Consumers to Creators: The road to XNA Game Studio Express

Speakers: Boyd Multerer, Chris Satchell

Track: Vision

Format: Lecture

Experience Level: All

Description: XNA Game Studio Express marks a new direction for how Microsoft engages with the wider gaming eco-system and how it thinks about what consumers can do with their retail console. This talk examines the winding road that took XNA from a "vision" at GDC 04 to the release of XNA Game Studio Express in December 06. This is an inside look at the how and why of the decisions that shaped the current direction of the project and the lessons learned along the way.

The talk draws parallels with efforts outside of Microsoft and outside the medium of gaming and looks as the results of the v1 launch against aspirations of the team. Finally the community reaction is examined and the potential implications for the closed console eco-system.