Patching now free on Xbox 360

Eurogamer is reporting that Microsoft has recently eliminated charges for  patching both full Xbox 360 games and XBLA titles.  This is a big move on the company’s part.  While it eliminates a pretty big source of income for Microsoft, it makes things much easier for folks trying to release games on the system.

Typically, a game would be released to Microsoft for certification at a sizeable cost.  One free patch (which requires another certification) was included in that cost.  But any further patching would come with another high-priced fee.  This change eliminates that second (or third or fourth…) fee.

For smaller companies, the prices could be crippling.   Of course, initial certification still carries a hefty price tag, but doom no longer hangs over fixing a title after release.

This is fantastic news for gamers, as well.  There’s no longer a reason to delay a patch release while waiting to see what other updates might be necessary.

Of course, exceptions are in place to insure that game makers don’t take advantage of the more open system, but this is still quite a beneficial change.

Is this an indication of Microsoft’s policies for Xbox One?  Or is it merely a change that’s easier to make on a fading system? What do you think?  Let us know below or come join us in the forums.

Source: Eurogamer

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