14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft confirms that it's finally going to unlock the dev kit functionality for retail Xbox One units later this year, although it's going to allow owners to develop and test Windows 10 universal applications, not resource intensive games that require more power.
The Xbox One launched back in 2013 and it was preceded by a tumultuous time for Microsoft in which stances concerning used gaming, always-online connections, and other such things were causing serious debates.
Amongst them, Microsoft promised to give all Xbox One owners the possibility to use their devices as dev kits.
Now, at GDC 2015, the company's Chris Charla, the director of the ID@Xbox program, confirms that this will happen later this year, once Windows 10 launches.
According to Charla, who talks with Eurogamer, retail Xbox One units will turn into test kits for Windows 10 universal applications that can run on both the console and on PC. These apps, however, aren't full-fledged games, as they'll only have access to limited power.
If developers want to make full-fledged games, however, they'll have to enroll in the ID@Xbox program, which provides them with regular Xbox One dev kits that can be used to make applications and titles that take advantage of the console's full power.
Things are still a bit unclear, right now, so expect to hear more soon enough.