Zune HD gets XNA games development software

Microsoft today released its XNA Game Studio 3.1 Zune Extensions for its recently launched Zune HD. The add-on for XNA Game Studio 3.1 allows for the development of software applications for the device, an example of which can be seen in a video below. It also brings new Touch and Accelerometer APIs to the Zune HD's XNA Framework.

This includes a tutorial on how to update the Platformer Game Starter Kit to take advantage of the newfound Touch APIs, but other XNA Game Studio functions remain the same, the company said.

The Zune HD has represented a major break in Microsoft's Zune software development plans as it broke compatibility with existing efforts that had assumed button controls instead of multi-touch. As it uses a much faster NVIDIA Tegra processor, it similarly requires much more knowledge of 3D. The renewed XNA efforts show Microsoft maintaining interest in third-party apps despite both the break and its revelation that apps on the Zune will at least initially be limited to hand-picked titles.

By Electronista Staff