There are a number of things going on here.

Firstly, we're long overdue a new console generation. That's going to mean new hardware, new capabilities, and a new framework/API required to code to it.

Secondly, with both XNA and DX, MS are in a position where they have two frameworks to develop, document and support.

Thirdly, MS have been clearing out components from DX, pulling components from XNA into it, and generally acting as though they seem to have lost the plot in some cases (who knows - maybe they have?)

Now, look at the situation with DX versions. Vista brought DX10, Windows 7 brought DX11, Windows 8 only brought a minor version increment.

So pulling those together, adding some magic dust and speculation, my conclusion is that XNA and DX are heading for a merger, and that it's going to happen in (what would have been) the DX12 timeframe, and that timeframe is going to coincide with the new console generation.

Except of course they disolved the XNA team...

If you think of it, Monogame is becoming the successor of XNA for new tech (ANX is another option, too). Say that you concentrate only on Monogame abandoning XNA completely, the only platforms you lose are WP7 and Xbox360. The former is being replaced by Win8 and the XBLIG channel never succeeded. So with Monogame you've got XNA-like code that supports (and will support) Windows (including Win8 for ARM), WP8, NaCl, and many OpenGL-based platforms. Once Monogame imlements its own code for the content pipeline, you can say goodbye to XNA. The only doubt is related to the XBox720, but if it eventually allows C++ for indies then Monogame would also support this platform.

And for those who want a lower-level access to the DX APIs themselves with C#, you can use SharpDX.

Sooker,

I really don't see MS as forcing the issue onto C++. The C# support is quite strong and growing with Visual Studio, .NET Framework, object oriented contructs, and dynamic writing all being expanded right now. I feel that the real cause and effect is Microsoft keeping the synergy increasing with C# related products and services which is attracting more use of them everyday. Some things are going to fade in support, but they also know that third party things will make the exit of some of their techologies be a graceful one, while leaving the possibility of resurgence open like happened with DirectX years ago. Of course, they would love to see all categories of their products expand. You see, C# is a great language - really is - and more people are using it for that reason and the good support of it. I don't view it as a civil war or fued within MS, but rather the corporation meeting demand.

Well, given the state of things, I would suggest looking into Unity3D game engine and Axiom 3D render engine, both based on C#. I personally am looking into mono and monogame. I am almost decided in using mono with Axiom 3D (porting, .NET/Visual Studio Express).

I hope you work hard at it, stay with it, and get nice results!


Clinton

Bastion was at least ported using Monogame.

I ported a test game over to MonoGame that was developed using Visual Studio 2010/XNA. It worked flawlessly with 60 clear fps on a laptop (and this was running on mac). Id have to say though the game wasn't made of much...

The problem was there was a civil war at Microsoft, between Steven Sinofsky and J Allard, and the Steven won. He was in charge of the money printing server division, then took over Windows and is credited with turning the turd ( Vista ) into a gem ( Win7 ), mostly unfairly if we are honest.

it has to be said that the result of this was that MS managed to ship 2 OSes in a row able to outperform the older ones on the same hardware while still adding features, quite remarkable imo, even if we'll never know how much of this progress is actually due to the paradigm shift into native code or just a more strict company guidelines and control over performances of the codebase.

Has anyone developed a game using monogame?

Bastion has been ported from being an xbox 360 XNA game to standalone windows, mac and linux versions as part of the humble bundle and also to NaCl which means it is playable withing google chrome. It is now available for iOS too running with monogame.

There are quite a few other iOS and android apps made with it. Also heard a rumor about a Terraria monogame port.

MS managed to ship 2 OSes in a row able to outperform the older ones on the same hardware while still adding features

I beg to differ. Vista does get too much rep for being awful but it was definately MUCH slower than XP on the same hardware.