What's the latest on XNA replacement?
1) So the xbox one is out now, and with xna officially dead,
2) and hints were being given by microsoft about replacement for xna,
3) what is the latest news in this area?
4) Is free unity licenses the answer,
5) or is there a new indie library in the works much like xna was?
1) XNA is not at the EOL. It has always been essentially a supplemental system for DirectX 9, for hobbiest XBox 360 development, and for certain other devices. It still does those things, has never stopped doing those things, and will continue doing those things likely forever.
2) I haven't heard about a "replacement for xna". Last year there were several articles and quotes, especially those from Microsoft's Xbox division head Don Mattrick, about an "independent creator program", and that the X360's XBLIG functionality would eventually be available on the XB1. That does not translate to "replacement for XNA". To me that translates to "new development kit".
3) There has been no major news for several months. Recall that XNA wasn't announced or released until several years after the X360 was out. I wouldn't expect anything public about an independent developer program until summer of this year, at the earliest.
4) It might be the answer, depending on what your question was.
5) All signs point to yes.
Unity will get an XBox One addon in 2014 that will be free, and will also get a XBox One-only Unity Pro license. You will probably have to go through the ID@XBox process (ID = Independent Developer) to develop for XBox One.
5) All signs point to yes.
What signs?
I've been an XNA.DirectX MVP for 6 years and I don't see any signs at all. If Microsoft is working on such an API they have either managed to keep it amazingly secret or they have not started work on it yet - in which case don't expect to see anything anytime soon.
I'd say
5) No
If you want to release a game on Xbox One your choices right now are a) DirectX/C++ b) Unity (available at some unannounced time in 2014).
In addition you need to be accepted into the ID@xbox program and be chosen as one of the special few to get a dev kit, otherwise you have to wait till they enable retail boxes as dev kits - also an unannounced date. Meanwhile practise on windows 8 as the APIs are fairly similar.
And as above, there's currently no announcement for a Xbone version of IBLIG -- the zone for garage/hobbyist/XNA developers.
To make Xbone (or PS4, or PS3) games, you have to be a 'real' dev, with things like a business, compliance checks, dev kits, publishing contracts, license fees, etc...
But yes, if you're a licensed Xbone/PS4 dev, you'll most likely be given a free license for Unity (not that Unity actually supports Xbone/PS4 yet...)
Why not give MonoGame a shoot?
www.monogame.net
MonoGame is an Open Source implementation of the Microsoft XNA 4 Framework.
They are also adding features that was never implemented in XNA.
I use it myself and are pretty pleased with it.
