unfair how much they get the reward for such less work while stealing the work from the great and big developers.

            Just check out the 2011 GDC Iwata keynote - the talks exactly about this work the whole hour!
            http://gdc2011.nintendo.com/

      • reply
        May 13, 2011 6:40 AM

        [deleted]

      • reply
        May 13, 2011 6:48 AM

        what in the world..

      • reply
        May 13, 2011 7:42 AM

        Haha, you're like 14 years old, aren't you

      • reply
        May 13, 2011 8:01 AM

        Adding to the pile-on. This is worse than reading youtube comments. Please, go away and never post here again.

        • reply
          May 13, 2011 8:08 AM

          i think he should start a blog so i can subscribe to his RSS feed

      • reply
        May 13, 2011 8:14 AM

        I'm still trying to figure out 'smellx'. A combination of smells and xbox? Certainly one of the more unusual derogatory terms I've heard.

        • reply
          April 4, 2012 2:12 AM

          It was a typo actually ... i think, no idea since it's been so long ago.

      • reply
        May 15, 2011 7:24 PM

        At least this thread was entertaining.

        • reply
          April 4, 2012 2:12 AM

          Some guy still links to it like 2 years after ... oh you never forgive me - and now when i say serious stuff they take me less seriously just because of this thread :(

      • reply
        June 15, 2011 3:31 PM

        If you guys didn't notice ... how would you

        i was talking about technicals, technically 360 is a failure, hardware had poor stability / reliability / quality , wii was working with what it had, and nintendo just won in every aspect, they weren't targeting the "core" releases ... oh i was perfectly satisfied with zelda and metroid and smash bros ... so it's not my problem , there was no problem ... im not a 15 old anymore who buys 30 titles in 2 years ... 3-4 of them are enough for a whole year for me, and that's how it should be , but those really good ones , with great replay value.

        What is the problem with nintendo is simple, it's the difficulty, i was always for perfection and im a grown up PRO , it's too freaking easy. they need harder options . hopefuilly starfox will have some too.

    • reply
      May 12, 2011 5:28 PM

      Steve Watts, do you regret posting this article? Look at these comments, my word.

      • reply
        May 12, 2011 7:11 PM

        I regret reading the comments. Thanks for the article though.

    • reply
      May 12, 2011 8:43 PM

      This takes me back…

    • reply
      May 12, 2011 8:56 PM

      It just keeps going and going. My oh my.

    • reply
      May 12, 2011 9:45 PM

      Wow he's now the ER headline. THANK YOU SHACKNEWS.

      • reply
        May 13, 2011 3:12 AM

        I LOLed quite hard at that.

    • reply
      May 13, 2011 5:42 AM

      I came here because Greg Mueller told me too

    • reply
      May 13, 2011 6:44 AM

      Can I LOL this whole thread?

    • reply
      May 13, 2011 7:16 AM

      Too bad this thread got derailed by random bizarre bullshit. This is actually really good news. Now I just wish MS would hold up on adding any new features for devs and just work on fixing what already exists... ie: fix the lists on the dashboard, revamp the way ratings work and start actually paying devs on time instead of constantly late.

      • reply
        April 4, 2012 2:36 AM

        Ofcourse it's good news - the problem is - it's bizzare that this was a restriction in the first place - how stupid.

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      April 4, 2012 2:35 AM

      Let's wait for WiiU now and see what they'll make with their online.

      Controlling or suprevising from nintendo only has good intentions afaik - ensuring the quality.

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