Microsoft's (News - Alert) introduction to the Xbox One may not have gotten off on the right foot, but Microsoft has been seen rapidly making changes to better accommodate what consumers are after. Changes have been made to just how games can be used and played, how games work in the system, and plenty more, but one change that will likely be well-received with the independent gaming community is Microsoft's plan to move the Xbox One to a self-publishing model. But that's not the only new twist for indie developers to be found here.

The biggest change is, of course, to the self-publishing concept. Previously, Microsoft wouldn't allow games to reach the Arcade stage without a Microsoft-certified publisher to back said titles. This actually contributed to plenty of difficulty for a very popular recent release, “State of Decay.” But under the new methods, indie publishers will be able to put the game into play alone. Moreover, Microsoft is also said to be tightening up the time it takes to go through the certification system, with Microsoft reducing its role to looking for major bugs and violations of the terms of service. There's more information expected out on this topic during the upcoming Gamescom event in Germany this August, but early reports suggest that the turnaround time is hoped to be more like that of iTunes.

This is a major step for Microsoft itself, of course, but it's not the only step. Word has also emerged that Microsoft's Xbox One will double as a debug unit commonly used for developers. Each console will be able to, essentially, run game code that's currently in progress, which allows for easier developing at the console level. In most cases, a debug console tends to be much more expensive and look a little different, but Microsoft is opening up the opportunity for most everyone who wants to make a game for the Xbox One so to do.

Early reports from independent developers are, generally, optimistic on the side of caution. Many with bad experiences with Microsoft in the past still remember that time, unfavorably, and are thus reserving judgment until the fullest word about Microsoft's new move emerges. But with Microsoft clearly making overtures in the direction of the indie market, it's shaping up that Microsoft wants to better open up the floor to a large pool of developers, and not necessarily those whose names are seen on shelves.

It's a commonly held precept that more choice is better for consumers in the long run, so seeing more choices emerge for the market in the form of better access to development tools would likely prove to offer the kind of value that consumers would want to see. If Microsoft can get together a strong indie platform, it may well have the kind of advantage it really needs to justify its higher price when compared against the PlayStation 4.

Either way, however, the next generation of gaming is really starting to shape up, and with more news rapidly on the way, it's clear that there will be more than a few changes from the current generation to the next. Only time will tell just what form these changes ultimately take.