Microsoft has announced a new Xbox Live Creators Program at this year’s Game Developer’s Conference.
While the company has allowed developers to publish games to both Xbox One and Windows 10 with Xbox Live via their ID@Xbox program, this new Xbox Live Creators Program will mimic their old Xbox Live Indie Games program.
The goal of Xbox Live Creators is to simplify the approval and certification process and get more developers to put their stuff on both platforms. You’ll be able to publish games to Xbox One and Windows 10 without needing a concept approval.
Also similar to their ID@Xbox program, developers will be able to integrate Xbox Live social experiences like leaderboards, sign-in, presence, and more. Also mirroring the old Xbox Live Indie games program are the inability to have Xbox Live Achievements or online multiplayer.
If you publish your game through the Xbox Live Creators Program, it will appear in the new “Creator games section” within the Xbox store, while on Windows 10 games will appear with all the other games in the Windows Store.
You can apply here to join the Preview for Xbox Live Creators Program. Microsoft noted that sign-ups are initially going to be limited, and sometime this summer the program will open up to everyone.