Minecraft XBLA may feature constant updates, a first for the service

The upcoming Xbox Live Arcade version of indie hit Minecraft may mark the first time that Microsoft has allowed a developer to constantly update a title on the digital download service. The Xbox Kinect-enabled version of the game was first announced at E3 2011, and is due for release later this year. The initial release will contain features that were seen in a beta version of Minecraft, and over time will be updated until it has the same features as the current PC version of the game. Paddy Burns, chief technology officer at 4J Studios -- the company behind the Xbox version of Minecraft -- told Edge Magazine that he is currently in talks with Microsoft to allow for constant updates to the game, rather than each update having to be thoroughly tested as is usual with Xbox Live Arcade titles. "Microsoft knows that to do a similar thing that's on PC where they constantly update it, that's a very difficult thing to do on Xbox because you have to go through the full tests," he explained. "But they are quite keen to move towards that - they do see it as the future, so I think we might be the first to do constant updates." However, he noted that the Xbox version will not be updated as regularly as the PC version was, with the plan to roll out new updates every two months.