Microsoft will unlock retail Xbox Ones as test kits for games being developed in the Windows 10 universal app in the second half of 2015, the corporation confirmed during a GDC 2015 panel.
ID@Xbox director Chris Charla said during the panel that its very easy to port between PC and Xbox One on the universal app, Eurogamer reports.
Microsoft originally announced plans to eventually allow developers to use retail Xbox One consoles as dev kits and self-publish on the hardware in August 2013, but the window wasn’t confirmed until now.
Citing multiple sources,The Verge first reported last month that Microsoft was planning to open up its Xbox One apps platform this North American summer that’ll allow developers to turn retail Xbox One units into developer kits. According to the report, Microsoft is apparently planning to publicly roll out an SDK preview in May with the retail to dev kit switch.
The ID@Xbox program launched alongside the Xbox One in late 2013. Developers accepted into the initiative received two development kits for free with access to Achievements, Xbox Live and Kinect support. Jenna Pitcher is a freelance journalist writing for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter.