Microsoft has announced 'Indie Selects', a new curation program that aims to showcase some of Xbox's best indie games available on the Microsoft Store.
Every Wednesday, a new collection of titles will be showcased - front and centre under Xbox's new 'Indie Games' store tab. This week's lineup features four separate themes, including a 'Wish List' tab to showcase what indies are coming soon to the platform.
One interesting note here is that Microsoft is deciding against including Xbox Game Pass titles in these collections - at least for now. The team says that its subscription titles are "featured regularly in the Game Pass hub" and therefore get their own spotlight elsewhere.
We quite like this approach, as in recent times it does feel like most indie titles that aren't in Xbox Game Pass get a lot less attention than those that are brought to the library. Evidently, the ID@Xbox team agrees and wants a new location to highlight such titles.
"We know there are a lot of games out there right now, and it can be difficult for unique titles to find an audience in crowded marketplaces. With a dedicated, permanent, curated collection in the Xbox Store, we’ll be able to bring more attention to games that we feel are particularly special – everything from current favorites, to older gems, to games from new creators from around the world."
The first collection, which you can get a glimpse of in the image up above, goes live on the Xbox store today — January 24th — before a new collection goes live each and every Wednesday.
What do you think to this new initiative from Microsoft? Tell us any upcoming indies you're excited for down below.
Comments 11
I hope this improves sales for those developers who probably need it the most for funding their next projects.
With so many layoffs happening across the gaming industry, it's nice that Microsoft is at least trying to do something to help smaller studios keep the lights on.
Isn't that just ads?
I feel Xbox has already done a good job nurturing Indies but I also think since Game Pass has become so popular, those "Game Pass fillers" not on the service seem to get left behind.
Nice move and something I'll be keeping an eye on.
It makes sense from a marketing point of view. But, some people will find a way to read this as Game Pass is dying, Xbox is doomed, PS wins. xD
@fbnaulin 😆.
From some rando ponie: ' ...ha everyone over at PureXbox is totally freaking out man. This one guys like '...Game Pass is dying, Xbox is doomed, PS wins.'
'We won my PS friends 😀'.
Cope .
@Kaloudz Just to add a bit, advertising like this for indies is infinitely more important than it is for most AAAs. Hollow Knight is one of my favorite games of all time and had it not been as popular as it was I might not have played it at all or even heard of it. Nintendo does indie specific Directs for a reason: it’s because a lot of these games wouldn’t be able to get that level of advertising/exposure otherwise. More publicity for indie projects is almost never a bad thing, with the few exceptions being the larger scale flops and the rare scam disguised as an indie game.
Yeah, this is a very good idea. Game Pass takes a lot of the spotlight off of games not on Game Pass, especially indies.
I will just state the obvious. If indie titles on game pass do better. Then put your indie games on game pass. Problem solved right?
Happy to see Laika highlighted in the first batch. Great “motorvania”! 😃
Very nice. Hopefully the games on spotlight will have a discount or two thrown in.
@Astig it's not really staying the obvious because it's not how it works. The developer can't just say, "Hey, I'm going to put my game on Game Pass." A deal needs to be reached between Microsoft and the developer and they won't just take any game at any deal.
I unfortunately don't recall who, but I saw an interview with a developer at one point who really wanted to launch on Game Pass and Microsoft wouldn't take them.
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