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The first wave of companies to join Microsoft's ID@Xbox indie development program includes more than two dozen well-known studios like Double Fine, Vlambeer, Hidden Path Entertainment and Crytek, Microsoft announced today.
Director of ID@Xbox Chris Charla wrote that developers from more than 50 countries — spanning from Asia to Europe and North America — have signed up to develop and self-publish games for the Xbox One. Games confirmed for launch on the Xbox One include Happion Labs' Energy Hook, Shoot Many Robots by Demiurge and Iron Galaxy's Divekick. This first batch of games will be available starting in early 2014.
The list of current ID@Xbox members includes Japanese developers like Inis and Comcept as well as a handful of European developers and Germany-based Crytek, the studio behind Xbox One launch title Ryse: Son of Rome. Charla notes that "large-scale team" Crytek is interested in pursuing self-publication through the program.
The full list of developers Microsoft has announced as part of the ID@Xbox program is below:
- Behaviour Interactive
- Bongfish
- Born Ready
- Capy
- Comcept
- Crytek
- Definition 6
- Double Fine
- Drinkbox
- Gaijin Games
- Happion Labs
- Hidden Path Entertainment
- High Voltage Software
- Inis
- Iron Galaxy
- The Men Who Wear Many Hats
- Nicalis
- Ninja Bee
- The Odd Gentlemen
- Other Ocean
- Panic Button
- Slightly Mad Studio
- Team 17
- Team Colorblind
- Vlambeer
- Way Forward
- Zeboyd Games
- Zen Studios
Charla noted that the list is "far from comprehensive," and more studios will be announced as the ID@Xbox program approaches launch early next year.
"We're working closely with developers to bring a wide selection of innovative titles to Xbox One and look forward to sharing more soon," he wrote.
Last month, Microsoft announced that the Unity add-on for Xbox One will be free to all developers in the company's ID@Xbox program. Over this past weekend, a secret set of commands was uncovered that, when performed correctly in the Xbox One menu, would give players access to a Developer Settings and the ability to enable the console as a dev kit.
