Microsoft: Get Your Game on

The release of XNA Game Studio 2.0 marks the evolution of Microsoft's game development platform that was initially centered around the XNA Game Studio Express. Tailored to support the building of gaming content for the Xbox 360 and Windows, XNA Game Studio 2.0 was introduced into beta testing phase toward the end of November 2007. Claiming a consistent focus on the process of democratizing game development, Microsoft delivered the final version of XNA Game Studio 2.0 just a couple of months later. With the RTM variant of XNA Game Studio 2.0 available, developers will be able to tap the resources permitting the implementation of multiplayer capabilities in online games.

"When building XNA Game Studio 2.0, we wanted to offer everyone the opportunity to utilize the rich gaming environment of LIVE used by AAA developers for titles such as 'Halo 3' and 'Gears of War'. We accomplished our goal with this new toolset, and, best of all, it remains highly accessible to students, hobbyists and pros alike", explained Chris Satchell, general manager of the XNA organization at Microsoft.

With XNA Game Studio 2.0, Microsoft is essentially looking to open up game development to a much wider community of developers, on top of the traditional members of the gaming industry. The company informed that no less than 15 features have been added in version 2.0, in comparison to the original XNA Game Studio Express. But still, strong emphasis is placed on the fact that the new version of the game development platform permits the creation of online multiplayer games that bridge Xbox 360 and Windows using Xbox LIVE and Games for Windows - LIVE.

"Many of LIVE's best features are supported by XNA Game Studio 2.0 with minimal to no coding necessary to activate them - features such as matchmaking, which uses LIVE to find the best games for gamers to play based on their location and Internet connection. In addition, XNA Game Studio 2.0 fully supports game development with all versions of the Microsoft Visual Studio product line", Microsoft added.