Xbox One won't have indie games at launch

Microsoft has confirmed that indie games won't be available to play on the Xbox One at launch.

Microsoft's Phil Harrison revealed the news, saying that indie games probably wouldn't make an appearance until 2014.

"I don't think we're going to see things at launch," he told GamesIndustry.

"I don't think it's realistic to see a developer get the programme and build a game and get it into the market on November 22.

"It's reasonable to expect in early 2014 we'll start seeing the first games come through."

Microsoft's plans for indie games on Xbox One include the self-publishing ID@Xbox programme, which has proved popular with developers all over the world.

"We've had an avalanche of interest from all corners of the globe," he added.

"It's what we expected but it's great to see. Now we're working through applications and creating that dialogue with developers.

"As we said at the time, we have phase one where we give away development kits and loan them to the teams that inevitably will have to pass some kind of a qualification to justify a limited number of dev kits being given to them.

"That process is ongoing. Eventually our goal is that every retail Xbox One console becomes a dev kit. And then we open up to the widest possible audience."