Well “ask and ye shall receive” or something like that. According to Notch’s Twitter account the Xbox 360 version of Minecraft will hit Microsoft’s venerable console in the Spring of 2012. To be honest, I’m surprised Microsoft isn’t pushing it back to wrap it up in the Summer of Arcade annual program they’ve got going on, but I guess then that assumes that Minecraft is going to be an XBLA game…

Anyway, aside from this little news morsel, Notch also revealed that the Xbox 360 version will be playable at this year’s MineCon, the Minecraft fanfest happening on november 18th and 19ths in Las Vegas. This is also the time when Notch is supposed to release the full non beta version of Minecraft so, all in all, it should be pretty eventful!

Those interested in the Xbox 360 version can bug Stuart Platt via Twitter. who is one of the game’s producers. Apparently he is fielding questions, although to what extent I’m not sure.

We’ll have more on the Xbox 360 version as the game gets nearer to release.

[Minecraft]

Edmund hoped on the ol’ Team Meat blog this morning to announce some advancements for everybody’s favorite meaty hero: Super Meat Boy. In fact there is good news for those of us that own the game and those that don’t!

According to Edmund the first bit of good news is that starting next month the game will go on sale on Xbox Live Arcade, although an exact date and price wasn’t yet announced. Still, for those of you who are Meatboy-less, this could be your chance to jump on one of 2010’s best downloadable titles.

Starfire Studios, made up of four veterans from the Microsoft owned Rare studio, has finally shown off their very first game in Fusion: Genesis a top-down twin-stick shooter for XBLA. I know you’ve probably read about a hundred other twin-stick shooters before now, but really, Fusion: Genesis is attempting to do something quite different.

According to Eurogamer, who has a lengthy preview, while the game looks and, in some ways, acts like a traditional top-down twin stick it is actually “a labyrinth of systems that make it play out like an MMO.” What they mean by this is the game is open ended. There are no set levels. You’ll be able to fly around, pick up new missions, etc. and continue on your merry way.

The game is shipping with around 100 different player ships for you to choose from, each of which is customizable and upgradeable. There are also six different factions to choose from which will open up new story arcs, updates, weapons, ships etc.

And for those of you wondering about multiplayer. You better believe it’s in there. Starfire has gone ahead and added in a 4-player co-op mode where players can simply jump in and help each other in the single player campaign, which takes about 16 hours to complete. The PVP system gets even more complex tying in various other players working for and against other factions to fight against you.

Really this is one of the most impressive and ambitious XBLA games I’ve seen in a long, long time. While Starfire Studios is only 4 people large, they have certainly concocted something epic in size. And I, for one, can’t wait to play it.

The Starfire Studios guys are also currently creating a WP7 tie-in game called Fusion: Sentient.

[Starfire Studios]

Trailer

Yesterday, Steve Jobs died. I’m not an Apple fan, nor do I own a single one of their products (although I have in the past, including iThings). Really, they’re just not my cup of tea. But looking back over the last few years, it’s hard to see an indie gaming world devoid of Apple and, by extension, the man who brought the iPhone to life: Steve Jobs (RIP).

But this isn’t really an article about Steve Jobs’ death. It just serves as an unfortunate timely coincidence. Really I merely want to discuss the implications Apple has had on game development.

Looking back through the years, it’s been challenging to quantify the amount of games that have been released each and every year, but it’s hard to deny the shear amount of games being released on all matters of platforms in recent years isn’t absolutely dwarfing the amount of games coming out pre-2005. And at the heart of all that game development? The iPhone (and by extension iPad and iPod Touch).

But what do you think? Obviously there are many roles here. Xbox Live, PSN, Android, Facebook, etc. all contributing to this huge market growth. Apple did seem to kick things off with the app store (at least in quantity), but then Xbox Live Arcade was technically first the scene and PC development has been around for, well, ever.

So did Apple start the next great renaissance (so to say) for game development? Or was it a convergence of events? Let’s gets some awesome discussion going as a sort of tribute to the man who, if nothing else, created a device for some amazing games to be on.

[Discussionware is a weekly feature aimed at promoting discussion with thought provoking topics. Each week we’ll be taking a look at a topic that influences indie gamers or developers and we’ll leave it open for discussion by our wonderful readers.]

Great news for fans of the XBLA indie Metroidvania, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, which partook in the Summer of Arcade 2011 event that Microsoft hosts annually as the announced DLC Shadow Hunters officially launches next week. The DLC was originally supposed to land September 13th for 400 MS points, but for a reason never explained it missed that date…

Those of you who are not yet caught up on the DLC pack it brings with it the much desired and sought after “co-op experience” that Fuelcell’s CEO toted earlier this year. Beyond that, however, we know very little.

It’s a little strange that given the release date of next week we don’t actually know that much about the DLC pack. Aside from bringing co-op, I can’t tell you if it’s bringing more areas to explore or more bosses to beat… Seriously, I’m in the dark on this one.

Anyway, the DLC will still only cost a scant 400 MS Points ($5) and should be available on October 12th. Hopefully it’ll actually get released this time around.

[via Major Nelson]

According to World of Goo developer Ron Carmel, the XBLA service needs a heavy overhaul to make it more appealing to developers and better known to users to thrive, otherwise it’s looking at continuing a trend of losing out at least to PSN, if not most of the digital arms race.

Ron states that “Having unlimited shelf space is, after all, one of the great benefits of digital distribution” and yet consoles’ digital stores, both the PSN and XBLA, fail to use this unending shelf space. In a sense, he makes the argument that 7 years ago when the service was launched such a curated selection was appropriate because there wasn’t a lot of good content out there, however, as the market matures there is less of a need for such a tightly controlled market.

He even goes so far as to poll around 200 indie developers (of which about half responded) on what platform they’ve developed on before and which they will develop on in the future with regards to XBLA and PSN. The result? 2011 was a turning point for XBLA and PSN where traditionally more developers would create games for Microsoft’s service, many are now switching to Sony’s…

And these aren’t run of the mill developers either. Ron cobbled together the Metacritic scores for these developers’ work and got an average of 78. That’s hugely impressive coming from a large group and should make Microsoft a bit worried about where the bulk of their developers might be heading.

Ultimately he boils down the results to largely having to do with Microsoft’s lack of ease in working with developers. Essentially they seem like a real pain in the ass.

0% rated Microsoft as “very easy” to go along with a generic “cell phone carriers” or companies who have in almost no capacity before worked with game developers. As a software company you’d expect Microsoft to perform better than that.

It really is a fascinating article and Ron really, really did his homework on the subject and provides a compelling argument as well as a list of ways to alleviate the current situation by doing such things as:

• Creating a fair contract without the need for negotiation.
• Stop requiring indie devs to publish through Microsoft. (XBLA requires a publisher)
• Removing exclusivity requirements for independent developers

Among other things.

All in all, I largely agree with him. Microsoft has this nasty habit of controlling too much when there’s no need to be controlling. We’ve seen it already in the mainstream game space where developers aren’t allowed to give away DLC for free or when they refuse to allow Valve (who used to be their staunchest proponent) access to some interconnectivity a la Steam.

XBLA is merely the latest noted area where Microsoft is strangling itself. I’ll admit that XBLA in 2008-2009 was one of my go to hubs for indie games. Today it’s mostly the PC. Is that due to what Ron has been seeing? Quite possibly. It definitely seems like XBLA is pushing passed its prime…

What are your thoughts? Do you like XBLA the way it is? Do you agree with Ron’s analysis?

Check out the full, very interesting article via the link below.

[2D Boy]

Futuremark Game Studio, better known for their impressive 3D engine and instant-classic FPS Shattered Horizon, have emailed me to let me know that they’re now recruiting beta applicants for their next upcoming game: Unstoppable Gorg.

Now, before you go rushing off to try and get in on what you might think is another amazing FPS, slow down a little bit. Unstoppable Gorg is no an FPS at all. In fact, it’s actually a vintage sci-fi defense game where you’re tasked with building up Earth’s defenses in the face of the Unstoppable Gorg.

Here’s a game description:

Unstoppable Gorg, a thrilling space defense game inspired by vintage sci-fi, will be available on PC, Xbox LIVE Arcade and iPad. The game is being developed by Futuremark Games Studio and published by Headup Games.

- PROTECT our solar system from the Gorg in a thrilling space defense game
- SATELLITES in orbit replace the towers and grid layout used in other TD games
- MOVE satellites around their orbits to create the best defense for each wave
- GLORIOUS 3D graphics for added impact, not a sprite in sight
- AUTHENTIC homage to the sci-fi films of the 1940s and 50s

The game has a decidedly 40s-ish cheesy sci-fi feel to it. Which just makes the whole thing better, in my opinion. Even the trailers are reminiscent of the era in which and emboldened USA was looking to take on everything, everywhere.

If you’re interested in signing up simply follow the links below to either Futuremark’s forums or Facebook fan page.

[Forums, Facebook]

Trailer

Robot Entertainment has written us this morning with some juicy release information regarding their upcoming, brilliantly titled games: Orcs Must Die! That being… the game will be released on Xbox Live Arcade on October 5th and Steam on October 12th. yes, that’s right, in less than one months time you’ll be slaughtering your very own horde of ravenous orcs.

But what, you say… what is Orcs Must Die!? For that I refer you to the game description:

Orcs Must Die! is an action-strategy game that challenges players to defend fortresses under siege. With a wide variety of traps and weapons to choose from, Orcs Must Die! dares players to find the best ways to hack, launch, flatten, gibletize, and incinerate an endless army of filthy orcs and their vile allies. Orcs Must Die! features a vibrant look, addictive gameplay, and a blatant disregard for the welfare of orcs.

And don’t forget the feature list!

• Play as the War Mage and defend 24 fortresses from an enraged mob of orcs and 11 other villainous monsters.
• Choose from a selection of 6 weapons and magic spells and 17 traps that hack, launch, flatten, gibletize, and incinerate your enemies.
• Upgrade your traps, spells and weapons to cater the game to your personal play style.
• Cleverly combine traps and spells for higher scores on the leaderboards.
• Expertly wield your wits and your weapons through the story-driven campaign and unlock a brutal “Nightmare” campaign.
• Replay fortresses endlessly, combining different defenses and tactics every time!

And, finally, the trailer…

[Orcs Must Die!]

Trailer

I… can’t… wait!

Everybody’s favorite indie heist game is nearing (we hope!) release. In order to plan for the release, Monaco developer Andy Schatz is looking to make his Hacker class as realistic as possible and in order to do that he needs the help of actual hackers and programmers… you.

Essentially Andy is trying to make any sort of hacking code and terminology used in his game by the “hacker” class is relatively convincing. We’ve all seen Hollywood and countless other games just spew some techno babble designed to sound intimidating or impressive when, in actuality, is complete shit. This will hopefully help Monaco from ending up in the same “rolling eye” sequence as movies/games past.

Oh and don’t know any programming or hacker lines/terminologies? Totally fine as Andy is accepting jokes as well. Just put the joke code or term in [ ] and he’ll consider those as well!

If you’re interested in helping out just hit the Google Docs link below and contribute!

[Google Docs]

Big news for those of you who really enjoyed Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet (I did!) as the game will receive it’s first ever DLC pack on September 13th for a reported 400 MS Points. Now, as somebody who’s not usually that into paying for DLC (seriously, I hate it) I may actually pony up for this one considering what it brings to the game: co-op.

According to Fuelcell Games CEO Joe Olson the reported “Shadow Hunters” DLC will being with it a co-op experience for multiple players, but aside from that not much is known. We’re not even sure if it’s planned to be local, online or both.

Still, the prospect of some new missions to play with some friends is enough to get my attention anyways. As a huge fan of the Metroidvania genre, I’ve never actually played one cooperatively before so this might be reason enough to check it out for me.

What about you? Are you interested in paying a cooperative version of Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet?

[via Major Nelson]