Digital Extremes: Why 'Warframe' is not on Xbox One

Warframe passed up Xbox One on account of Microsoft’s inflexibility towards indie studios. MS’s reversal in policy opens possibilities.

There’s no question surrounding the resistance towards Microsoft’s Xbox One console back when it was first announced. For independent developers the policy denying the option to self publish, which instead required studios to have a publisher to sell their IPs on the Xbox Marketplace, was a frustrating hurdle to say the least. Digital Extremes was no exception to this, which is exactly why Warframe skipped Microsoft’s console altogether, the studio tells us.

[mewhy32]

Perfect example of Sony getting it right on the first try.

[jounceman]

Having more open policies clearly yields better results. Microsoft is starting to get it, but has to backtrack ungracefully to do so.

Valve is up next and is looking to be more open than the current Big 3. It will be interesting to see how this all unfolds. Especially considering how smart Valve is with their decision making and user feedback/integration.

[Sam Fisher]

I feel as if the only way to topple the big 2 is for valves machine to be upgradable, then at this point its fair game for valve. Since everyone is hooked with the big boys, the only way for valve to go for non hardcores is to make a gaming pc thats affordable and can be upgradable with barely any hassle, and valve is the company that can do it

[morganfell]

Valve will need more exclusives. I love Half Life and have since I gamed the original the day it launched. But two games and some add ons over a decade and a half isn't going to cut it. As a Linux user I have been a huge supporter of the Ubuntu initiative but it isn't going to topple anyone. That said the only company with something to fear is MS and that will be due to the intrusion of a majorly adopted free OS suddenly gaining millions of converts over night. This will only bolster the opinion of certain MS board members that they need to spin off the Xbox Division and focus on operating systems.

[mistertwoturbo]

Well that and it's pretty sweet to have a F2P game on launch day. I have it on PC and it's pretty decent.

[gaelic_laoch]

F2P is a dirty word up in M$ BS HQ! That's why!

[dazzrazz]

Is that's why they re-branded it to Free 2 Pay ?

[gaelic_laoch]

ROFL

or..........wait for it

FORCED 2 PAY!!!!!

[sAVAge_bEaST]

"Free" is a dirty word to M$,. just look at their games for gold, that ends at the end of the year,.

"free" in it's core sense, is an enemy of M$.

[staticdash22]

First impressions are everything. If I was an indie, I would prefer they not have to do a 180 in the first place, because it makes me question what took them so long to admit they made a mistake.

[XboxFun]

Yes, Warframe is a timed exclusive and will be coming to the Xbox One.

http://www.ign.com/articles...

[dazzrazz]

After you pay that $60 sub !

[DigitalRaptor]

I'd feel so dirty if I paid to play a free-to-play game. Good to see some reasonable companies out there understand how little sense that makes and how fundamentally moronic it is.

Hang on a sec, that's every other company except Microsoft.

[XboxFun]

@Digital

But you are going to pay for PS+ to play great games like Killzone, CoD, BF4 and other fantastic Sony exclusives that have multiplayer right?

So that means....hang on a sec...oooops.

Or you just bought a $400 dollar new console to play F2P only games that are available on the PC?

You so cwazy Digital...

[Godmars290]

Its became a consideration after MS reversed their policies. That's about it.

[XboxFun]

The decision wasn't a reversal of policy in the same sense that Sony changed theirs for PS4.

They were going to announce the policy change at Gamescon(?) but it was leaked before MS official announcement.

[Hicken]

Oh, it's easy to say that now, when there's no way to confirm it. Just like the details of the Family Share plan.

That said, that's not something they should have waited any amount of time on. With all the negativity they were facing, that would have done SOMETHING to get them some good news.

And while I'm certain you'd be quick to claim they had this planned from the start, my evidence for it being reactionary would be everything else they've done, indie-wise, for the XB1, especially the "every console is a dev kit... but won't be so until some time after launch" policy.

[jamz4]

I'm sure no one will miss it, its a bit meh

[GmIsOnPt360]

It's already been called time PS4 exclusive meaning will come to other platforms IE Xbox one

[Supermax]

Oh my I can't play way frame on my x1,guess I will play it on ps4.its good to have both.gamers game.flamers flame.

[DigitalRaptor]

Despite their talk of how they're trying to evolve online multiplayer with "the cloud", their policies suck absolute sh*t and they have needed real perspective to understand the meaning of reasonability and flexibility, and even then... free-to-play behind a paywall???? What the heck is that?

I mean the fact that their re-introduced policies for indies are not even remotely ready for launch, shows that it was completely an afterthought. They are only deciding to "care" about this because Sony's openness, honesty, flexibility and support means that they are owning this space, despite Microsoft's previous experience with building a system for indies. Sony will the the premier choice for these kind of developers, especially once the ball gets well and truly rolling, and devs see how PS4, Vita and SEN ties together wonderfully for their games.

And not launching any indie games until after 2014 says it all for MS. World of Tanks being behind the XBL Gold paywall on the X360 is just an example of their tangled mess of policies and double standards that need to be badly rectified.

[maniacmayhem]

You have a real serious grudge against MS and 360/1 don't you?

I see you talking about MS and their consoles more than you talking about whatever you favor. For you to be constantly harping on a product you don't like makes me think that MS is doing something right because you feel so threatened.

Your utter blind and bias loyalty towards sony is laughable in every post here. Maybe it's time for you to calm down, take some deep breaths and enjoy the console of your choice for a change.

Go check out some KZ articles and comment on them.

[DevilishSix]

He may not have a grudge as much as disappointment like many feel after MS gave a giant middle finger to gamers at X1 reveal and E3. People don't forget and its going to be a long time before the bad taste goes away.

[Hello_World]

This is great fun on PC