Microsoft says they didn't pull another 180, despite headlines you might have seen today on various gaming news sites. The company still plans to add dev-kit functionality to retail Xbox Ones, they say.


Earlier this afternoon, reports emerged that Microsoft had cancelled plans to turn Xbox Ones into video game development kits. But somewhere, wires got crossed. Says Microsoft in a statement to Kotaku:

The comments today were inaccurate. We remain committed to ensuring the best possible solution for developers and hobbyists to create games for Xbox One. We will share more details at a later date.


Last year, in the months leading up to the Xbox One's launch, Microsoft promised that their shiny new console would also function as a video game development kit—in other words, buy an Xbox One, and you can use it to both play and make games. Though Microsoft hasn't yet implemented this feature, we've all been under the impression that it's still on its way.

But earlier today, a report circulated on Digital Spy and other gaming news outlets claiming that Microsoft had reversed course and would no longer be allowing Xbox Ones to function as development kits. "As far as I'm aware there are no plans. I'm not aware of the reason why we didn't manage to do that," Microsoft's Martin Fuller reportedly said.

Those comments were inaccurate, Microsoft says.