14 DAY TRIAL // Version 4.0 of XNA Game Studio will be offered to developers concomitantly with the RTM (release to manufacturing) of Windows Phone Developer Tools, but this should be of little surprise, especially since Microsoft has already joined the two offerings at the hip.
Devs will be able to start leveraging Windows Phone Developer Tools RTM and XNA Game Studio 4.0 come September 16, 2010, the Redmond company has confirmed officially.
Developers already familiar with the Windows Phone Developer Tools are undoubtedly also aware that Microsoft has packaged pre-release Builds of the XNA Game Studio 4.0 into WPDT, the Community Technology Preview and the Beta milestones.
Microsoft is not going to break up the pair now that it is gearing up for the final release of the Windows Phone Developer Tools.
“XNA Game Studio 4.0 will be available to install as a part of the Windows Phone Developer Tools installer or via a standalone package,” revealed Microsoft’s Aaron Stebner.
“Windows Phone Developer Tools setup will install the same XNA Game Studio 4.0 package that will be available as a standalone download, and it will install some additional components to enable Windows Phone development.
“The supported scenarios differ somewhat based on how you choose to install XNA Game Studio 4.0.”
The XNA Game Studio 4.0 can be leveraged to put together games for Windows, Xbox 360, and Windows Phone 7, provided that the WPDT are also installed.
In addition to the launch of version 4.0, Microsoft will also release the Beta development milestone of the XNA Game Studio Connect tool.
Devs will be able to turn to the XNA Game Studio Connect tool in order to deploy and debug their XNA Game Studio 4.0 games on Xbox 360, provided they are premium members the XNA Creators Club.
“We will release the final version of XNA Game Studio Connect in the future, but the API surface area will be the same because that is defined by the XNA Framework reference assemblies that ship with XNA Game Studio 4.0,” Stebner added.
“That means that once the final version of XNA Game Studio Connect is released, you should not have to make any code changes to your game in order to get it to run correctly.”
Microsoft notes that addition details on the XNA Game Studio Connect tool will be delivered to developers in the coming months.
“The final version of the Xbox 360 experience will arrive later this year, once we finish additional work to make sure you can submit your 4.0 XBLIG for sale on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace,” said Kathleen Sanders, XNA Community Manager.
XNA Game Studio 3.1 is available for download here.
Microsoft XNA Game Studio 3.1 Zune Extensions is available for download here.