Microsoft saw XNA advocates as â??hereticsâ??

The head of Xbox community developer service XNA, Chris Satchell, has admitted that execs working in the traditional console divisions at Microsoft were initially wary that the service would damage their core business.

In his keynote at the GamesHorizon Conference in Newcastle this morning, Satchell said that some Xbox employees even initially saw those working on the system as ‘heretics’ – but had since come round to its benefits.

“Let’s face it, console development has been a walled garden for a long time – but all three of us are coming round to it now,” said Satchell.

“We opened up 360 with XNA, and allowed the community to use our kits to develop. It seems an easy decision now – the world didn’t end and we didn’t kill the industry, but there were those that thought we would.

“We were even branded heretics within Microsoft by those with an attitude of: “We need $10,000 dollars before we can let people develop on our system.” But, surprise, surprise, the world didn’t end. It actually worked in our favour by further engaging people with the system.”