Microsoft's bid to get fresh content from ambitious small developers onto the took another step in the right direction today, with the launch of XNA Game Studio Express, a platform that will allow budding designers to cheaply craft new titles for the 360 console. This new package defies the common conception that next-gen games development is a costly enterprise, with a license costing just 99 USD per year.

The platform will work on any Windows XP PC, and allows designers to create games in a mix of Visual C and .NET... whatever that means. Developers will of course need Microsoft's permission still to commercially launch their creations, hence the platform holders help in the creation process. There's also an XNA Creators Club launching, an Live entity allowing amateur designers to share tips and information, including white papers and the like.

The creators club will cost 49 USD a month, which we presume is where MS will be hoping to make a few bucks, though in return game creators will be able to offer their completed games on - which is rather cool. At present, downloads of this variety will be limited to XNA creators club members, so you'll obviously have to go an extra mile to get on the or anything really impressive, but we're sure those creating top-notch titles will be afforded plenty of assistance on this front from MS, as they battle rival services from and Nintendo.

"Games developed using XNA Game Studio Express cannot be shared through a memory card or CD/DVD at this time," explained, though titles can be offered for the PC, it would seem. More as we get it.

By Luke Guttridge