Back when Windows Phone launched, developers had to fork over $99 a year for access to the Dev Center (then it was called App Hub). However, at the beginning of this summer, Microsoft slashed the price to just $19, or as they aptly put it “the cost of a pizza”. That special offer was to expire yesterday, but Microsoft’s Todd Brix has taken to Twitter to announce that the price is staying for the near future (he actually announced it yesterday, but we missed it).

That’s good news for aspiring devs, especially those in emerging markets, who have trouble raising the $100 to join the Windows Phone developer club. Combined with the recently announced App Studio Beta for web based creations , Microsoft is clearly trying to woo new developers to the ecosystem in an aggressive way.

Will it have an impact? It certainly can’t hurt and we’d rather have some new, talented developers jump on board than not. Reducing barriers to entry is always a good thing, so we welcome this news. Remember, pass the information on to any developers you know who may be considering coding for Windows Phone.

Head to the Dev Center to get started: http://dev.windowsphone.com/en-us/join

Source: Twitter (@toddbrix); Thanks, Cristhian, for the heads up!