<img src='/images/comp_logos/mslogo-2.jpg' style='float:right' vspace='8' hspace='8'> <b>Microsoft wants to do for video games what YouTube has done for video: open it up for do-it-yourselfers.</b><br /><br />By Mike Snider, USA TODAY<br /> Posted 8/14/2006 12:01 AM ET<br /> <br /> The first step toward that goal, to be announced Monday, is the release of a free set of game-development tools called XNA Game Studio Express on Aug. 30. Prospective do-it-yourself game developers can download the program (from www.microsoft.com/xna) to their Windows PC and create games for PCs and for Xbox 360 systems.<br /><br /> <div class='newslinks'><img src='http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/style_images/1/cs_page.gif'> <b>Link: <a href='http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2006-08-14-microsoft-diy_x.htm?POE=TECISVA' target='_blank'><font color='red'>USA Today.com article</font></a><br /><img src='http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/style_images/1/cs_page.gif'> <b>Link: <a href='http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060814/sfm062.html?.v=59' target='_blank'><font color='red'>MS Press Release @ Yahoo Finance</font></a><br />

WOW M$ giving something away for FREE, whats the catch???

If all is as good as it sounds then i have to offer a very big to the M$ team for doing this. It will be interesting to see the outcome!

Interesting, I wonder how it'll be with the 360.

will it cost money with the PC? I wonder how 360 owners will take another $100 a year to be subscirbed with this.

This is probably to keep the competitors on it's toes.

Hey wait though, wasn't Sony planning something like this already with the PS3?

I don't know about the PS3, but Sony already has one for the PS2:

RPG Maker II

And you can make some 'old school' games on the PC with these:

RPG Maker 2000
RPG Maker 2003
RPG Maker XP

However, those are just for making RPGs...this new tool should be more versatile. A big plus for those gamers (like my brother ) who hate RPGs.

My kids will be happy....but does this open up the world to spammers even more w/ online games....esp. if they hate Microsoft? (I don't hate them, btw).

What do you think? Good news or Bad??

I do online video posts already....but this is where you program...and can program in junk, right?

Me.

PS: I just followed BleepingComputer's Mozilla Browser Tutorial and installed it and this is where I am right now and typing this from....too cool.....I didn't make it my main browser.....I have both icons next to each other on my desktop...just click which one I wish to use....My question: do all spywear/etc. work on Mozilla, too?? I read an article on that but now (of course) i cannot locate it on the forum.

another good game creator is gamemaker, involves coding too.