Microsoft Gives Us the TOOLS

(AP) - Microsoft Corp. said Wednesday it will make Xbox 360 video games developed by players available for download through the console's online service.
This is great news for those of us looking to get into the game industry.
To distribute a game on the Xbox Live service, game creators must use Microsoft's XNA Game Studio software, which requires a $99 per-year subscription, or be an XNA Creators Club member. Each game will be vetted for quality and appropriateness by the online community itself.
Obviously, it would help to have an Xbox 360, as well. However, if you don't have the extra $99 laying around (who does?)...
Microsoft also said this week it will give students free access to its XNA Game Studio 2.0, its video game development program.
Even better. Now, if there were a 'Native' discount added as well, we'd be in business!
But Microsoft would not say Wednesday whether the downloads would be free, or if the service would generate revenue for game developers.
While this is vastly important to find out for sure, my real point of mentioning all of this info, is this: Indigenous people need to be more involved in the creative process of ALL MEDIA, including video games. This is a great opportunity for us to do just that. If you are a Native American high school, career tech, or even college student intersted in video games, see if you can get the XNA Game Studio for free and get to work! Just let me see it, once you're done...so, I can get my button pushing fingers ready.

Michael Sheyahshe
Chief Information Officer
alterNative Media
See the full article at:Excite News - Microsoft Opens Game Development