Indie developers have earned $2.5bn through ID@Xbox

Microsoft has revealed that ID@Xbox has helped its indie partners generate $2.5 billion in royalties since the program launched nine years ago.

Microsoft says the results "have exceeded our wildest dreams", with independent developers securing more than $2.5 billion in royalties, and the total revenue generated by ID@Xbox partners on Xbox almost doubling over the last three years. "These are staggering numbers, and it speaks to the power of independent developers," Xbox adds. 

"Nine years ago, we made a promise to independent developers that we'd work as hard as we could on their behalf, because we knew Xbox players would be stoked to support their work," Chris Charla, general manager of content curation and programs, wrote on the Xbox Wire (thanks, TheGamer).

"We don't by any means consider that promise fulfilled because we see our work as an ongoing commitment from Xbox to independent developers. But through ID@Xbox, the launch of ID@Azure, our work with Game Pass and beyond to help developers bring their games to Xbox, and with the community response to the amazing games we're seeing come to the platform, we feel we're making progress in the right direction."

The post also reflects on the success of Xbox Game Pass too, stating that "there are amazing games out today on Xbox (and other platforms!) that would never have existed without the support of Game Pass members, and that's really been an incredible phenomenon".

"Ensuring that millions of Game Pass members get to experience some of the best independent games ever created has been transformational for Xbox players and developers," Charla added.

Did you catch the news that a new Xbox-related product called "Keystone" has been datamined? Earlier this month, dataminer Tero Alhonen claimed they'd unearthed details of a new Xbox product codenamed "Keystone" and said it has been explicitly highlighted as a "product" in the datamine rather than an event or game. 

There's more good news for Xbox fans, too - it looks like Xbox is holding an E3-style showcase later this year. Whilst not formally confirmed by Microsoft just yet, the rumor comes courtesy of industry insider Jeff Grubb, who recently claimed that the show's organizers are talking to publishers about its own digital event expected to be held sometime in June.

The ESA has announced that E3 2022 will be an online-only event due to the ongoing pandemic (if it's running at all, that is - recent reports have thrown doubt on the news).

Here are the five most exciting games revealed during Microsoft's latest ID@Xbox showcase.