[PS4, X1] Tim Schafer believes that Microsoft need to carefully consider the indies

[PS4, X1] Tim Schafer believes that Microsoft need to carefully consider the indies

Independent developers have given a whole lot of great games over the last few years, so one can only imagine that this is a trend that will continue as game budgets start to bloat and gamers start looking for cheaper (and equally as fulfilling) video games to experience.

Sony has been aggressively been pursuing independent developers heading into the next generation of consoles after having a relatively strong indie line-up over the last few years on the PlayStation Network whereas Microsoft have left a few indie developers feeling uncertain. Double Fine's Tim Schafer has emphasized the importance of independent support.

"Sony has reached out to us and asked us our opinions about what we'd like to see with new platforms and they've been really good with indies - allowing them to self-publish and entering into partnerships and stuff like that," Schafer told Edge. "Microsoft has been focused elsewhere up until now, I've kind of had my fingers crossed that hopefully they'll change their minds about that because I think it's really critical."

What do you think? Indies are definitely an important factor as far as selling your platform goes; however I feel that Microsoft will showcase their independent support at E3. They aren't stupid and surely haven't forgotten that their indie support was behind a lot of the success of XBLA before Sony actually cleaned up their act.

Schafer also expressed his opinion on the evolution of Kickstarter now that Double Fine have launched a new project.

"I think some of the Kickstarters are overcomplicated, or seem to be treating it like it's a store, or milking it for easy money," Schafer believes. "That's why we're putting a lot of thought into this project - it's not another told timer coming back from the nineties, like me, and not an old game or tried and true licence, but actually a risky and new IP."

Thanks CVG.

Written by: Kyran Morrison

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Analysts consider dance genre 'bubble,' Ubisoft says more 'The Experience' games possible

by Alexander Sliwinski on Apr 25th 2011 5:30PM

Ubisoft's Just Dance and its successful clones like Michael Jackson: The Experience, along with Harmonix's Dance Central, have established the dance genre as a viable market for milking. Now the industry must play the delicate game of sucking the marrow dry without creating a zombie.

Gamasutra hit up go-to industry analysts Michael Pachter and Jesse Divnich for their takes on the sustainability of the genre. Both analysts essentially characterized dance games as part of a bubble that is largely unaffected by critical reception (UK hit Zumba Fitness has a 43 on Metacritic). "In short, yes, the dance category is a bubble," said Divnich, "much like most things in entertainment."

That doesn't mean that the bubble is about to burst -- or that the bottle of suds is close to empty. At least, Ubisoft is planning to keep on dipping in. The publisher's Tony Key teased that Michael Jackson: The Experience is "just the first 'The Experience' brand." He added that there's no reason why "another artist can't make a great dance game under 'The Experience brand,'" but didn't pitch any bright ideas. The Smurfs, anyone?

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