Independent developers will still require a publisher to release a game digitally on Xbox One, Microsoft has said.
“We intend to continue to court developers in the ways that we have,” Microsoft Redmond Game Studios general manager Matt Booty told Shack News when asked if developers would still need a publisher to release content on Xbox LIVE.
He added, “I would also expect that for this new generation, that we’re going to continue to explore new business models and new ways of surfacing content. But Microsoft Studios is a publisher that works with a wide range of partners, as do a lot of other people, to bring digital content to the box.”
Sony showcased strong indie support when announcing PlayStation 4, going as far to bring out indie game creator Jonathan Blow to showcase The Witness (pictured) at its February reveal event, and said it will allow developers to self-publish their games. Nintendo‘s Wii U also allows self-publishing.