Indie Games channel moved on Xbox Live

To accompany the launch of the Kinect last week, Microsoft rolled out an update to the Xbox Live dashboard. Among the positives of this update were an improved voice chat codec, ESPN programming, and Netflix searching. However, some indie developers were quite displeased with Microsoft's decision to move the Indie Games channel to the Specialty Shops category, a move they felt marginalized their importance on the network.

Now, Microsoft has taken steps to alleviate this concern, as it has once again moved the Indie Games channel, this time situating it among the Games & Demos tab on Xbox Live. According to Dave Mitchell, a product unit manager for Microsoft's Developer Program, the initial move was designed to highlight the channel, not hide it.

"The intent was to provide a special destination for Xbox Live Indie Game developers and not to 'bury' it as some have suggested it," he said. "We are constantly striving to make sure we are optimizing the experience for our users and developers across the entire marketplace--Indies included. Based on the strong feedback from all of you, however, we are in the process of moving the channel back."

The Indie Games channel is accompanied in the Games & Demos tab by the Arcade Games, Games on Demand, and Demos channels. When it was still within the Specialty Shops section of Xbox Live, the Indie Games channel counted among its neighbors the Avatar Marketplace and Classic Arcade, as well as the Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and Lips Music Stores.