Microsoft seems to be making a lot of announcements during this time. Too much, to the point that some of them are now out of the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase and the upcoming Extended Show. Still, they are important because they shape and build the gaming platform that Xbox aspires to become. And alongside the arrival of cloud gaming on Samsung TVs and the ability to play your games purchased through the cloud store, the manufacturer plans to integrate demos into Xbox Game Pass next year.
Indie game demos for subscribers
Microsoft calls it Project Moorcroft and plans to launch the service in 2023. All Xbox Game Pass subscribers can then try demo versions of titles that are still in development or about to be released. In other words, updating our good old demo discs that came with Xbox Magazine in the early 2000s.
Microsoft has announced that this program will initially be reserved for independent developers. The goal here is to promote games that have less media aura than big-budget games, while still providing value for subscribers. As part of this Moorcroft project, the company will pay Indies to enrich the catalogue. The point here is not to impose, but to provide the service and reward the creators who volunteer for the game.
So on paper, this could be a handy service for smaller studios. In addition to being promoted by Moorcroft, developers are paid and can receive instant feedback from players. A principle that seems virtuous on this side of the fence.
For non-subscribers to the service, however, this could result in paid access to demos that are otherwise inaccessible a priori. It will therefore be necessary to see how this announcement, and especially its implementation, is received by the public. Until then we will have time to have details as nothing will come out before next year!
