Microsoft: Relocated Indie Games Store Will Attract 'Many People'

Microsoft has issued a response to the recent backlash against the relocation of the Xbox Live Indie Games store, stating the updated store provides "new ways for people to browse and sort indie games." "Microsoft continues to support the efforts of independent game developers," a Microsoft spokesperson told Eurogamer. With the launch of the latest update to the Xbox 360 dashboard, the Indie Games store was separated from other games on the marketplace and moved into a "Specialty Shops" section, along with the Avatar Marketplace and Game Room. Indie developers expressed dismay at the change, arguing the update limits the visibility of indie games on Xbox Live, and will in turn harm sales. Microsoft claims the Specialty Shops section will draw many users to the Indie Games section, thanks in part to its proximity to the Avatar Marketplace. "We wanted to give Xbox Live Indie Games that full marketplace experience and felt this was the best place to do it, alongside other popular channels like the Avatar Marketplace," said Microsoft. "In fact, since the launch of Avatars, Xbox Live members have made more than 290 million customizations to their Avatar's clothing, so we expect many people to regularly visit the Specialty Shops section," the statement continued. Microsoft also asserts the new store features allow users to more easily sort and browse the games already available on the Indie Games store. The new Indie Games store features the top 50 titles, up from the top 20 in the previous dashboard update, and also includes new ways to sort games, including top-rated and top-selling lists. Microsoft argues these features will make it easier for users to find new indie titles.