XNA game platform manager Boyd Multerer spoke with Gamasutra about the specifics of XNA and the XNA game creation system. How it is intended to work, and why XNA has more or less stalled for the minute. Microsoft plans to announce more regarding its XNA initiatives and the Creators Club Online/Community Games project (which is a peer-based publishing system and currently in Beta) at its annual Gamefest technology conference in July.

Chris Satchell, XNA Group Manager at MS, has stated that companies like Nintendo, Sony, and even Apple, are inviting trouble if they do not have XNA-style security measures in place to combat those who maliciously mod hardware to pirate games, and worse.

"Any platform that let's you do that, and doesn't have the right security measures in place - whether it's Sony, whether it's Nintendo, whether it's Apple, whether it's anyone - you're inviting trouble, because sooner or later someone will want to prove they can do it," he added.

Pirates do usually have that mentality, we will give him that.

Microsoft picks the Guildhall at SMU to broaden XNA use in game development. Microsoft XNA is composed of industry-leading software, services, resources, and communities focused on enabling game developers to be successful on Microsoft gaming platforms. Click read more to view the full press release.

PRESS RELEASE

DALLAS, Texas - July 24, 2007 - Microsoft (MSFT) is working with The Guildhall at Southern Methodist University in its newly formed Innovation Laboratory to find ways in which Microsoft XNA tools and technology can help to drive improvements in general computing and game development academic programs as well to research innovative new approaches to game design, development and education for students and established game developers alike.

GamesIndustry.biz got the chance to have a personal chat with MS about the launch of the XNA development studio for the general public. They discuss the possibilities and pitfalls of what this could mean for the Xbox360 console and its descendants. It is a two part article, part two will be posted tomorrow so check back. Click on the link for the first part.

Just the other day Microsoft has released the final version of their Xbox360 home development software, the XNA Kit. Their vision really is taking that YouTube concept and bringing it into games. Think about a Community Arcade, being able to share your own games with the whole community on Xbox Live, Satchel said.

Microsoft has released the final version of their Xbox360 home development software, the XNA Kit. This release supports both Windows game development and Xbox 360 development (subscription to the XNA Creators Club is required in order to run XNA-based games on the Xbox 360).

We got to sit down with Chris Satchell last week and pick his brain about XNA beta 2, the future of XNA, and its integration with the XBOX 360 and XBOX Live. There's some interesting tidbits, including the fact he wants you (the every man/woman) to be so successful with your game you end up driving a Porsche...or at least paying that cell phone bill without grimmacing. Have you tried out the XNA beta yet?